Groam House Museum is registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).

We are an independent museum supported by around 35 dedicated volunteers and governed by a Board of Trustees. Our volunteers contribute to front-of-house, collections, exhibitions, research, fundraising, marketing and community activities, and work closely with our curator/manager.

As part of the UK Museum Accreditation Scheme, the museum is also supported by an independent museum mentor, who meets with us twice a year to advise on progress and good practice.

TRUSTEES

Richard Hotchkis
Chairman of the Board
Richard was born in Aberfeldy but spent most of his childhood in St Andrews. On completing his education, which included degrees in economics from Stirling University and the LSE, he worked on development projects in Botswana for two years before returning to the UK to pursue a 30-year career as an Investment Manager for the Co-operative Insurance Society in Manchester. He then moved to Guernsey, where he worked as a company director for investment companies until 2019. 

Upon retirement, Richard and his wife relocated to Fortrose. During his time in Manchester, his love of museums led to a 25-year involvement with Saddleworth Museum in the Pennines, which he helped develop into a fully accredited museum with a curator and education service.

Paul Pritchard
Treasurer
Paul is a retired accountant who relocated with his wife, cat and dogs to Rosemarkie from Cambridge in 2017. Before retiring, he worked as a finance director in major insurance and merchant banking companies. He was also a local parish councillor and treasurer/trustee of several local amenity charities. Since relocating, he has continued to be involved with local community-based organisations.

Paul’s interests include photography, dog walking and nature watching, and he is currently a Shorewatcher for Whale and Dolphin Conservation and an RSPB volunteer at Tollie Red Kites.

Alastair Morton
Alastair has a degree in archaeology but spent his working years in legal and IT contexts for a UK bank. He became a member of the museum back in the 1980s and, upon retiring to the Highlands, joined the Board in 2007. Since then, he has been a director, volunteer, administrative employee and trustee by turns, gaining a long and deep insight into the history, customs and practices of the museum. He also has a strong affinity for and admiration of George Bain, having started using his Celtic Art instruction booklets as a teenager.

Charlotte Stoney
Charlotte is a Design Researcher at the Glasgow School of Art, specialising in the intersection of cultural heritage, community engagement, and creative education. Her work focuses on enabling meaningful connections with heritage through participatory design research and a “research through making” approach. With a background in architecture and design, she is passionate about fostering hands-on, creative learning experiences. Having lived in the Highlands and later in Moray for over six years, Charlotte has a personal connection to the region’s history and culture. Committed to making heritage accessible, she is dedicated to expanding educational opportunities that inspire curiosity and a deeper appreciation for Scotland’s rich cultural narrative.

Kim Turford-Mowat
Kim lives in Perth and has been working in education for over a decade, studying Applied Theatre and Education at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and later Museum Education at the University of Glasgow. She was lead education, visitor experience and community departments at Nottingham Castle, Verdant Works and Discovery Point. She has delivered activity for redevelopment projects, developed safeguarding practices and led on the co-development of galleries centred on decolonisation. Her interests include historical costume, social and women’s history, and can usually be found stitching with one of her cats, Byron or Athena, nearby.

Helen Avenell
Advisor
Helen is our Curatorial Advisor, providing input and advice on a range of strategic and operational issues. She has over 20 years of heritage experience and was previously Curator of Scottish History for Glasgow Museums. Since moving to the Highlands in 2004, Helen has developed a wide-ranging freelance creative practice working with small, community and volunteer-led museums. She also works for MHH (Museums & Heritage Highland), an independent membership organisation supporting the development and sustainability of the heritage sector in the Highlands.  Helen hails originally from Ullapool and is now based in Forres, Moray.

STAFF

Aila Schafer
Museum Manager
Aila is our Museum Manager and a dedicated heritage professional with a passion for Highland culture, history, and storytelling. With an academic background in history and literature and a postgraduate research degree from the University of the Highlands and Islands, Aila’s expertise spans Highland history, oral traditions, and museum practice. She has worked across various roles in the cultural and heritage sector, including as Curator/Manager of the Clan Macpherson Museum. Aila also leads Landscape Lore, a project dedicated to bringing the history and traditions of the Highlands to life through immersive, outdoor experiences. She is committed to innovative and responsible heritage practices, with a particular focus on decolonising narratives and making history accessible to all. Her work centres around inclusivity and ensuring that the stories of the past remain relevant and dynamic in today’s world.