From her first haunting in Tring to leading a 17-strong paranormal investigation team, Emma Saunders of Ghostly Gatherings keeps the Home Counties’ ghostly past alive.
When Emma Saunders was seven years old, she wandered through the ruins of derelict Rothschild buildings in Tring and felt it — the cold brush of something unseen.
It was her first memory of the paranormal, and it would shape her life.
Over the years, spirits became a quiet constant in her world. “I’ve had spirits around me all my life,” she says. “They were simply there, part of the background.”
But Emma’s journey from curious child to respected investigator didn’t happen overnight.
For decades, she lived in homes where paranormal activity was simply accepted.
It wasn’t until 12 years ago that she joined her first organised investigation — a moment that would turn a personal sensitivity into a calling.
On that night, Emma saw the spirit of a mink. “The team told me I should take part in a spiritual awareness course,” she recalls. “I did, and I haven’t looked back.”
The training deepened her understanding, honed her natural abilities and gave her confidence to lead.
She spent years attending investigations, learning to balance her instincts with structured approaches.
Then, in 2016, Emma decided it was time to build something of her own: Ghostly Gatherings.
Now, at 53, Emma leads a team of 17 volunteers who share her passion. Among them are two psychic mediums (including Emma herself), several clairvoyants, empaths, and clairaudients.
And then there are the two team members who have no spiritual gifts at all — something Emma sees as an advantage.
“That actually adds to the team,” she says. “Each person has a different outlook, and we’re able to discuss our findings without judgement or controversy. We really are like a big family.”
This balance of believers and sceptics has helped make Ghostly Gatherings unique. While Emma’s personal experiences have given her a deep respect for the unseen, she’s also created a team where no perspective is dismissed. “We can debate, challenge, and compare what we find. It keeps us grounded and open-minded.”
Emma is careful with language too. “I don’t like to use the term ‘ghost’ because it makes you think of sheets and chains,” she says.
“I believe in spirits, and I’ve been lucky enough to see many over my 53 years. I believe in the stone tape theory — that spirits are energies left behind. I don’t believe we go to another dimension when we die.”
This mix of experience and philosophy has shaped how the team investigates. Emma is drawn to old-school methods — pendulums, dowsing rods, ouija boards and heightened senses — while other team members prefer the hum and static of spirit boxes and modern tech.
“We often let our guests decide which approach we use,” she explains. “That way, it’s not just our investigation — it’s theirs too.”
Emma’s passion isn’t just for the paranormal — it’s for history itself.
“I’ve never really watched paranormal programmes. They feel over-acted,” she admits. “Instead, I have a huge interest in the Victorian era. I feel like I should have been born then, especially in Victorian London during the Jack the Ripper story.”
That love of history fuels her investigations and gives Ghostly Gatherings a sense of purpose beyond chasing shadows — they are, in many ways, preserving the echoes of the past.
From her first spectral encounter in Tring to leading one of Hertfordshire’s most respected paranormal teams, Emma’s story is proof that true investigators aren’t made by television or theatrics.
They are shaped by experience, learning, and a passion strong enough to build not just a team, but a family.
And for Ghostly Gatherings, that family will keep listening for spirits — one haunted night at a time.
You can find out more about Ghostly Gatherings on its website.
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