Get The Love Bug this Valentine’s!

Tuesday 14 February is Valentine’s Day. Saint Valentine is said to have been a Catholic priest in Roman times. He was sent to jail for illegally performing marriages at a time when Emperor Claudius II had outlawed weddings. Claudius was said to be concerned that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachments to their wives and families. He also wanted existing soldiers to be banned from getting married because he thought marriage would distract them from their work. When Claudius discovered Valentine was performing marriages, he sent him to jail. 

In prison, Valentine would continue to write letters to people on the outside. One person he wrote to was Julia, the daughter of his jailer Asterious, who befriended Valentine. Julia was blind and needed Valentine’s help with learning materials. Valentine’s final letter to Julia, just before he was killed, was signed: “From your Valentine.”

Now, the tradition goes, that lovers write anonymous notes to each other on Valentine’s Day, signed in a similar way.

National Prison Radio is there to inspire you to keep in touch with your loved ones during your own prison sentence. One show that does this is ‘The Love Bug’, which broadcasts every Friday on National Prison Radio. The Love Bug is a show dedicated to playing love songs and ballads that will help you think about the ones you love. From slow jam RnB to classic rock ballads, there’s something for every music lover.

Tom from C Wing is the presenter of The Love Bug: “This show is important to me because it inspires me to reminisce about the past good times I had with my partner and my family before my incarceration. It also keeps me focused on what’s to come when I’m finally released. 

“I spend a lot of time on the phone to my family, but sometimes I write letters. The Love Bug is the perfect show to inspire you to write a heartfelt message to the ones out there missing you. The thought-provoking lyrics of a love song can be the key to unlocking your feelings and giving you the inspiration to put pen to paper.

“Being a prisoner myself, I know it’s easier to be more reserved with your feelings in prison and not to show weakness; that’s why writing a letter is a good way to get your feelings out in a more private manner. 

“National Prison Radio has helped me through some dark times during my sentence and music can change the way you feel in an instant.

“The Love Bug for me is my favourite show because it has such a positive, emotional vibe. I’m proud to be able to bring that to all the NPR listeners who tune in.”

Tom’s Love Bug Tips

Two of my favourite songs I love to play on The Love Bug are Macy Gray – I Try and Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing. The lyrics in both these songs resonate with how I feel when I think about the ones I love, who are out there missing me. 

Songs like this are what The Love Bug is all about. Reminding you of the positive, happy times that are to come at the end of the nightmare we call prison, which sometimes feels like it will never end.

It’s not easy being away from our loved-ones on days like Valentine’s. If you are really struggling and need to speak to someone, remember to make the most out of the Listener service provided by the Samaritans. It’s a confidential service in prisons across the country for people who need to talk about anything that you’re struggling with in prison.

The Love Bug is on National Prison Radio every Friday evening at 5pm, repeated on Sundays at 9am and 10pm.

National Prison Radio is the world’s first national radio station for people in prison. It’s run by a charity, the Prison Radio Association. You can request a track for your loved-one on the outside on the Family and Friends Request Show by calling 0808 123 1234. It’s free to call and you can leave a voicemail any time of the day or night.