John invites Fred Hopkins onto the show. Fred is a physical theatre actor and storyteller based in the North of England who has worked extensively across the Scottish Borders and the Central Belt. Like many creative practitioners working in Scotland, Fred has had to adapt his practice due to the ongoing COVID pandemic and in this episode he talks about how.

In this episode, John chats to Angela Gilmour & Stacey Meechan of LIFT D&G, a community organisation helping to reinvigorate North West Dumfries through a variety of creative initiatives.

My guest today is none other than Jen Steptoe, the mastermind behind the Jensory YouTube channel. Jensory aims to be a fun and engaging online resource that helps families to explore storytelling and music through sensory activities. As well as running Jensory, Jen also works as a full-time educational practitioner, with a background in music, drama, SEND and Early Years learning.

John chats to the Arts End of Somewhere, a community based multi-sensory storytelling and performance group. They are run by and for people with additional needs and they offer inclusive and accessible performing arts events and workshops to the wider community in South West Scotland. They have a particular focus on supporting individuals with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) and their family carers.

John welcomes actor and first time author, Tony McGeever onto the show. At the height of the 2020 lockdown, Tony wrote, crowdsourced and published his book ''Oh Mummy, Why Can't We Go Out and Play?", which aims to explain the COVID pandemic to young people, with proceeds going towards supporting children's charities.

John chats to the Creative Learning Manager of Grimm & Co, Katie Turner. Katie has been instrumental in developing an exciting collaboration between Grimm & Co and Moat Brae, working with young people from across the UK to develop a magical travel guide for publication.

On the 20th episode of 101 George Street John talks to Ali Anderson-Dyer, the Artistic Director of Bunbury Banter CIC, an award-winning theatre company based in South West Scotland.

Swinging by 101 George Street this week is the theatre maker and storyteller, Stephen Brennan. Stephen is the creative director of Certainty of Chance Productions, who for some time now, have run theatre and storytelling initiatives in schools, performance spaces and community hubs across the North of England and the Scottish Borders.

On this latest episode of 101 George Street, John talks to Barbara Henderson. Barbara is an author of Scottish historical and eco-fiction for children. Her novels, all published by Cranachan Publishing, include Fir for Luck, Punch and Wilderness Wars, and all are widely used in Scottish schools. Her latest book The Siege of Caerlaverock is a medieval adventure for 8-13 year olds and is set during the real life siege of Caerlaverock Castle in July 1300.

Kicking things off for our second series of 101 George Street, John chats to author and editor, Joan Haig. Joan’s debut novel, Tiger Skin Rug, has been nominated for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal, and deals with themes such as family, conservation, and home. Tiger Skin Rug is published in Scotland by Cranachan Publishing.