Shaking off the Blues: Your guide to a jolly January

January… money’s tight, you’re up to the last notch on your belt and still picking pine needles out of the living room carpet. it’s great!

After the indulgence of the christmas period, for many of us the new year is a time to tighten those purse strings and hibernate until pay day but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here in Liverpool there’s plenty of cheap, cheerful and, crucially, booze-free events and activities to help you ease into 2017 and Your Move has picked the best in our handy guide.

Words by Lawrence Saunders

Laugh it off

Designed for anyone who wants to have a laugh and feel good, Laughter Yoga is based on the idea that artificial laughter offers the same physiological and psychological benefits as the spontaneous kind.

Every Friday evening, yoga instructor Jordan Fawcett leads an hour-long class at HUS on Tithebarn Street. After some basic breathing exercises followed by child-like playtime activities to get you in the mood, you’ll soon be roaring away as the merriment becomes infectious.

Hopefully you’ll notice a boost in your mood as well as a better nights’ sleep and you’ll also be working out your abdominal and core muscles which surely beats sit-ups on a smelly gym mat any day of the week.

Expand your mind

After a fortnight spent contemplating nothing more taxing than which TV repeat to watch next, why not give your grey matter a much needed feed with a trip to the Walker Art Gallery.

Running from 27 January to 7 May 2017, the venue’s free Victorian Treasures exhibition brings together more than 60 period paintings from the collections of National Museums Liverpool, exploring the work of leading 19th Century classical artists such as Lawrence Alma-Tadema and Edward John Poynter.

The exhibition, recently seen by more than 150,000 visitors during a tour of Japanese cities, will also feature pieces from a number of iconic Pre-Raphaelite artists including John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Holman Hunt.

Meanwhile over at Bluecoat, the first in a series of year-long heritage exhibitions to mark the arts centre’s 300th birthday gets underway on 28 January.

Art at the Heart of Bluecoat runs till 9 April and examines the central role art has played at the city centre’s oldest building through some of its key personalities, exhibitions and organisations.

Entry is free.

Alcohol-free fun

The rise in popularity of escape games in the UK over the past couple of years has been remarkable and here in Liverpool the situation is no different with a handful dotted about the city.

With each one essentially based on the same premise whereby you and a team of friends are locked in room and given a series of clues to help you solve puzzles and hopefully escape, strong production values and well thought-out storylines are a must.

Tick Tock Unlock scores highly in both of these categories with its ‘Blueprint’ game where it’s your job to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of a renowned history professor and conspiracy theorist.

Located at Chadwick Court, near Costco, it’s recommended for anyone aged over nine years old and is a great way to make the most of any remaining time off with the family this January.

Not quite ready to dive back into real life after the Christmas break? Maybe a virtual reality experience is more up your street.

VR-HERE on Paul Street offers visitors the chance to experience the full power of virtual reality entertainment using the latest technology and most up-to-date games.

Not just for ardent gamers, during your 30 minute slot you have the option of various immersive experiences such as becoming a gourmet chef or an office worker with the ‘Job Simulator’ or taking a closer look at the human anatomy with ‘Body Scan’ and revealing every layer of tissue in all its gruesome glory.

Guilt-free grub

As we ease into the new year, many of us will no doubt be looking to lose some unwanted holiday heft but this shouldn’t mean resorting to celery sticks and brown rice.

We’ve found the perfect culinary compromise so you can enjoy some tasty grub without having to worry about your waistline and it comes in the shape of authentic vegetarian and vegan Indian eatery Sanskruti.

Tucked away in Liverpool’s commercial district on Bixteth Street, Sanskruti was recently named on The Sunday Times’ list of the top 30 places serving the best veggie food in the country.

With recipes drawn from across the Indian subcontinent including a number of street food options and a popular Indian dessert made from freshly curdled milk balls, this is one unique restaurant worth seeking out in January.

Give something back

Volunteering this January is an easy way to stay busy whilst hopefully making a real difference to people’s lives. With opportunities available across a wide range of areas, volunteering can help you develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge.

The Silver Line is one organisation which is always on the lookout for caring people who can spare 30 minutes a week for a friendly chat with older members of the public.

Having nobody to talk to on a regular basis can be particularly upsetting for some people – especially those who are used to sharing their home and time with others.

If you’d prefer to get a little more active, a new scout group is opening in Toxteth this month and is calling on volunteers to get involved.

Based in the Southern Neighbourhood Council (SNC) building on Upper Mann Street, the group has appointed a leader but is still in need of section assistants who are committed and enjoy working with young people.

For more information on these opportunities and others across the city, contact Volunteer Centre Liverpool on 0151 237 3975.