Ash Nugent is a celebrated artist, writer and founder of RiseUp, a charity that uses creative arts to work with people in prisons and communities. In this episode he discusses his own journey from experiencing racism in the leafy suburbs of Liverpool, finding school unsatisfactory and uninspiring to becoming a disruptive youth and ending up in a Jamaican prison at 17.

His turning point came through being open about his love of writing, finding like-minded souls and pursuing an education. This all led to starting a CIC called RiseUp to help people who find themselves on the same path as he was.

RiseUp has a team of dedicated people who use creative arts and the Hero’s Journey to help people find self-worth and a better path in life.

Ash is an excitable, passionate storyteller dedicated to supporting others and I loved our conversation!

Links:

RiseUp

LOCKS by Ashleigh Nugent published by Picador, June 2023

Socials:

Ash on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn

Creative Health Stories on Instagram

Laura on LinkedIn

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Professor Kevin Fenton is a senior public health expert and infectious disease epidemiologist, who has worked in a variety of public health executive leadership roles across government and academia in the UK and internationally, including taking a leading role in London’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was awarded a CBE in the 2022 New Year honours list for services to public health.

Kevin is so articulate and generous with his knowledge about what 'public health' is in its widest sense and how it affects us on a daily basis. We run through 10 essential concepts Kevin believes can help improve health, save lives, and reduce inequalities in communities around the world and he provides really helpful connections to creative arts and his own experiences. Along with Public Health and Creative Health, the concepts are: Equity, Racism, Wellbeing, Resilience, Mindfulness, Mental Health, Self Care and Gratitude.

Kevin demonstrates his passion and belief in the role that the arts and culture have on our individual and community lives.

Links:

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Public Health, NHS London

UK Faculty of Public Health

Kevin's socials:

Instagram: @ProfKevinFenton

LinkedIn: @ProfKevinFenton

X: @ProfKevinFenton

TikTok: @ProfKevinFenton

Creative Health Stories socials:

Instagram: @creativehealthstories

LinkedIn: @LauraBaileyCreativeHealth

If you want to share your own creative health story, you can now do so on the website. Visit https://creative-health.co.uk/stories/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creativity and Wellbeing Week is a festival led by London Arts and Health and the Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance and funded by Arts Council England.

This is a special commissioned episode reflecting on the festival week past and present to help understand the value of it to the creative health sector. I spent time listening at online events and interviewed a selection of people representing a range of organisations and perspectives about their work, how and why they get involved, and how they think the festival could evolve.

All my guests were generous with their time, offering unique, thoughtful and insightful conversation about Creativity and Wellbeing Week, and about the power of creativity for our health and wellbeing in different contexts.

Guests:

Anna Woolf, London Arts and Health

Professor Kevin Fenton, Public Health London

Sam Beal, Norwich Theatres

Daniela Nofal, Counterpoints Arts

Nafeesa Arshad, Hospital Rooms

Julie Tolhurst, Barnsley Council Public Health

Links:

Creativity and Wellbeing Week

Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance

Socials:

@londonartsandhealth

@culturehealthwellbeingalliance

@_hospitalrooms

@norwichtheatre

@counterpointsarts

@barnsleycouncilofficial

@nhsenglandldn

@profkevinfenton

@anna_woolf_frsa

@nafeesa_arshad

@aceagrams

If you would like to commission a podcast episode or audio stories for your organisation, please get in touch via the website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.