All About Stranger

Originally aiming to shine a spotlight on Cornwall’s talent and encourage young people to stay in the county, Stranger’s popularity led to the magazine being distributed across the UK through Borders bookshops and over 200 other independent outlets.

After 16 issues, the last printed edition of the magazine was published in August 2007. Stranger continues to publish features, reviews and news on this website, as well as one-off print projects such as the September book and  LICK, a special zine produced to coincide with the Board Shorts surf and skate film event at the Cornwall Film Festival. The Stranger team also can't resist putting on special events and parties every now and then – watch this space!

Stranger also lives on through Stranger Collective, its creative services and copywriting agency. We edit websites, festival programmes and e-newsletters for the likes of Port Eliot Festival and iTunes; write travel, music and culture features for publications like Time Out, the Observer, and Arise magazine (recent commissions have seen us cycling around the Anti Atlas mountains in Morocco and travelling to Timbuktu in Mali to cover a music festival in the middle of the Sahara desert); write engaging web content and marketing materials for international corporate clients like Telstra International, Guava, TMA Worldwide and DX Group; provide editorial consultancy services and write prospectuses and brochures for University College Falmouth, Combined Universities in Cornwall and the University of Exeter; interview leading doctors and academics for annual reports for the NHS; and work on numerous other projects for Sony BMG, BMI Baby, Future Publishing, Saab, and the Eden Project amongst many others.

Helen Gilchrist, Director
Previously a freelance journalist living in London and working for the likes of Time Out, Adrenalin magazine, The Observer, The Guardian, and The Independent, Helen came up with the idea for Stranger in August 2003 and moved back down to Cornwall in May 2004, working throughout that summer to secure start-up funding (loans from Objective One and The Prince’s Trust), advertising, and editorial content for issue one, which finally launched in September 2004.

After successfully editing the magazine for three and a half years – liaising with and commissioning freelance writers, illustrators, photographers and designers all over the UK and further afield, managing marketing, distribution, advertising and sponsorship strategies and organising Stranger’s music events and parties (like the Stranger Speakeasy and four Stranger snowboarding trips) – she now heads up Stranger Collective. In her spare time, she helps out with publicity and marketing for The Surf Screen and loves surfing, cycling, photography, attempting to throw clay pots and dancing to funk and Charleston (has to be seen to be believed). Helen Gilchrist Helen Gilchrist

Luke Friend, Senior Copywriter
As well as three years working with Stranger Collective on projects for Port Eliot Festival, iTunes, Guava, the NHS, DX Group and University College Falmouth, Luke has written for a diverse range of magazines including Total Film, Golf World, i-D, Stranger and Transworld Skateboarding, covering personalities ranging from Spike Lee to Tiger Woods – with a four-year stint as a book editor sandwiched in between. He's also the founder of Holy Water, a creative platform for contemporary artists, an endeavour which has so far seen the publication of two art books – Things I Don’t Remember by Andrew Pommier and Beach Glass: A collection of photographs by Bob Kronbauer, as well as a range of limited t-shirts. Manchester United Football Club serves as a constant distraction to his daily life.

Lotte Mahon, Marketing Wizard
As a marketing specialist running her own boutique marketing and PR agency, The Vine, for creative businesses and lifestyle brands, Lotte has worked on national marketing strategies for Port Eliot Festival, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Rockarchive.com and Living Space Architects amongst many others. Previously Assistant Publisher at Stranger magazine, Lotte has years of experience in advertising and sponsorship, magazine publishing and distribution, and public relations – and Stranger Collective enjoys a close working relationship and frequent collaborations with The Vine.

In recent years Lotte has focused on the rapid changes in the media. Having worked for one of Europe's largest digital marketing agencies, she has a solid understanding of online PR and social media marketing and devises creative campaigns to harness the power of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube et al to build valuable customer relationships. She has secured coverage for her clients in national publications ranging from The Independent to Woman's Own and is also an experienced advertising planner. With a wealth of contacts and a solid understanding of all things media, Lotte delivers creative thinking and a professional service in an approachable fashion and enjoys working collaboratively with clients, web developers, copywriters and graphic designers.