An Arts, Health and Culture podcast created by InterAct Stroke Support interviewing a variety of guests from the Arts and Health fields, who talk about their life, work and sometimes the big ideas and issues of the day. Our podcasts hosts are Nirjay Mahindru and Megan McKie Smith.
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Send us a Text Message.Avita Jay talk about her work as an actor and her experiences of stroke, her father dying of a stroke when Avita was fifteen. Theatre includes: The Empress, Falkland Sound, The Comedy of Errors, The Winter's Tale (RSC); Jinnistan (Òran Mór, Traverse); Favour (Bush Theatre); The Lovely Bones (Birmingham Rep); Billionaire Boy (NST Theatre/UK tour); The Secret Garden (York Theatre Royal); The Jungle Book (national tour); Bottled Up (Lyric Hammersmith); Bring on the Bollywood (national tour); We're Stuck (Shoreditch Town Hall/national tour); Rapunzel, Warde Street (Park Theatre); Pioneer (Sheffield Crucible/tour); Unsung (Wilton's Music Hall); The Merry Wives of Windsor (national tour); Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World (Southwark Playhouse).Television includes: Casualty; Doctors; The Good Ship Murder; Emmerdale; Silent Witness; Coronation Street; L8R.Film includes: By Any Other Name; The Rezort, London, Paris, New York; Twenty8K.Other: Avita also narrates audiobooks for Audible and works for the charity, InterAct Stroke SupportSupport the Show.
Originally from Portsmouth, Adam trained as an actor at the Guildford School of Acting. He has worked in many shows across the West End and UK including Les Miserables, Sunset Boulevard, The Prince of Egypt, Sweeney Todd to name a few. With surviving at stroke at the age of 38, Adam is incredibly proud of his 'journey'so far, which finds him back at the Sondheim Theatre in Les Miserables. @adampearceuk@lesmizofficialSupport the show
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Sarah manages the Greater Manchester Neurorehabilitation & Integrated Stroke Delivery Network, which she helped establish in 2015. Previously, Sarah spent much of her career within the NIHR Clinical Research Networks in senior management roles both in Greater Manchester and in London. Cillian is a qualified Occupational Therapist with experience of working in several inpatient stroke and neurorehabilitation settings across GM. He joined the network in April 2022 as a Facilitator as part of a larger service improvement team. The team work in collaboration with local stroke and neurorehabilitation teams into support quality improvement projects which currently include: vocational rehabilitation, motor neurone disease care pathway and discharge processes. You can find out more about the network at www.gmnisdn.org.uk or on X (Twitter) @GMNISDNSupport the show
Edmund Hubbard is an independent arts consultant and a trustee for InterAct Stroke Support. He talks about his life and the circumstances of his stroke with Nirjay Mahindru. Details about his consultancy work can be found at www.hubbardartconsultancy.com Support the show
In 2016, after 10 years working frontline as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Major Trauma, Dr Bahl decided to pursue her interest in Exercise and Physical activity and retrain formally in Sports and Exercise medicine. She now shares her working hours between being a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Kings College London, working as an Adult and Paediatric SEM Consultant at the National Centre in Loughborough and for UHL, working as a Clinical champion for Physical Activity for the Department of Health and Social care and as a Medical Examiner. Her specialist interests include Corporate and Conference Health, Performing Arts Medicine, Post Covid recovery and Focused Ultrasound. She delivers webinars on wellbeing and personal sustainability for a number of clients, including HEEM and L'Oreal. She is a Level four personal trainer. In her non-work time she runs with her dog, dances, does yoga, escapes to her garden and is an Ambassador for InterAct, a charity that brightens up the lives of Stroke patients via live reading. She spends as much time as possible around her teenagers, getting soundly beaten at any activities they do together, cooking dairy-free, nutritionally punchy meals and making the most of living in London.Support the show
Jenny Benson is the Fundraising and Project Officer at Read for Good, a UK charity with the aim of motivating all children to read for fun, because loving reading changes lives. With a background in fundraising and communications, and in young people's mental health and activism, Jenny delights in sharing her love of literature and inspiring children and young people to embrace the power of storiesFor more details about Read for Good visit https://readforgood.org/about-us/ Support the show
Ségolène is a Performer and Vocal Empowerment Coach combining voice, language, breathwork and energy therapy to help creatives find their voice in life and in art.She's taken what she's learned from the worlds of wellness, coaching and performance to help people fuel their expression, release limiting beliefs, stagnant emotions and unlock their vocal power.Instagram: @artfulsego // @theartfulathleteFind out more about my journey: https://theartfulathlete.co.uk/about-me The Artful Athlete Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1EtigHRBHSlcKvlEr6eTQV The Artful Athlete Podcast on ApplePodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-artful-athlete/id1526058139Books and methods mentioned:- The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick MckeownYou can sign up to courses and find out more about the science used to improve breath on his website: https://oxygenadvantage.com/about/- Breathe by James Nestor- I would also recommend Exhale by Richie Bostock who was my introduction to Breathwork outside of performanceJacko's Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jacko.david.jackson Support the show
Marion Walker is Emeritus Professor of Stroke Rehabilitation at the University of Nottingham and a fully accredited Executive Coach. She has particular expertise in the development and evaluation of complex interventions and has published widely on moving evidence from randomised controlled trials into routine clinical care. She is a strong advocate of patient partnership and co-chaired the Nottingham Stroke Research Partnership Group for 10 years. Marion was a Trustee of the Stroke Association (2009-2019) and is passionate about supporting women in STEM subjects. Marion is an Executive Member of the International Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Alliance and currently leads on the development of Global Centres of Clinical Excellence in Stroke Rehabilitation. She is an Emeritus NIHR Senior Investigator and was awarded anMBE in the Queens New Year Honours list 2012 for her service to stroke rehabilitation and stroke survivors. In 2020 she was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from UK Stroke Forum.Support the show
Helen Daniels is a former InterAct Stroke Support Office Administrator and has recently rejoined the InterAct family as their Development Co-ordinator. Helen is a British mezzo-soprano based in Bern, Switzerland. She is a member of the Swiss Opera Studio where she is studying with Christian Hilz, and has worked with renowned directors and conductors including Olivier Tambosi and Christoph Campestrini. Helen is generously supported by the Alec Turner Music Scholarship (awarded by the General Charity of the City of Coventry).Helen has performed in masterclasses with Barbara Hannigan and Anna Stéphany; and played roles including Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia; Trinity Laban Conservatoire), Nancy (Albert Herring; Trinity Laban Conservatoire), Didone/Volupia/Hora Terza (L'Egisto; Hamsptead Garden Opera) and Lapak (Cunning Little Vixen; Cambridge University Opera Society). For more: https://www.helendanielsmezzo.com/Support the show
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with Cassandra Hugill, founder of the UCL World Stroke Day Forum and Public Engagement Manager at the Department of Imaging Neuroscience, UCL, discusses the importance of having lived experts voice in shaping stroke research and rehabilitation. Cassandra has been working with people with neurological conditions for the past five years, ensuring that research is accessible and more tailored to the needs of patients. To find out more about the forum, and to watch some short documentaries about the stroke research taking place at UCL, please visit bit.ly/UCLWSDforum UCL World Stroke Day ForumA free Forum run by UCL for stroke survivors and their loved ones will return in 2022.Now in its fifth year, UCL World Stroke Day Forum aims to empower stroke survivors to influence the future of stroke research at UCL.The forum, sponsored by The National Brain Appeal, encourages an open dialogue between researchers, clinicians, charities, stroke survivors, carers and loved ones.Since 2020 the Forum has been held entirely online due to the pandemic. For the first time, UCL World Stroke Day Forum 2022 will be a hybrid event.Online sessions will be held in the two weeks leading up to an in-person event at Church House Westminster, London on Friday 28th October.The forum will build upon previous years successes, where in 2021 over 500 stroke survivors, loved ones and carers signed up to our online events.UCL research groups will team up once more with stroke charities to deliver panel discussions, interactive talks and workshops.The exciting programme of free events will include a series of online panels with leading stroke experts starting from the 17th October 2022.These events will lead up to the in-person event at Church House, Westminster, London on Friday 28th October 2022.The full day event will provide people with the opportunity to engage with researchers and charity partners in an open expo space, and learn more about post stroke support, research and rehabilitation in a series of talks and hands on workshops. Tickets can be booked at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-person-event-ucl-world-stroke-day-forum-2022-tickets-418048653777 Online sessions can be booked at https://engagement.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/projects/wsdforum/ucl-world-stroke-day-forum-2022/ Support the show
Konstantin and Francis share their experiences of developing the hugely successful podcast Triggernometry. Konstantin Kisin is a Russian-British comedian, podcaster, writer and social commentator. He made international headlines in 2018 by refusing to sign a university “behavioural agreement form” which banned jokes about religion, atheism and insisted that all humour must be “respectful and kind”.Konstantin is the reigning Jewish Comedian of the Year and has won a number of other comedy competitions, awards and prizes. He has played some of the UK's biggest comedy clubs and has supported Geoff Norcott, Shazia Mirza and Andrew Doyle on tour. He took his debut hour, Orwell That Ends Well, to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019, receiving a host of positive reviews.Konstantin is a regular contributor to BBC, ITV and TalkRadio. Frequently described as an "objective voice from the centre of the political spectrum", he regularly writes for a wide range of publications, including the Telegraph, Spectator and Quillette.He is also the creator and co-host of the TRIGGERnometry YouTube show where 2 comics interview economists, political experts, journalists and social commentators about interesting, controversial and challenging subjects.Konstantin is a regular host at Kilkenomics, the best economics and comedy festival in the world.Francis Foster is a comedian and teacher. He has taught in both primary and secondary sectors with a specialism in Drama and English. Francis graduated from the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama and away from the classroom he is a stand up comedian who gigs regularly in Europe and beyond. He supported Eddie Izzard on his latest Force Majeure Tour. Francis is the regular co-host of the Triggernometry podcast.TRIGGERnometry is a free speech YouTube show and podcast. Comedians Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster create fun-but-serious conversations with fascinating guests, including former Presidential advisors and political experts, leading economists, psychologists, journalists, social and cultural commentators, YouTubers and others.Support the show
Torin Douglas is a highly respected former BBC media correspondent for over 25 years who has also worked for the Independent and the Times. He is one of the founders of the Chiswick Book Festival which starts on Wednesday 7th September. Details of the festival can be found hereSupport the show
Christable Flight is the founder of Silver Sunday, an event celebrating older people that occurs on the first Sunday in October. She was a Westminster councillor for 17 years. Further details about Silver Sunday can be found at https://silversunday.org.uk/Support the show
Eleanor Caird is an actor that started working for InterAct during the early days of the charity, seeing the plethora of changes that has occured within the charity over the years, and was an active participant in community based projects that encouraged the creativity of stroke survivors. Support the show
Actor Ross Foley talks about his experiences working for InterAct Stroke Support, including hospital settings, and the InterAct at Home virtual delivery service.Support the show
Professor Judith Mottram talks about her work as an Arts professor at the University of Lancaster, the relationship between Art and creativity and also arts and health.Support the show
An English actor and voice artist, born and raised in Wiltshire, UK. Sartaj began as theatre actor in Shakespeare and contemporary productions. Performed in Scott Rudin's 2015 production of "Behind The Beautiful Forevers" at National Theatre. Other theatre credits include Royal Court, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester and Bush Theatre in UK. Has worked with Sean Connery, Andrew Garfield, Archie Panjabi, Sheridan Smith, Omid Djalili. Hollywood debut in League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Has also appeared in Indian feature films Tezz and Desi Boyz. Best known for playing Jasper Choudhury in Season 2 of Nickelodeon's hit teen drama "House Of Anubis." Holds Finance degree, is a qualified mediator and an experienced martial artist.Sartaj Garewal is best known in the US for playing "Jasper Choudhury" in hit teen gothic drama House Of Anubis for Nickelodeon.He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts - FRSA.Founded high performance leadership development consultancy, Dynamic Presenting Ltd.He runs Dynamic Presenting Ltd, a leadership consultancy, which adapts improvisation and rehearsal exercises to create experiential learning for business executives.Support the show
Fellow podcast host Megan takes to the other side of the Mic as she is interviewed by Nirjay Mahindru. Megan is an actor, poet, drama facilitator and highly experienced InterAct reader.Support the show
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with actress Rula Lenska. Rula talks about her childhood, her journey within acting, and her support for the various charities she feels passionate about. Support the show
In conversation with former footballer and stroke survivor Nick Clarke about his stroke and how and why he set up Stroke Information.Support the show
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with Professor of Neurology Alexander Leff from Kings College London. Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Tony Banks spent 10 years at the Stroke Association and was the head of Conferences and events. Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Oliver Robert Ford Davies (born 12 August 1939) is an English actor and writer, best known for his extensive theatre work, and to a broader audience for his role as Sio Bibble in Star Wars Episodes I to III. He is also known for his role as Maester Cressen in HBO series Game of Thrones.In 1959, as a member of the Oxford University Experimental Theatre Club, he appeared in his first Stratford performance in the Memorial Theatre's open-air production of Bartholomew Fair. His first professional appearances were, at the age of 27, in the 1967 season at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.[5] Short Seasons at the Mermaid, London, the Oxford Playhouse and the Cambridge Arts Theatre followed. His long and prolific association with the Royal Shakespeare Company started in 1975, when director Terry Hands cast him as Mountjoy in Henry V. He is an Honorary Associate Artist of the company. From 1990 until 2019 He appeared more frequently at the National Theatre, London, until at the age of 80 he lent his "sublime presence" to the part of the appraising button moulder in Henryk Ibsen's Peter Gynt at the Olivier Theatre.On television, Davies had a regular role as Peter Foxcott QC in Kavanagh QC and was schoolmaster Le Bas in the serialization of A Dance to the Music of Time (1997). He also appeared with John Thaw in an episode of Inspector Morse and also appeared in the ITV television drama The Uninvited, and in a 2002 episode of the popular drama Foyle's War.On film, his most prominent role was probably Sio Bibble in the Star Wars "prequel trilogy" films, released in 1999, 2002 and 2005. In 2003, Davies appeared in the film Johnny English, where he portrayed the Archbishop of Canterbury.He appeared on stage as Polonius in Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company, alongside David Tennant and Patrick Stewart, and in 2009 appeared in All's Well That Ends Well at the Royal National Theatre as the King of France. In 2010, he appeared as Balfour in the premiere of Ben Brown's play The Promise, about the Balfour Declaration.In 2011, he appeared in a stage adaptation of Michelle Magorian's book Goodnight Mister Tom, in which he played the central character, Thomas Oakley. He was back with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2014 as Justice Shallow in Henry IV, Part 2. Davies again appeared with David Tennant in Richard II in 2013. In February 2019 Davies discussed his career in the BBC Radio Three series Private Passions.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Dr Adam Ali is an Orthopaedic Surgeon and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur. He is co-founder of carecompare.net, an innovative site that enables people paying for their own care to quickly find and choose between local care companies able to help. CareCompare is free-to-use and being supported widely by the NHS, Homecare Association, voluntary sector and Innovate UK. Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Stroke survivor John Gordon in conversation with Nirjay Mahindru. John met InterAct whilst at Newcastle hospital and was inspired to write poetry afterwards. He's published book of poetry Popcorn is available online. John's story was the inspiration behind InterAct's recent BBC Radio 4 Charity appeal. A civil servant during his working life, John talks about his background, the civil service and his experiences both of stroke and InterAct Stroke Support. Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Ronald Ferguson is a music producer and stroke survivor who now campaigns for what he describes as "social prescribing enterprise". Ronald is now a director of the charity Arts4dementia In this interview Ronald talks about his experiences of suffering a stroke and his treatment during his hospital stay, and how the organisation Headway, the brain charity, put him back together again. This interview was recorded during the period of the lockdown.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Allie Esiri's best-selling anthologies SHAKESPEARE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, A POET FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, A POEM FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR and A POEM FOR EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR have lit an explosion of interest in poetry in the UK, are regularly chosen for National Poetry Day and have been picked as best books of the year in The Observer, The Times and the New Statesman. Live performances at festivals and theatres and on audio with poems read by some of our best-known actors - from Helena Bonham Carter to Dominic West - are capturing and enthralling a new generation of poetry lovers. Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Robin Norton-Hale is an English theatre and opera director. She is the Artistic Director of OperaUpClose, having founded the company alongside Adam Spreadbury-Maher and Ben Cooper in October 2009 and an Artist in Residence at Oxford Playhouse. She studied English Literature at Hertford College, Oxford and was a Clore Cultural Leadership Fellow (2013/14).Her directing credits for OperaUpClose, all in her own new English translations, include La Bohème (Soho Theatre, Cock Tavern Theatre and King's Head Theatre), winner of the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Opera and Best Off-West End Production in the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards, La Traviata and Carmen (both co-productions with Belgrade Theatre, Coventry) and La Voix Humaine (Kings Place) .Other directing credits include The Little Sweep and La Traviata (Malmo Opera, Sweden), Masters Are You Mad? by Glyn Maxwell (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Southwark Playhouse), the UK premiere of Martin Duberman's Visions of Kerouac (Half Moon Theatre).She has written new English versions of six operas, including Eugene Onegin and The Marriage of Figaro. Her librettos for La Bohème and Don Giovanni are published by Oberon. Her agent is Micheline Steinberg.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with musician Lisa Lux. As a professional drummer Lisa has banged the skins for various UK chart bands inc, Girls Aloud, Hepburn, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Michelle Gayle. Current band: The Priscillas This interview was recorded during the lockdown period. Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon is a British Labour Co-operative Party politician. She was Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. Jan Royall grew up in Hucclecote and Newnham on Severn, where her parents ran a shop.She was educated at the Royal Forest of Dean Grammar School and Westfield College, University of London, where she gained a BA in Spanish and French in 1977.She was a special adviser to Neil Kinnock, the leader of the Labour Party, in the 1980s, and she has remained a close ally of his ever since. She sought selection as Labour's candidate for Ogmore in a 2002 by-election, losing to Huw Irranca-Davies. In 2003 she became head of the European Commission office in Wales.She is the currently principal of Somerville College, Oxford.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
In conversation with Vanessa Bailey. Founder of award-winning production company NINE YARDS FILMS, creating powerful stories. Multi award-winning director, screenwriter and actress. Irrepressible storyteller.https://www.nineyardsfilms.com Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with actor Alex Hassell. As well as being an actor, he is a co- founder of the highly influential Factory Theatre. Alex was born in Southend, the youngest of four, to a vicar. He trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama after completing GCSE and A-Level courses at Moulsham High School, in Chelmsford, Essex.He has appeared in a number of stage roles, most recently as Hal in Henry IV Parts I and II, and Henry in Henry V, for the Royal Shakespeare Company.His first Hollywood role was in George Clooney's Suburbicon (2017), and later that year he appeared in his first major television role in the BBC adaptation of Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist. He also starred in the hit Netflix series The Boys Series 1. Other film credits include The Sick House (2007) – NickAnonymous (2011) – Gabriel SpenserMiss In Her Teens (2014) – The PlayerTwo Down (2015) – John ThomasSuburbicon (2017) – LouisThe Isle (2018)The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019) – Max Rose. Television credits include Queen of Swords (2000) Episode "The Pretender" – AndreoThe Private Life of Samuel Pepys (2003) – BaltyBoudica (2003) – Roman OfficerRobin Hood (2006) – SoldierTorchwood (2006) Episode "Combat" – Mark LynchBonkers (2007) – Felix NashMiranda (2010) Episode "Excuse" – Edmund DettoriHustle (2011) Series 7, Episode 1 – Viscount ManleyLife of Crime (2013) Episodes 1 & 3 – Colin NashThe Miniaturist (2017) – Johannes BrandtGrantchester (TV series) Series 4 Episode 4 (2019) – Ernest CarterThe Boys (2019) – TranslucentThis interview was recorded during the period of the full lockdown.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with Stephen Haywood. Stephen is a former businessman and was a member of the Territorial Army for over 30 years. He is also a stroke survivor.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Helen Brice is an existential psychotherapist, a Dialectical Behaviour TherapyPractitioner, and founder of Stimmung, a busy private practice inPiccadilly. She works trans-diagnostically, with orwithout diagnosis. Passionate about bringing equal status topsychotherapy alongside psychologist colleagues and associates,whether in the NHS, private hospital or forensic settings. She ispassionate about what neuroscience has brought to traditional talking therapies, and was invited to speak at the World Summit on Neuroscience & Psychiatry .Helen's practice Stimmung can be found hereSupport the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with actor Mitchell Mullen. As well as being a performer, Mitchell is also a teacher. Mitchell has been teaching at the London studio since it first opened its doors in 2013. He holds an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been teaching acting since 1996.TV credits include: Deep State (Epix), Catastrophe (Amazon Prime/Channel 4), The New Pope, (HBO), The Feed (Amazon), Genius: Einstein (National Geographic Channel), Outlander (Starz), Absentia, (Sony Pictures), Undercover and The Interceptor (BBC One), Toast of London and Utopia (Channel 4), Harley and The Davidsons, (Discovery Channel), A Royal Christmas (Hallmark), The Assets (ABC-TV), Beauty and the Baker, (Keshet International).Film credits include: About Time, RED 2, Made in Dagenham, The Infiltrator, A Good Year, Red Lights, Flying HomeTheatre credits include: The Exorcist (West End/Birmingham Rep), Death of a Salesman (UK No. 1 Tour), The American Wife (Park Theatre), The Shawshank Redemption (West End/Gaiety Theatre, Dublin), As You Like It (Peter Hall Company/USA National Tour), A Bunch of Amateurs (The Watermill Theatre), Orphans, Next Fall, Superior Donuts, The Hairy Ape and The Canterville Ghost (all at Southwark Playhouse), Speed-the-plow (Theatre Royal Winchester), Shear Madness (Boston and Cleveland Companies, more than 1,000 performances)This interview was recorded during the period of the lockdown.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Tara Lakin of the Stroke Association in conversation with Nirjay Mahindru. She is the Service Lead for the South East covering Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. She is interested in all aspects of stroke recovery and has dedicated the past 12 years to this field.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
with alanSupport the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Half-German, and born in Cuckfield, West Sussex Daniel Betts trained at the Drama Centre London. He trained under Yat Malmgren and Christopher Fettes at the Drama Centre, London, graduating in 1993. His varied career has included many roles on the British and International stage, as well as TV and film work including Fury (2014), and the Brad Pitt films War Machine (2016) and Allied (2016)As well as appearing in films and television programmes, he has been a voiceover artist on many commercials.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Jacob Sam-La Rose is a poet, performer, educator and editor who has performed and taught internationally.His work has been published in several anthologies, including Identity State: New British and Irish Poets (2010); Penguin's Poems for Love (2009); City State: New London Poetry (2009); and Michael Rosen's A-Z: The Best Children's Poetry from Agard to Zephaniah (2009); and journals including Sable LitMag, Trespass magazine and X magazine. His debut pamphlet collection, Communion (2006), was a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice and his first full poetry collection, Breaking Silence (2012), was shortlisted for the Forward Poetry Prize (Best First Collection)..He runs workshops in schools and other institutions, and has developed programmes for poets and writers of all ages, being particularly well-known for his work with city-wide, national and international youth 'slam' poetry initiatives and for his advocacy for positive impacts of new technology on literary and artistic practice and collaboration. He has led workshops and seminars at Botswana University and for the Ministry of Education in Malaysia through the British Council.He has undertaken many commissions and projects and has worked with organisations such as the National Theatre, The Barbican, London Open House, Glyndebourne, The Roundhouse, The Royal Festival Hall and Apples & Snakes, also being a former poet in residence at BBC London and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He has been Artistic Director of the London Teenage Poetry Slam since 2003, and helped establish the first youth slam programme in Finland. In 2008 he established the Shadow Cabinet - pairing emerging literature in education artists with established professionals. This interview was conducted during the period of the full lockdown.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Born in Coventry, London resident for 30 yearsFayon Dixon is a broadcaster, host and facilitator with her purpose embedded in motivation, encouragement and inspirational interactions.Fayon is a regular commentator with BBC Radio London and a newspaper reviewer for a variety of broadcasters on Talk Radio. Fayon is the creator, host and producer of ‘The Kids Are Alright Show' where she encourages children as young as 4 years to provide content and present on Riverside Radio, achieving awards for best presenter and best community content in 2018 and 2019.Her versatility in LIVE presenting stretches to shopping TV presentation, hosting at The Royal Albert Hall and is the energetic host for Engineering UK's speed networking event Meet The Future You; and webinar co-host for Equal Engineers.In schools across the UK Fayon delivers dynamic, interactive workshops, which give students the opportunity to explore their potential. Fayon uses her playful and strong personality to connect with young people, offering up her own experiences of breaking through obstacles when needed to empower both girls and boys to be themselves.Fayon began as a reader for InterAct Stroke Support 18 years ago and in the last few years has been their community liaison officer setting up a number of creative workshops with in the community utilising the skills of professional actors to deliver creative and engaging workshops to stroke survivors supporting them to regain their voices and confidence.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Alan Johnson was General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union before entering Parliament as Labour MP for Hull West and Hessle in 1997. He served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010. Before that, he filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. His childhood memoir ‘This Boy' was published by Bantam Press on 9th May 2013. It won the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize, and the Orwell Prize, Britain's top political writing award. His second volume of memoirs. ‘Please Mr Postman', was published in September 2014 and won the National Book Club award for Best Biography. The final book in his memoir trilogy, ‘The Long and winding Road', was published in September 2016 and won the Parliamentary Book Award for Best Memoir.Alan retired as an MP before the 2017 general election after 20 years as an MP.On 20th September 2018 his latest book, ‘In My Life – A Music Memoir' was launched at Studio 2, Abbey Road where the Beatles made almost all of their records.His first novel will be published in September 2021.He and his wife Carolyn live in East Yorkshire.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nell Dunn came to notice with the publication of Up the Junction (1963), a series of short stories set in South London, some of which had already appeared in the New Statesman. The book, awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, was a controversial success at the time for its vibrant, realistic and non-judgmental portrait of its working-class protagonists. It was adapted for television by Dunn, with Ken Loach, for The Wednesday Play series, which was directed by Loach and broadcast in November 1965. A cinema film version was released in 1968.Talking to Women (1965) was a collection of interviews with nine friends, "from society heiresses to factory workers (Dunn herself was both)". The interviewees included Edna O'Brien, Pauline Boty, Ann Quin and Paddy Kitchen.[5] Dunn's first novel, Poor Cow (1967) was a bestseller, achieving a succès de scandale. Poor Cow was made into a film starring Carol White and Terence Stamp, under Loach's direction.Her later books are Grandmothers (1991) and My Silver Shoes (1996). Dunn's play Steaming was produced in 1981 and a television film Every Breath You Take, was transmitted in 1987. She has also written Sisters, a film script commissioned by the BBC.She won the 1982 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her latest novel is the Muse.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
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Dr Kate Allatt is a , keynote/webinar speaker, THRIVE trainer, TEDx, health consultant, internationally published author, researcher, global stroke advocate and peer mentor. Kate's unique leadership messages support businesses operating in the health sector ie, the NHS Leadership, assisted tech providers, home care providers and pharma sectors points of difference in crowded markets. Kate also delivers her Stroke Rehab Surgeries for clinicians and stroke survivors to help them be the best versions of themselves functionally, during activities and participating in life. Kate has dedicated her life to stroke recovery, Locked In Syndrome and has become a trusted stroke recovery key opinion leader worldwide. She is the author of the book Running Free.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Maria Grazia Turri is a Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and the co-director of the MSc Creative Arts and Mental Health. She is a medical doctor and worked as psychiatrist and psychotherapist for the NHS for 15 years. She is a member of the Critical Psychiatry Network. Maria advocates for reform of the dominant paradigm in contemporary psychiatry and is passionate about promoting the creative arts as essential to research,education and practice in mental health and wellbeing. As a researcher in theatre studies, she writes about spectators' unconscious responses to performance. Her book Acting, Spectating and the Unconscious is published by Routledge. Maria's biography and publication list can be found here:https://www.qmul.ac.uk/wolfson/about-us/staff/profiles/turri-maria.html Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with the founder of the ARNI.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Peter G Levine is a researcher, author, clinician, professor and science communicator, dedicated to finding and reporting on the best systems for driving post-stroke brain plasticity. Pete has been at the forefront of testing many of the most innovative stroke neuro-rehab options including EMG-based gaming, wearable robotics, mental practice, functional E-Stim, transcranial magnetic stimulation and modified constraint-induced therapy (mCIT). He was the lab co-director at the U. of Cincinnati Academic Medical Center, and a Research Associate at the Kessler Institute. His clinical research continued with The OSU B.R.A.I.N. lab. Pete communicates what he's learned in research through his blog, dozens of magazine and articles, hundreds of professional talks, and his book, Stronger After Stroke.You can find his blog here.Explore his research here and you can listen to his own podcast here.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru in conversation with Steph Harland, the CEO of Age UK. Steph has been CEO of Age UK since January 2018. She joined one of our predecessor organisations, Age Concern England, in 2002. Before that Steph had worked in the voluntary sector locally, nationally and internationally mainly on issues to do with older people and other groups of adults with care needs. She first became involved with Age Concern in the late 1980s as a volunteer for Age Concern Greenwich. Steph was closely involved in the creation of Age UK in 2009. Since then, Steph has had a number of different roles at Age UK, focusing on our international work, strategy, partnership with the Age UK network, people and performance, and governance, becoming Deputy CEO in 2016. Steph is also the Chairman of Cecily's Fund, a UK charity supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
Nirjay Mahindru and Megan Mckie Smith in conversation with stroke consultant Amith Sitaram, stroke consultant at Glasgow Queen Elizabeth hospital. Amith is an experienced Stroke Clinician and researcher with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in Imaging Research, Clinical Research, Medicine, Healthcare, and Neuroscience. Strong Clinical and research background with a focus in Improving Stroke Care. Has had the pleasure to work with the best in the field in the University of Zurich, University of Calgary and University of Glasgow.This interview was recorded during the period of the lockdown.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)
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