Medi-Culture Conversations

Medi-Culture Conversations Series 2 Episode 4: Cindy Belliot from Reform & Vibes Host: Ilsa Jones In this episode, Ilsa is joined by Cindy Belliot, founder of Reform & Vibes, to talk about Pilates and life as a business owner in London Bridge. Cindy shares what it takes to programme, clean, open up and teach at her own studio, the challenges and opportunities of running a business in the area, and what she sees change in people who take up Pilates. They also dip into the history of Pilates, whether it lives up to its health claims, and Cindy's earlier life performing in Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre.

Medi-Culture Conversations Series 2 Episode 3: Laura Tyas from the Florence Nightingale Museum In this episode, Ilsa is joined by Laura Tyas, Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum, to explore the legacy of Florence Nightingale. Laura reflects on growing up in a family of nurses, Florence's pioneering use of statistics to change health policy, and what her own long illness might tell us about how women's health has been understood. They also discuss Bits and Bobs, the museum's space for conversations about women's health, and the museum's work with school groups.

Medi-Culture Conversations Series 2 Episode 2: Professor Steve Cross Host: Ilsa Jones In this episode, Ilsa is joined by Professor Steve Cross, founder of Science Showoff and Bright Club, to explore why laughter belongs at a festival about health. Steve shares how Science Showoff began, how scientists and health professionals find the nerve to try stand-up, and what makes comedy such a powerful way to teach and to make sense of difficult subjects. Science Showoff returns to the London Bridge Hive this Medi-Culture.

Medi-Culture Conversations Series 2 Episode 1: John Hegley Host: Ilsa Jones Medi-Culture Conversations is the official podcast of the Medi-Culture Festival, celebrating health, science and wellbeing in the heart of London Bridge this Autumn. Across a series of short episodes, we go beyond the festival programme to explore the ideas, research and people behind the events. From poetry and stand-up comedy to Pilates, women's health, the science of death and the wellbeing of NHS nurses, each conversation uncovers the stories and ideas shaping how we understand health today. Hosted by Team London Bridge, the podcast features interviews with poets, comedians, museum directors, festival organisers, local business owners and healthcare professionals. Together, we explore how culture, creativity and community can support healthier lives, and why London Bridge, from Keats's medical training at Guy's to Florence Nightingale's legacy, has long been a place where medicine and innovation meet. Whether you are attending the festival or simply curious about the intersection of health and culture, Medi-Culture Conversations offers a space to slow down, learn something new, and connect with the ideas behind the programme. In this first episode of the new series, Ilsa is joined by John Hegley, performance poet, comedian and former poet in residence at Keats House, to explore what John Keats means to him. John reflects on how his time at Keats House became a lifeline for his wellbeing, why Keats is still celebrated two centuries on, and where science and art meet. They also look ahead to Keats at the Kirk, John's annual birthday celebration of the poet who trained as a surgeon-apothecary at Guy's, held in Guy's Chapel, just metres from Keats's statue, with friends, music and a healthy dose of the absurd.

Medi-Culture Conversations Episode 6: Sofia Laoudi Host: Ilsa Jones Together they explore what surgery looked like before modern anaesthetics and antiseptics, the murky world of the bodysnatchers who supplied London’s anatomy schools, and why sitting with this difficult history still matters today. They also reflect on what the Medi-Culture Festival has meant to the museum, and why a place rooted so deeply in the past feels more relevant than ever.