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The Upbeat: Rooftop ward hopes to help patients heal

Plus, can you beat a spelling bee champ?

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June 1, 2026 5:34am EDT

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The Upbeat

Georgia Chambers

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Hello and welcome to The Upbeat. For many of us, it can be easy to take to the outside world for granted. But for those who cannot access it so easily, a breath of fresh air can make all the difference. That’s the thinking behind a new initiative blending nature with medicine, which will allow seriously ill patients to be cared for safely outdoors.

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Elsewhere, I’ve felt inspired reading the emotional story of why two brothers undertook a gruelling 33-day challenge. And one of the UK’s most eye-catching landmarks gets a much-needed makeover. What was your favourite story in the newsletter this week, and why? Email [email protected].

DON'T MISS

Seeing the sky again

Hollie Allan, a patient at King’s College Hospital, sits in a hospital bed with multiple tubes attached to her. A male doctor with a stethoscope around his neck and an older woman with glasses stand next to her.

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Hospital gardens have been around for some time, but they have rarely been able to treat the needs of critically ill patients - until now. A brand-new, innovative outdoor ward has opened on the roof of King’s College Hospital in south London, and is the first of its kind in the UK. Twenty nine-year-old Hollie was the first patient to try it out.

See how Hollie reacted

MORE TO EXPLORE

Brothers Jonathan and Cian Adams stand next to each other with their arms outstretched, both smiling and holding Ireland flags. They wear yellow t-shirts that read ‘Comfort Keepers’.

Joy and tears as brothers finish 33 marathons in 33 days

Jonathan and Cian Adams were cheered on by hundreds of supporters as they crossed the finish line, having raised £1.5m for charity.

Read their story

A young woman with a backpack looks into a pair of binoculars. She is standing in a sunny wooded area.

Credit: Getty Images

Why young people are flocking to birdwatching

The hobby has shed its conventional reputation, becoming more accessible - and all the cool kids are doing it.

Read what they say

A screenshot of Cristo Fernández from an interview he gave to the BBC. He has shoulder-length, wavy dark brown hair and wears a blue cap and a grey vest.

Ted Lasso actor signs with US pro football team

His character’s catchphrase was “football is life”. Now Cristo Fernández is taking that literally as he takes to the field.

Watch his interview

Shrey Parikh hold the spelling bee trophy above his head with both hands. He wears a black shirt and a yellow participant badge around his neck that reads ’29 Shrey’. A man wearing a grey suit assists Shrey in holding the trophy with one of his hands.

California teen wins US spelling bee

Shrey Parikh beat 247 spellers in the annual contest, with “cashaw” declared his winning word. Click below to see if you can do better.

Take our quiz

An old photograph of a group of friends with their arms around each other, some wearing shirts with the Union Jack flag on it.

The football fans who went to a World Cup and stayed

In 1986, a group of friends travelled 5,000 miles to see the tournament in Mexico. They loved it so much, they didn’t come home.

Explore their story

BEFORE YOU GO

A nude awakening

An aerial view of the Cerne Abbas Giant, which is etched onto a hillside in Cerne Abbas, Dorset. The large figure is naked and wields a club, detailed by its white chalk outline. The sun is setting on the horizon.

Credit: National Trust/PA

For centuries, this giant has been famous for its certain, er… assets. Now the 55-metre chalk figure in Dorset is getting a once-in-a-decade revamp so visitors can see him in all his glory. It’s requiring a huge team effort, involving 300 people, 17 tonnes of fresh chalk - and lots of uphill walking. Keep reading to learn more about the Cerne Abbas Giant’s mystery origins.

Find out more

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Send us your ideas for The Upbeat by emailing us here. If your friends and family want to receive this weekly newsletter, they can sign up here.

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Thanks so much for reading, catch you next week!

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Georgia

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Lead image credits: Getty Images; BBC

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