Watching Every Sunrise of 2023

When I decided to watch sunrise every single day of the year, I didn't initially plan to do it to raise money, or for any cause other than making a personal commitment to myself, to get up and out each day at dawn, and welcome the sun at the beginning of a new day. To start every day with beauty and with nature, regardless of what else was going on in my life or the wider world.

As time went by, a few people started to ask if I was going to use this commitment and energy to help raise money for a cause I care about. I have thought about this and why not? There are so many worthy causes for the planet and animals and people that I would love to support, but I have decided to offer an opportunity to donate to this charity, Grassroots Suicide Prevention, for anyone who generously wishes to support my sunrise commitment in this way. I set a target of £365 for the number of sunrises that I'm watching in a row, but anything more or less will be appreciated.

Increasingly the rising sun has become a radiantly strong metaphor for hope, for light always returning after darkness, for the persistence and resilience of life. The simple act of putting myself in front of beauty, feeling myself being a part of the spectacular nature of this planet, despite all the terrible challenges ahead with climate change, social inequalities, and the increasing risks to physical and mental health so many people face, it has become hugely significant as a symbol of strength, of determination, of never giving up.

A song that I discovered this year which expresses this sentiment beautifully, is ‘In The Dark There’s Gold’ by Flaming June.

In an interview, Louise of Flaming June says:

Getting up watching the sunrise is both challenging and enriching to me personally, but through the daily photos and films I make and share of every sunrise (see below for links), I hope to inspire others to reach out to nature, to feel nature within themselves and to embrace a connection that can be healing, can never be permanently lost, and that if broken can always be returned to.

You're welcome to follow my sunrise journey on Facebook: Every Sunrise.

and Youtube: Every Sunrise (Playlist beginning from January 1st).

Human response to the beauty of sunrise feels ancient. Naomi, a friend of mine described it perfectly in response to my suggestion it was embedded deep in our DNA: "Absolutely primal. The return of the sun means we've survived the long night with all its hidden terrors. What a relief! I bet we've been delighting in sunrise since before we knew how to harness fire".

I have lost friends and relatives to suicide so this cause matters deeply to me personally. Grassroots Suicide Prevention are doing lots of invaluable work, training and educating people to reach out, and to help prevent suicides. The more of us that are aware of the risks and can take helpful action or speak effectively to others, the more lives may be saved, and the fewer people may be living with the aftermath of the deep and complex grief which the suicide of loved ones leaves us with.

Thank you so much!