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Story Islands

Story Islands

Written by: Stornaway.io
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About this listen

Story Islands explores how creative thinkers really innovate — one island at a time. In a world obsessed with data, we take a more curious path. Each guest brings five story islands from their life and work, and together we travel through the people, places and sparks that have shaped their lives and ideas. We jump between islands, follow surprising connections, and discover how innovation rarely travels in a straight line. Listen in order, or choose your own path on Stornaway.ioStornaway.io
Episodes
  • Rebecca Atkinson on Disability, Imagination & Building New Worlds | Story Islands S2E3
    Feb 11 2026

    Writer, producer and disability innovator Rebecca Atkinson joins Story Islands for Episode 3 — a conversation about creativity, childhood, representation, and why some of the most extraordinary journeys begin when life stops being linear.


    🏆 Mixmups recognition: Rebecca’s preschool series Mixmups has been selected as a finalist for the Prix Jeunesse International 2026 in the Fiction (Up to 6 years) category for the episode “The Hurry Up Sandwich,” showcasing Ultra Access® technology and over 4,000 ways to watch.

    🎥 Watch the interactive episode here: https://player.stornaway.io/embed/e46e9c5d


    This episode is also available as an interactive podcast in Stornaway, where you can choose which Story Island to visit in any order.

    🎥 Watch the interactive Story Islands version at: https://player.stornaway.io/embed/6bd0551c

    Rebecca shares her five Story Islands — Blue Peter, My Step-sister, My Diagnosis at 17, Birkbeck University, and Tinkerbell — as we explore how disability and imagination collide to reshape culture.


    We talk about:

    • Growing up without seeing yourself represented

    • How Toy Like Me sparked a global movement

    • Creating Mixmups and Ultra Access storytelling

    • Creativity as building worlds where everyone belongs

    🎵 Featured songDire Straits — Brothers in Armshttps://open.spotify.com/track/5t3ClpjiJUTCHKODTPrW8i


    About Stornaway.io

    Stornaway is the way to build interactive experiences that are smart and personalised – whether you’re in marketing, learning, communications or content production. Stornaway’s modular “Story Map” flowchart editor is an interactive video builder that enables you to:

    • Guide your audiences down different routes with personalised content

    • Track engagement and insight, without tech headaches

    • Get up and running in minutes

    Find out more and get started now at www.stornaway.io

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • David Dimbleby on Curiosity, Trust & the Art of Asking Questions | Story Islands S2E2
    Jan 28 2026

    Journalist, documentary-maker and broadcaster David Dimbleby joins Story Islands for our second episode of Season Two — a conversation about curiosity, questioning, public trust and why asking the right questions has never mattered more.


    This episode is also available as an interactive podcast in Stornaway, where you can choose which Story Island to visit in any order.


    🎥 Watch the interactive Story Islands version at:⁠ https://player.stornaway.io/embed/1d99a292⁠


    From BBC election nights and Question Time to long-form documentaries on democracy, monarchy and power, David Dimbleby’s career spans more than five decades of British broadcasting. In this episode, he shares seven Story Islands — moments, places and turning points rather than neat chapters — as we explore how empathy, listening and discomfort shape meaningful journalism and storytelling.

    Moving non-linearly through family, live debate, political controversy and long-form reporting, the conversation reflects on what it means to stay curious in a world saturated with certainty, data and noise.


    We talk about:

    • Why good interviewing is about listening, not performance
    • How empathy helps uncover uncomfortable truths
    • What live audiences bring to political debate
    • How trust between media and the public has shifted
    • Why curiosity — even about unpopular ideas — still matters

    🎵 Featured song

    Béla Bartók — Unaccompanied Violin Sonata

    https://open.spotify.com/track/3KWq1RIXAGe8avaGBwBngr?si=6b2b6629e32f4065⁠


    About Stornaway.io

    Stornaway is the way to build interactive experiences that are smart and personalised – whether you’re in marketing, learning, communications or content production. Stornaway’s modular “Story Map” flowchart editor is an interactive video builder that enables you to:

    • Guide your audiences down different routes with personalised content
    • Track engagement and insight, without tech headaches
    • Get up and running in minutes

    Find out more and get started now at ⁠www.stornaway.io⁠

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Margaret Heffernan on Creativity, Uncertainty & Leadership | Story Islands S2E1
    Jan 14 2026

    Writer, broadcaster and former CEO Margaret Heffernan joins Story Islands for our Season Two opener — a conversation about curiosity, uncertainty, collaboration and why artists may be better equipped than executives to lead us through a volatile world.

    This episode is also available as an interactive podcast in Stornaway, where you can choose which Story Island to visit in any order.

    🎥 Watch the interactive Story Islands version at:

    ⁠https://player.stornaway.io/embed/0f9bf0e1


    From BBC radio to Silicon Valley boardrooms, Margaret’s career has crossed media, technology, theatre and business. In this episode she shares her five Story IslandsHome, Business, Creative, Social and Desert — as we explore how imagination, solitude and non-linear thinking shape everything from leadership to innovation.

    We talk about:

    • Why modern organisations are stuck in the “status quo trap”

    • How walking, wandering and “deep hanging out” fuel creativity

    • What artists understand about risk that businesses don’t

    • Why curiosity is more important than efficiency

    • How collaboration is built on trust before results

    🎵 Featured songNick Bicât — The Greeks (from The Greeks)
    https://open.spotify.com/track/4k9zrWf9AExRYK6VatMIXi


    About Stornaway.io

    Stornaway is the way to build interactive experiences that are smart and personalised – whether you’re in marketing, learning, communications or content production. Stornaway’s modular “Story Map” flowchart editor is an interactive video builder that enables you to:

    • Guide your audiences down different routes with personalised content
    • Track engagement and insight, without tech headaches
    • Get up and running in minutes

    Find out more and get started now at www.stornaway.io

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
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