My name’s Ruth Rogers, but for 8 years of my life, I was Ruth from The Canvas. A tiny cafe with a huge heart just off Brick Lane in East London.
We were a refuge and resource for the homeless and our neighbours in need, a sanctuary for the lonely and lost. We hosted events that included improv nights and support groups for mental health, providing a space for people to plant positive ideas in our soil, to grow powerful projects that are still creating ripples of happiness and hope across the world today.
But two years ago that space was taken away.
2 years on, I’m ready to tell the story of The Canvas, and invite you all on a journey with me; a journey that will celebrate the people and projects that exist today because of The Canvas, and explore how we might connect and unite more spaces, to exist as The Canvas did; as beacons of hope, and spaces for change.
So; launching 2 years since the first chapter ended, this is the start of the next one.
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Chantal Miller shares her vision for empowering Caribbean women and girls through Island Girls Rock, a community that fosters connection, healing, and mentorship through physical spaces and storytelling.
8 Jan 2025
Dave & Ems Cornthwaite and The YES Tribe
Founder of The Canvas Ruth Rogers speaks with Dave and Emma Cornthwaite, the founders of the YES Tribe, a community focused on positivity, adventure, and personal growth.
They discuss the origins of the YES Tribe, which began with a simple camping invitation, that then developed at Ruth's cafe The Canvas, and has blossomed into a thriving community.
The chat explores the evolution of their events, the creation of the YES Bus and camping and community space Big Sky Hideaways, and the transformative impact of their community on individuals' lives.
Dave and Ems emphasise the importance of creating spaces for connection and the power of saying 'yes' to new experiences.
The YES Tribe website: https://sayyesmore.com/
Big Sky Hideaway: https://bigskyhideaway.com/ and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigskyoasis/ and TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bigskyhideaway
Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Country featuring Dave and Ems: https://bigskyhideaway.com/benfogle
Dave's website: https://davecornthwaite.com/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davecorn/
Ems' Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KaremboCrafts
Ems' book recommendation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Crawdads_Sing
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to the Canvas Podcast and Its Mission
02:29
The Birth of the Yes Tribe
05:03
Creating Community Through Adventure
08:00
The Evolution of Yes Tribe Events
10:58
The Role of the Canvas in the Yes Tribe's Journey
13:23
Building the Yes Bus and Big Sky Hideaways
16:20
Impact Stories from the Yes Tribe Community
18:45
The Power of Positivity and Community
23:32
Creating a Positive Community Atmosphere
28:09
The Evolution of the Yes Tribe
33:10
Future Plans and Community Engagement
37:59
Reflections on Family and Legacy
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18 Dec 2024
Laurence McCahill & the Happy Startup School
Ruth Rogers interviews Laurence McCahill, co-founder of the Happy Startup School, on redefining entrepreneurship with purpose and happiness over profit, fostering a community-driven approach to business.
11 Dec 2024
Ellis Ballard & Bobbie Mills: Just Friends
Ruth Rogers speaks with Ellis Ballard and Bobbie Mills, founding members of Just Friends comedy improv group, about their creative journey and the significance of The Canvas as a London performance space.
4 Dec 2024
Arti Lal and Inner Space
Ruth Rogers and Arti Lal, coordinator of Inner Space, explore the transformative power of community and meditation in fostering connection, well-being, and resilience in the face of adversity.
27 Nov 2024
Naomi Agyekum & Kids Deziah Business
Ruth Rogers interviews Naomi Agyekum, founder of Kids Deziah Business, about empowering young entrepreneurs with essential skills and the importance of giving back to the community.
20 Nov 2024
Fay & Matt Doyle of This Expansive Adventure
Ruth Rogers speaks with Fay and Matt Doyle of This Expansive Adventure about creating environments that foster growth, inclusivity, and connection in mental health and well-being through accessible outdoor experiences and community spaces.
6 Nov 2024
Sarah Weiler & Power of Uke
In this engaging conversation, Ruth Rogers speaks with Sarah Weiler, a creative entrepreneur who has built a diverse portfolio career over the past decade.
Ruth invites Sarah to discuss her journey from starting Power of Uke to creating a community home, a 'Creative ResidentSEA' in Brighton.
The conversation explores the importance of following one's passion, the process of turning ideas into reality, and the significance of community in fostering creativity and well-being.
Sarah shares her insights on navigating change, the power of visualisation, and her aspirations for the future, emphasising the need for spaces where individuals can connect and thrive.
Chapters
05:44
From Idea to Reality: Power of Uke
07:40
Creating Safe Spaces for Creativity
09:57
The Journey to a New Home
12:24
Establishing a Creative Residency
15:33
The Importance of Community and Connection
18:23
Future Aspirations and Professional Goals
20:26
Advice for Aspiring Community Builders
22:57
The Role of Cafes in Community Building
22:57
Final Thoughts and Reflections
Follow Sarah on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahweilermusic
Sarah's Substack, 'Carousel': https://sarahweiler.substack.com/
Sarah's website: https://sarahweiler.com/
'A Decade in Drawings': https://sarah-weiler.medium.com/from-high-school-teacher-to-glasto-dj-comedian-and-uke-trepreneur-my-decade-in-drawings-220a6e82342
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30 Oct 2024
Karen Stenning & Absolute Alchemy
Trigger warning: mentions of suicide at 25 mins.
This warm chat between Ruth Rogers and Karen Stenning, a social impact events organiser who works in sustainable and ethical fields such as female investment, social enterprise and the environment.
What links these two business women is The Canvas, a cafe and community space run by Ruth Rogers between 2014-2022. Karen's events business, Absolute Alchemy, developed at The Canvas and memories of her first event, The Summer of Change, are among many memories shared between the two friends.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to The Canvas and Its Impact
02:33
The Birth of Absolute Alchemy
04:51
The Summer of Change Festival
07:28
Challenges in the Impact Space
08:57
The Importance of Live Events
10:21
Diversity in Themes and Topics
12:22
Female Investment Journey and Mentorship
13:56
The Role of Community in Impact
15:48
Reflections on Personal Experiences
16:28
Conclusion and Future Aspirations
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23 Oct 2024
Mike's Table
Ruth Rogers and Louise Holstein discuss the inception and evolution of Mike's Table, a unique supper club that combines paying guests with invited guests from local charities.
Louise shares her personal journey of creating this initiative as a legacy for her late husband, Mike, emphasising the healing power of communal dining.
The chat covers the challenges and successes of the two-night concept, the impact of paying it forward, and the future aspirations for expanding the initiative beyond London, highlighting the importance of community engagement and the shared humanity that emerges from breaking down social barriers through food.
Chapters
00:00
Ruth Rogers' Introduction of Louise Holstein and Mike's Table
02:49
The Start of Mike's Table
03:32
The Concept of Mike's Table
08:04
Two Nights of Dining
12:44
Reaction of Guests to Paying It Forward
14:24
Regular Guests and Paying Customers
15:23
Direct Impact and Financial Aspect
17:03
The Clever Business Plan of Mike's Table
19:08
Keeping Things Simple: The Growth of Mike's Table
22:57
The Unchanging Concept of Mike's Table
26:22
From Pop-Up to Social Enterprise: The Expansion of Mike's Table
28:20
The Future Plans of Mike's Table: Introducing Our Table
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16 Oct 2024
Dani Castelucci & AlterEd
In this conversation, The Canvas founder Ruth Rogers speaks with Dani Castelucci about her transformative journey creating AlterEd, a business school for immigrants and refugees.
Dani shares her emotional connection to The Canvas, the challenges faced by her students, and the impact of the pandemic on their programmes when The Canvas was forced to close.
She discusses the importance of community support and the need for cafes to adopt a community-centric approach.
Dani's story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of giving back.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to The Canvas and Its Impact
01:37
Dani's Transformative Journey with The Canvas
04:24
The Birth of AlterEd: Empowering Immigrants and Refugees
09:02
Challenges Faced by AlterEd and Personal Impact
11:58
The Inspiration Behind AlterEd
17:58
The Vision for Canvas Academy
22:03
Memorable Moments from AlterEd
26:32
The Future of Community-Centric Cafes
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9 Oct 2024
Museum of Happiness
Founder of The Canvas cafe and community hub Ruth Rogers speaks to Vicky Johnson, co-founder of the Museum of Happiness, and together they explore the transformative power of community spaces, particularly focusing on the Museum of Happiness and its impact on mental health and well-being.
Hear the origins of the Museum of Happiness, the importance of creating safe spaces for individuals to connect and grow, and the innovative 'pay it forward' model that fosters generosity and kindness.
The conversation also delves into the challenges faced in sustaining such initiatives, the personal journeys of healing and growth, and the future of Museum of Happiness as Vicky expands its reach globally.
Museum of Happiness website: https://www.museumofhappiness.org/
Follow Museum of Happiness on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumhappiness/
Chapters
00:00
The Canvas: A Space for Humanity
02:03
The Museum of Happiness: Origins and Impact
05:24
Transforming Spaces: The Power of Community
09:34
Pay It Forward: A New Model for Support
12:54
Sustaining the Vision: Balancing Passion and Practicality
15:51
Memorable Moments: The Heart of the Museum
20:52
The Ripple Effect: Community and Mental Health
24:50
Challenges and Breakdowns: The Reality of Change
32:45
Healing and Growth: Finding New Paths
36:45
The Future of Museum of Happiness: Expanding Horizons
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2 Oct 2024
Rain On Me
In this heartfelt conversation, Ruth Rogers and Deepanshi Gulati explore the profound impact of community spaces like The Canvas, where Deepanshi founded her non-profit organisation, Rain On Me. They discuss the importance of peer support, the journey of creating safe spaces for mental health, and the growth of community initiatives. Deepanshi shares her personal experiences and the evolution of Rain On Me, emphasising the need for accessible support groups and the power of human connection.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to the Canvas and Its Impact
03:28
Deepanshi's Journey and the Birth of Rain On Me
06:13
Understanding Peer Support
09:51
Creating a Safe Space for Vulnerability
13:46
The Growth of Rain On Me
19:47
Memorable Moments at the Canvas
22:28
The Vision for Community Cafes
24:39
Future Plans and Recognition
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25 Sept 2024
Brown Girls Book Club
In this conversation, founder of community cafe The Canvas (www.thecanvascafe.org) Ruth Rogers interviews Shirin Shah, co-founder of South Asian Sisters Speak (https://wearesass.org/) (SASS) and the Brown Girls Book Club. Shirin shares her journey from being a corporate solicitor to transitioning into the impact space, highlighting the importance of creating community spaces for South Asian women. Shirin shares with Ruth the origins of SASS, the success of the Brown Girls Book Club, and the challenges of building a grassroots initiative.
Brown Girls Book Club launched and grew at Ruth's tiny cafe with a huge heart, and Ruth asks how she might connect and unite more existing cafes across the country to host more people-powered positive projects.
Follow SASS on Instagram: www.instagram.com/weare_sass (https://www.instagram.com/weare_sass/?hl=en-gb)
Shirin's book recommendation: Erotic Stories for Punjabi Women (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075853-erotic-stories-for-punjabi-widows)
Chapters
01:42
The Birth of South Asian Sisters Speak
03:31
The Early Days of the Brown Girls Book Club
07:29
Developing Community Through Shared Experiences
11:22
Navigating Challenges and Building a Brand
14:09
The Importance of Space for Ideas
14:51
New Chapter
16:54
Reflections on the Journey and Growth
19:50
The Future of Community Spaces in Cafes
22:57
Current Status and Future Plans for the Book Club
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18 Sept 2024
Juliette Burton's Happy Hour
In this first ever episode of The Canvas for Change, Ruth Rogers interviews Juliette Burton, a comedian and mental health advocate, about her experiences at The Canvas, a community space that Ruth owned and ran in East London from 2014-2022.
Juliette shares stories about the creation of her comedy show, Happy Hour, which created a rare, supportive environment for performers and audiences alike. Hear Juliette's reflections on the impact of her work, including her involvement in the Beach-body Ready campaign, and memorable moments from her shows.
This chat also explores the importance of community spaces in fostering creativity and connection, as Ruth explores how this podcast might inspire other cafes to adopt the community activities hers did; wouldn't it be wonderful if we could connect and amplify more cafe spaces that can hold this humanity?
Follow Juliette Burton on Instagram: instagram.com/juliette_burton
www.julietteburton.com
00:00
Introduction to The Canvas and its Impact
01:19
Exploring the Next Steps for The Canvas
02:10
Interview with Juliette Burton: From Comedy Show to Community Space
08:45
Running a Regular Comedy Show: Behind the Scenes
20:22
Creating Vital Community Assets: The Power of Cafes
23:47
Conclusion and Future Plans
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30 Jul 2024
Two Years On...
Two years ago, on 29th July 2022, The Canvas was locked out of our magnificent space on Hanbury Street in East London.
My name's Ruth Rogers, and I created The Canvas. I watched over the years as humans hatched and hosted incredible projects, developed beautiful friendships, and directly supported people in need.
I don't think I properly grieved the loss of our space, and yet, over these two years, I've been thinking about and exploring what The Canvas might look like if it came back.
Today marks the launch of that next chapter; this one-off episode, called Two Years On, tells the story of The Canvas, on my living room sofa at home with the wonderful Emma Ashru Jones.
It also launches a new podcast, released in September, where we'll celebrate the people and projects that grew within The Canvas, and look at how to connect and unite more spaces to host this humanity.
Image: Benjamin Youd
Music: Eamonn O'Dwyer
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Podcast Authority Score: 12 / 100
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