Hospital Radio: Some thoughts on summer

It is certainly a special time of year, evoking all sorts of emotions.

How to experience all that Summer has to offer is the question of course, there is only a short window of opportunity. We are so lucky in Torbay to be in an area of natural beauty which only goes to enhance the opportunities that  are available. So, what to do? How to take in the experience? How best to celebrate? There’s something quietly transcendent about a British summer—it’s less about blazing sun and more about the subtle miracles in fleeting moments.

I was up at 04:30 on the longest day - the Summer Solstice -  to watch the sunrise. The plot was hatched the previous night, when I watched the sunset. I wasn't sure how getting up so early would go. If I could, I'd be up for the sunrise every day of the year - as long as the weather was reliably friendly. I enjoy sunsets, but they rarely present a challenge. Getting up at 04:30, even in the summer, is a different story. Harnessing a centuries - old trick beloved of soldiers, I made it. And it was easier than I expected. Bonus!

Watching the sun come up is a spiritual experience. 2025s' longest day fell on a Saturday, and doubtless it helped that I was apparently born very early on a Saturday - my very best time of the week, as the weekend gets going. A tiny sliver of moon hung in the sky, vainly trying to hold on to the night, as I left the house. I was already as high as a kite with solstice euphoria - if not the moon itself.....

I wasn't surprised to find many others with the same idea. During the pandemic, I was up a few times to drink in the glory of the summer sunrise, and noticed then how popular it was. Even more day breakers were around this time, though - kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming or just taking it all in.

 Not surprisingly, sunrise is popular with lyricists and singers too. In 1966, the Beatles released 'Good Day Sunshine', a hard -to - beat feelgood tune. ‘Morning has Broken', by Cat Stevens, is a very memorable song, and the Fab Four enjoyed a second bite at the sunrise cherry in 1969 with 'Here Comes the Sun' - which always lifts my spirits after a hard winter. Simply Red and Coldplay released songs simply 'Sunrise', and Frank Sinatra joined the party with the intriguingly - titled 'Sunrise in the Morning.' My favourite, though, has to be Eric Carmen’s' majestic 'Sunrise', which never seems to get a radio airing.

Whatever the time of day or year, whatever the weather, Torbay Hospital Radio is proud to offer something for everyone to lift your spirits. Broadcasting 24/7, every day of the year, we present live shows covering a vast musical and entertainment spectrum as often as volunteer presenters' time allows. We' re there for the entire hospital community, and we understand that hospital can be a challenging experience. We reach out across all available media - from ward visits to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - to give as many patients as possible the chance to have a song played for them. Research has proved that this simple kindness can help to speed recovery.

Though we supply compact pre - tuned FM radios to the wards, online access is also simple - just search for 'Torbay Hospital Radio' and click on 'Listen Live'. We even have our own app, downloadable from the Apple store, and you will find us at many outside broadcasts. If you' re in hospital, or you know someone who is, in Torbay, Newton Abbot or Brixham hospitals, please get in touch via our website or social media, We' d love to play you a song!