Storylands Sessions started as a team of two in 2021 and has grown to five ‘staff’ in 2026!
We are also indebted to our many volunteers who are vital to making it happen. Want to help? See below.
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- Aila Schafer
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- Jo Rodgers
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- Barry Reid
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- Jacky Pankhurst (left), Hamish Napier and Merryn Glover (right)
The Team
Hamish Napier
Hamish Napier is s a Storylands Sessions founding member and Co-Project Manager. He is a traditional musician and composer from Grantown-on-Spey who recently wrote and recorded local stories for the new ‘Badenoch The Storylands’ app.
Aila Schafer
Aila Schafer is our Project Officer and Co-Project Manager, and her role also includes co-ordinating our wonderful volunteers. Aila is historian, researcher and museum curator, and also runs local story walks as Landscape Lore.
Jacky Pankhurst
Jacky Pankhurst does all our Digital Outreach, managing the social media accounts and event listings on various sites.
Dr Joanna Rodgers
Jo Rodgers is the MC and presenter for our Storylands Sessions events. Her background is in academic research and community development, more info here, with a focus on heritage, sustainable tourism and participatory engagement methodologies in rural settings.
Barry Reid
Barry ‘Spad’ Reid is our Sound Engineer, his is also a fine composer and musician.
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Original Members
The Storylands Sessions team is forever grateful to founding member…
Merryn Glover
Merryn Glover moved on from the project in Winter 2025 to focus primarily on her writing career. For 4 years she was the Storylands Sessions co-host and project manager. Merryn is hugely missed in the team, but she will continue to come and perform at Storylands Sessions and join us at our events in a voluntary capacity. She was the first Writer in Residence for the Cairngorms National Park and her novel, Of Stone and Sky, is set in the strath, as well as her book The Hidden Fires – A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd.
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Our Volunteers!
We are so thankful to the many helpers who make the Sessions friendly and successful events. These folks do everything from stacking chairs, to front of house, to making and serving refreshments (and washing up!), to packing away the sound system and much more. Each and every one makes a big difference.
Some people help every month while others sign up occasionally.
Everyone on the volunteer rota gets a free ticket, heartfelt thanks and extra camels in paradise. It’s so worth it!
To join the team email Aila on storylandssessions@gmail.com with ” VOLUNTEERING ” in the subject line. Thank you!
