The team
Catherine Raynor and Ben Langdon lead Mile 91, supported by a team of talented and like-minded freelance associates.
All of our associates have extensive experience in photography, film or interviewing and we have previously worked with every single one of them so we can vouch for the quality of their work. But it’s not just about that. We want them to bring the same personal qualities, sensitivity and fun to the shoot that we do.
Ben Langdon
Ben has worked in developing countries and emerging economies for more than 15 years, photographing and filming in challenging environments and with vulnerable people. In the UK his work has taken him from hospitals to Buckingham Palace to puppy training camps. His natural friendliness means he gets the best out of his subjects, whether they have two legs or four. His creativity can bring out the interest in the most mundane moment. He also provides training in photography, film and editing skills.
Catherine Raynor
Catherine’s first taste of storytelling came in 2006 when she established VSO’s story gathering function. She has managed more than 40 story gathering visits to developing countries and emerging economies, plus numerous shoots in the UK. She has a keen eye for the heart of a story and is a sensitive interviewer. She is particularly adept at identifying barriers to productivity and helping organisations to break down silos that prevent powerful storytelling.
Ben O'Connor
Ben is an award winning filmmaker whose work has been shown on TV and at festivals across Europe. He specialises in campaign films for charities – his films for the homeless charity Crisis have received over a million hits on YouTube. For Mile 91, Ben has worked on many films with clients such as Chickenshed and the National Union of Students. He also runs a number of our smartphone filmmaking courses. In other recent work, Ben has made films with musicians including Rufus Wainwright and for the renowned film maker Ken Loach.
Alex Vernon
Alex has been producing clear, compelling copy for charities for over a decade. Through Mile 91, she has written dozens of stories for charities as diverse as the Media Legal Defence Initiative, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Arthritis Care and VSO. Her natural warmth encourages people to open up and she has a knack for finding the hope and impact in the toughest situations. Alex is a huge dog fan so she was beside herself when Catherine asked for her help at a training day for Dogs for Good.
Anna Patton
Anna is a versatile communicator and media facilitator, with particular expertise in writing. Specialising in international development and social enterprise, she has over nine years’ experience helping small and large organisations (VSO, British Council, European Commission, and many more) to communicate powerful stories of change. Anna has particular experience in east Africa, including a year in Dar es Salaam, and has led communities in the region and in the UK in capturing and sharing their stories through text, video and photography.
Sarah Raymond
Sarah is a compassionate writer, producer and storyteller. Formerly a Sky journalist, she has since worked in story gathering roles at Comic Relief, VSO and Crisis. Sarah has written and made short films about homelessness, mental health, anorexia, self-harm and poverty in the UK, and travelled to Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, India and Rwanda to investigate bonded labour, violence against women, education, child soldiers, HIV/AIDS and maternal health. In September 2011 she was a finalist in the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition.