jeni

Director of operations

Jeni has been working in Early years for over 20 years. Her journey began when trying to find her eldest son a suitable nursery which would meet his needs. She volunteered at the nursery, which led her to undertake her Childcare qualifications. She then went on to manage the nursery before branching into her teaching level 3 Childcare Diploma qualification course and then moved into Regional Manager roles.

Living in the rolling countryside of South Downs, Jeni enjoys spending her time walking her dogs. Jeni loves to watch the children grow and develop in the unique and engaging way which makes Little Forest Folk so successful.

XIAO

Operations MANAGER

Xiao knew he wanted to work with children from the moment he left school and is enjoying his career in early years. He has worked with children with profound and multiple learning difficulties where he loved making sensory stories and has also been a nanny on skis.

More recently he has been teaching 16-19 year olds to be early years’ practitioners and loved nothing more than getting his students outdoors to build dens and help them rediscover the magic of outdoor play.

He is so happy to be part Little Forest Folk and share in children’s wonder as they make relationships with their outdoor environment and uncover new discoveries in the great outdoors. Xiao managed our Twickenham nursery before stepping into the Operations Manager position.

Mollie

Senior people guru

Mollie has always been green fingered! After training and working as a florist for 10 years, she decided to change career and took on a role in HR. 

Growing up locally, on the leafy Farthing Downs in Surrey, Mollie has a passion for influencing young people to explore the great outdoors and as a regular “fun” runner (although we won’t talk about another marathon!) and she’s keen to see our future generations getting active and staying healthy. 

Mollie is excited to see how teaching extends outside of the traditional classroom and to support our teams to deliver the best care and education for our young people.

Suzie

people guru

Suzie originally started in the forest in 2019, but after being away for a couple of years has returned to support HR and recruitment alongside Mollie.

Suzie comes from a food background, with over 25 years in the hospitality, catering and retail sectors, most recently with a US retailer focusing on health, nutrition and organics.

Living in Kinston Suzie has wonderful access to the Thames tow path and Richmond Park, which enables her to get outdoors and enjoy the great walking and biking. Being outdoors combines with her interest in gardening, which takes up a lot of her free time.

Suzie loves being a part of the Little Forest Folk team, and is excited to be able to support the teams out in the forest.

Lauren

Families Experience guru

Lauren joined the Little Forest Folk team in early 2022. She is passionate about empowering young people to love and protect the natural world around them, and loves being a part of Little Forest Folk’s friendly and hard-working back office team.

Lauren has 16 years experience across the hospitality and customer service industries and is passionate about providing friendly and high-quality service to anyone she meets.

In her spare time she loves exploring new outdoor areas and bakeries across London and has many creative hobbies such as jewellery making, performing and roller skating!

Georgia

Families Experience guru

Georgia started her career with Little Forest Folk in 2022. She loves exploring new things, surrounding herself with friends and family. Her favourite thing to do on the weekend is venture to a new place with her German Shorthaired Pointer; Boo - she loves dogs!

Georgia has been in customer services for over 7 years and can proudly say that she delivers exceptional customer service. It’s also made her very flexible with meeting different people day in and day out. 

She will be very proud to say that she has been able to see young children grow and learn in and around nature and has had some impact on the next generation, especially when they have been under the care of Little Forest Folk.

GEMMA

finance Assistant

Gemma has a background in finance administration and has picked up a lot of experience across various roles and now wants to progress further into accounting.

Being an avid nature lover herself, Gemma is excited to be part of a team that encourages children to find that connection with nature and the outdoors.

In her spare time, there is nothing more that Gemma enjoys doing than getting out and about and going for walks exploring the outdoors, and always by her side is her beloved lurcher India.

Kat

Admin guru

Kat joined Little Forest Folk in 2022 with almost 20 years experience in administration and customer service and is excited to put this to good use with the back office team, in order to support our lovely educators in the forest!

Having spent the last few years as a stay at home mum, exploring London’s parks, she is happy to be working for a company that understands the importance of empowering little minds through nature.

In her spare time she can be found accompanying her daughter on adventures around London, or singing with her local community choir.

BECKY

chef

Becky has always loved to cook and can’t recall when cooking hasn’t been one of the favourite parts of her day.

Becky feels passionately that children should learn about food, not just the sheer pleasure from cooking and eating but some of the basic issues that surround food, seasonality, provenance and sustainability. Children love to cook, enjoying the taste, smell, feel of food and the freedom to make a mess!

Becky’s mission is to make tasty, wholesome and nutritious food for the children to enjoy during their time at Little Forest Folk. She uses simple, natural ingredients with a focus on taste, nutrition and creating proper homemade food suitable for active little people.

jay

manager

Jay was born in Burgas – a lovely city by the sea in Bulgaria. Bulgarian seaside has diverse nature and a big part of it is covered by amazing Natural reserves, where she used to camp with her family from an early age. Part of her family comes from the mountain region in Bulgaria, where she spent half of her childhood hiking in the woods. Spending her childhood in nature has left a warm memory in Jay's heart and she was inspired to provide such unique experiences for children, especially in a city like London. When she first came to London, Jay enrolled in Roehampton University, where she graduated in Early Childhood Studies. Not long after, she heard about Forest Schools and immediately knew that this is what she wanted to do and that someone like her would fit perfectly in a wild “classroom”.

Briya

deputy manager

Working with children has always been a passion for Briya. She enjoys the various forms of development that a toddler undergoes, having learned from them and enjoyed being a part of that process, as at this age it is the most pivotal, starting point of development in their lives. Briya has worked with children of all ages, and knew that Early Years was where she wanted to continue to progress. Briya has always felt that being in a city like London means there needs to be space for nature and exploration, forest schools provide exactly this! Briya has always had a love for nature and love to explore. She has travelled to many countries and worked abroad, relishing in the hidden, non-tourist parts of a country. Briya loves to walk, explore and am a little of an amateur photographer. Forest schools fit very much in her ethos of being holistic and child centred, giving every unique child the opportunity to flourish.

Tania

Third in charge

Tania graduated in Social Work and has 10 years experience working with children with additional support needs both in residential and educational settings. An outdoor lover and adventurer, Tania moved to the beautiful Scottish countryside where she worked in a Waldorf School and trained as a Forest School leader. She is now embarking in a new adventure in the big city, where she will join the Little Forest Folk team and continue further her training in early childhood studies.

Tuğba

forest educational leader

Tuğba studied in Turkey and has a bachelor’s degree in early years teaching. Part of her education also saw her studying in Lithuania studying social pedagogy - she then went on to train at an international Kindergarten in Helsinki. During Covid she worked in a kindergarten back in Turkey, both online and with many outdoor activities. Once she was able to return to Finland she completed her bachelor's degree in early years teaching. Now she knows many things about the Finnish curriculum and its fundamentals.

After Finland, she came to Wales as a volunteer on an organic farm for 6 months. During this time she experienced different kinds of weather and challenges.

Learning about forest education is her next goal, as she is passionate about education systems and creating opportunities for kids.

Sahra

Forest nursery educator

Sahra originally came from a Biomedical science background with an undergraduate bachelors in science before she changed career paths to become a qualified early years teacher. Sahra has found joy in inspiring young minds in education and helping children find their passion in life whatever it may be. She enjoys working in the forest and constantly learning alongside the children and merging her science background with teaching experiences to give the children the best insight into STEM. Sahra also loves to travel and try new experiences wether they be big or small. She has a variety of experience, from working in youth centres, primary and secondary schools. Sahra looks forward to watching the children graduate and become the next superstars of the future!

Angelica

Forest nursery educator

Angelica grew up in a small coastal town in southern Finland. Spending time in nature, whether it’s going on walks in the forest, wild swimming or finding a sunny spot to draw in, has always been an integral part of her life. Angelica has worked as a nanny for five years. She has recently graduated from the Master’s program at The London Interdisciplinary School, where she wrote and illustrated a children’s book on climate change and researched ways to discuss the topic with young children without increasing anxiety. She is currently working on writing and illustrating more children’s books and aspires to one day be a published author.

lena

Forest nursery educator

Lena is a qualified teacher from North West London. She spent years working as a primary school teacher before she decided to try something new. She wanted to work in an environment where children were given the space to be creative and curious and ultimately turned to forest schools

Stine

Forest nursery educator

Stine grew up in a small town on the west coast of Denmark. She spent her childhood playing in the dunes off the coast of the North Sea and foraging with her family. She believes that a childhood outdoors teach children to be respectful of and love nature. And she is very exited about finally being able to work with it daily! She has got experience from previous positions as nanny, substitute teacher and organiser of language improving clubs for children. She loves to spend her weekends on walks in the parks, going to exhibitions and concerts, and working on crafts. She is very interested in textile print, knitting and crocheting and has a big passion for songwriting and composing.

donna

acting manager

Donna grew up in South East London in a large family surrounded by lots of nieces and nephews and that’s when she knew childcare was the career for her. Donna has been working in private nurseries now for over 11 years gaining both NVQ Level 2 and Level 3. Donna believes that children learn through exploring and playing. Donna enjoys being able to be a part of our younger generation’s future, teaching them basic skills and knowledge that will go on and help them in their older years at school and eventually into adulthood. Donna is an outdoorsy person and loves to explore and get messy. She is excited to be passing on some of her knowledge and skills with the children out in the Forest!

Weiran

Forest nursery Educator

Weiran is doing her postgraduate studies in Early Years Education at UCL IOE. Growing up playing in forests and riverside wetlands is one of the best memories of her childhood, which has developed a deep passion for nature. She often travels and hikes outdoors to explore different types of nature. She graduated with honours from China obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Pre-school Education and has experience as an early childhood teacher in China. During this time, she most enjoyed and was good at doing various kinds of outdoor play with children. She also loves doing arts and crafts, singing, playing piano, and other creative arts activities and has more than ten years of experience in classical Chinese dance, she hopes these skills will better help her as a nursery educator creatively! Weiran is eager to bring her passion for education to support children in enjoying the fascination of the outdoors, she finds becoming a Forest Educator with Little Forest Folk fulfills her dream of becoming an educator. She cannot wait to become a part of the Little Forest Folk team to support children to explore nature and the world!

ella

Forest Nursery EDUCATOR

Born and raised in South West London, Ella’s love of forest school grew through her own childhood experiences - her summers spent wild camping are some of her most precious memories. She is thrilled to be joining the team and hopes to cultivate the same joy and love of nature that was sparked when she was younger.

Ella has always loved working with children, as they never fail to amaze her with their creativity and compassion. In her spare time, Ella enjoys reading and cooking (but mostly eating), alongside spending time with her extremely energetic little brother, who has inspired her to get back outside and seize the day!

sabrina

Forest Nursery EDUCATOR

Sabrina grew up in the heart of East London. She has always had an amazing interest in working outside and exploring nature - she loves the sound of birds, leaves blowing & seeing all different kinds of animals running around.

Sabrina has two nieces and three nephews, so she has always enjoyed being round them and playing. Sabrina has volunteered in childcare but her goal is to further develop her skills and knowledge and is excited to do this in a forest setting.

jemima

forest nursery educator

Jemima, a two-time philosophy graduate, finds joy in pondering questions big and small, which ultimately led her to transition from her TV job to pursue work with curious young minds. Her undergraduate degree from Edinburgh and her master's from Cambridge have provided her with a strong foundation in critical thinking.This academic background has sparked a passion for early years education, Montessori principles, and the significance of nature in child development. Specifically, she is interested in movements like "1000 hours outside" and the benefits such movements have on developing minds. This passion has driven her interest in early years forest schools. Jemima is also a passionate advocate for non-violent communication, believing in its power to foster understanding and connection. Additionally, she is a strong advocate for disability positivity and neurodiversity, striving to create inclusive environments where every child feels valued and supported.In her spare time, Jemima enjoys traveling, especially to off-the-beaten-track destinations, and indulges in creative writing

Sarah

Nursery manager

Sarah grew up not too far from Morden and is very happy to be enjoying the local forest area in one of the best ways possible. Sarah has experience working on placements in hospitals and children’s wards, as well as schools, both mainstream and schools focused on additional needs, both educational and physical. She has also spent time in Borneo playing with, and teaching, the local children while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

Sarah loves bringing music into the forest with songs, rhymes and instruments, and enjoying making up songs with the children. She is inspired by the development of the children while in outdoor play, and is very proud to be a member of the LLF team.

maria

Deputy manager

The sunny country of Greece is the place Maria came from. From her early years, she curiously explored nature as a scout. Outdoor play has been an irreplaceable part of her childhood experience, a practice she is looking forward to pass on to the children of Little Forest Folks to create unique memories. Maria has a degree in Informatics and Mass Media, but quickly realised that childcare is what she really wanted to do. Working as a nanny and animator at children’s parties, led her to make the decision to get an Early Years Education degree from a private university in Greece. A new pedagogical path was addressed, by working in schools with a Montessori and Reggio Emilia approach. She enjoys making stories using dramatic games, especially in nature. Observing children and being there to support their game is a magical journey, the children lead you with their uniqueness. Her love for nature and exploration is still present to this day. She loves to spend her weekends traveling with her friends and exploring new lands and castles.

Victoria

third in charge

Vicky has an interest in the outdoors and is passionate about learning from it. She enjoys teaching herself and experiencing the benefits of natural environments and its resources, for well-being and lifestyle purposes. This has led her into Forest School. 

She is currently completing a Level 3 in Forest School and through the Little Forest School apprenticeship scheme a Level 5 in Early Years and Leadership. She has taught in education previously for approximately 15 years. And through those years experienced different curriculum job roles until qualifying as a Teacher. She has taught various ages within a SEN college and school, which was a very fulfilling experience.... but now onto new beginnings!

charlotte

Forest EDUCATional leader

Charlotte thought she was an indoorsy bookworm until she went to study in Canada and fell in love with the mountains! She then set off to New Zealand with the idea of training as an outdoor educator but got happily sidetracked helping out at a nursery in Wellington. She really loved working with young children and realised this had been the missing link all along, so she returned to the UK to retrain as an Early Years Teacher and complete a masters with a focus on the value of outdoor play. She loves supporting children to become confident adventurers, investigators and nature lovers.

Robyn

forest nursery educator

Robyn has spent time with little ones when volunteering at nurseries and schools since 2009 and is excited to put children at the centre of her work in early years education. She believes that our relationship with the outdoors is significant, and that children should be encouraged to connect with nature to support their growth and happiness. Guiding them as they explore and bond with the natural world, is a true honour for Robyn. With a degree in Fine Art and a multimedia creative background, she is keen to nurture children's artistic abilities using the materials found around them in the forest. Previously, Robyn worked with families in east London to deliver healthcare advice, food and physical education as well as producing a documentary short about the childcare system in Glasgow. Insuring that all young people have access to a healthy lifestyle is a cause close to Robyn's heart. With her free time, she mostly loves going off grid on camping trips deep in nature, and also enjoys supporting her housing cooperative community as a conflict mediator, volunteering at art and music festivals, hosting mediations and sound baths, studying natural building techniques, gardening, yoga and cooking with veggies!

Caitlin

Forest Nursery EDUCATOR

Caitlin has known she wanted to work in childcare since she studied child development at GCSE level whilst completing her work experience in a primary school nursery. This further grew when she started babysitting her niece and nephews, who bring so much joy. 

She has always been an outdoors person, who loves a long walk, come rain or shine.

She is so excited to be a part of something to get young kids back into loving the outdoors again.

Lucia

forest nursery educator

Lucia studied social work in Spain, before coming to England and working as a care assistant. After getting a job in a nursery she found a new passion & worked hard to progress her career. She really enjoys helping little ones discover the world around them as the grow.

Little Forest Folk offers a very different way of working, which Lucia is very excited about, as she loves nature and animals. She considers herself creative, energetic and really keen on exploring the outdoors!

Joe

forest nursery educator

Growing up in the countryside of Rutland, Joe loved having lots of outdoor adventures. Now living in London, Joe is looking forward to sharing the joys of the outdoor world with the children at Morden. Joe is very creative and loves storytelling, having studied Illustration at the University of Brighton and recently graduated with a masters in Animation - this feeds into his imaginative and whimsical style of play at the nursery.Joe is looking forward to teaching the children in an environment where their imaginations are free to run wild!

migs

forest nursery educator

Growing up near Epping Forest Mignon loved playing in between the trees with friends, foraging blackberries and going for bike rides and picnics with my family in the woods. After graduating from the University of Sussex in 2012 she started working on the Brighton and Hove City Council Playbus as a Play Worker doing outreach work across the city. Even though the service was sadly cut Mignon has continued to enjoy working with children and families in different settings across different communities facilitating a broad range of exciting play opportunities which bring families and children closer together. In this time Mignon has remained passionate about improving children’s opportunities to play by being a member of the Woodland Tribe crew where she has been involved in lots of exciting adventure playground building projects including the build in the Tate Modern’s turbine hall last year and at the Brighton Fringe Festival this year. In 2020 she completed her primary PGCE with Goldsmiths University of London with a specialism in Children’s Literature and have had a great time working in different schools across South West London and Surrey as a Primary School Supply Teacher. Having seen the benefits of attending LFF in her own son Mignon believes that all children have the right to play and that access to nature and the outdoors in the early years gives children the best start in life.

katie

nursery manager

Bio coming soon…

Meredith

deputy manager

Meredith is originally from Detroit, Michigan. Growing up in Michigan offered her many outdoor experiences such as skiing and exploring Michigan’s many Great Lakes. After studying Early Childhood Development and Learning, and student teaching at Central Michigan University, she made her way to Shanghai, China to teach. While living in Asia, Meredith was able to travel and immerse herself in many different cultures. Since 2021, Meredith has been living and teaching in London. She is passionate about providing young children with the space to grow and learn at their own pace…which is why she is so eager to be apart of the Little Forest Folk team. In her free time, she loves to travel, listen to live music, spend time with friends and visit her family back in the US.

max

Forest Educational Leader

Max grew up in the Peak District and spent most evenings and weekends hiking around Derbyshire and Yorkshire. His family would spend their summers in the Swiss Alps hiking up mountains, glaciers and exploring forest areas, learning as much as he could about the nature around them whilst soaking up the views. His Dad was an avid rock climber and so Max was raised with a love for bouldering and, after teaching at a rock climbing wall for over 3 years, spent 5 consecutive summers working at Camp Canadensis in the Pennsylvania mountains. He loves to impassion children with a thirst for the outdoors and to safely seek adventure and fun. This triggered Max to get his Masters in Education in Derby before moving to London with his pet cat. Since then, Max has taught at two pre-prep schools in South London and looks forward to combining his passion for education with his love of nature and the outdoors in this role.

Emer

Third in charge

Emer is passionate about delivering high quality outdoor learning experiences to little people. Her love helped her obtain a first-class honours degree in the Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Education and Training awarded by Dublin City University.

Emer loves to motivate and create fun and thriving learning opportunities. She feels that by creating a safe environment, helps children to explore and be active in their learning. She believes that children learn best in the great outdoors, and she hopes to help our Little Forest Folk-ers thrive.

Nicolas

FOREST nursery educator

Nicolas has worked and volunteered within the Early Years Sector and is very much looking forward to joining Little Forest Folk, where he can put his knowledge and experience to the test He is looking forward to building relationships with the children, learning all about Forest Schools and growing as a practitioner!

laura

FOREST nursery educator

Laura is an artist and workshop facilitator who lives in South West London but is originally from Leeds. She is very interested in alternative forms of education, having always enjoyed learning but not so much her experiences of the traditional school system in the UK. She is passionate about empowering children to make their own decisions and choices, encouraging them to problem-solve, be considerate and use reasoning and reflection to learn from their experiences.

Laura grew up in a very urban environment where access to nature was difficult without a car, so she now takes every opportunity to explore parks, commons, forests and nature reserves, especially in South London and surrounding areas. Laura has a BA in Theatre and Performance and a MA in Sculpture.

Laura is very pleased to be working at Little Forest Folk and particularly excited about the ethos and approach to helping young children learn and develop while also having fun!

Sitara

FOREST nursery educator

Sitara has worked in childcare for a few years now and it all began when she started her Level 3 Early Years educator apprenticeship. Sitara has a degree in BA Fine Art which brings in a creative look in things also a keen gardener and enjoying spending plenty of time outdoors planting and taking inspiration for my paintings. Sitara is keen to keep moving forward in her career and feels forest school is an amazing place to begin that journey!

millie

FOREST nursery educator

Millie grew up on the South Coast where her love for the outdoors began. Spending a lot of her childhood in the forest or at the beach has taught Millie to appreciate the green spaces available in large urban areas. Millie is a strong believer that all children should get the chance to explore and have fun in nature no matter where they live and believes forest school is one of the best ways for little people to get that experience. Millie’s own hobbies such as scuba diving, figure skating, and exploring reflect her love of nature. Millie is currently completing her BSc in psychology with her research area being focused on childhood development. She is passionate about childhood wellness and teaching children all about the world they live in as well as creating an environment where they feel safe and can express themselves. Millie is ecstatic about being part of the Little Forest Folk team and having the opportunity to show little people everything about the outdoors she loves so much.

Miranda

Manager

Miranda is a Montessori trained teacher who loves working with the early years ages, especially in the outdoors.  She has worked in day nurseries, private nurseries, as a tutor, as a nanny and she has also worked and travelled extensively abroad over the years.

Miranda loves walking and has conquered several coast lines and ancient walls, she loves creating and getting messy, she has climbed a few mountains, and has an allotment in her back garden. Miranda thoroughly enjoys exploring, learning and accompanying a child on their adventurous investigation of life.

mari

Deputy Manager

Mari is a trained Montessori Early Years teacher who has worked in diverse roles in the education sector, and she is passionate about guiding children to build a strong foundation in their learning and development.

She enjoys travelling and learning about the amazing flora and fauna in the places she visits. She can also be found cultivating her allotment and engaging in creative pursuits, particularly watercolour painting and lino printing. Having grown up surrounded by mountains and the sea in her hometown of Vancouver, she is aware of the importance and benefits of being connected to nature for our physical and mental well-being and to appreciate our overlooked natural world. She hopes to pass on her enthusiasm for learning and her love for nature to the children in her care.

Louise

FOREST EDUCATIONAL LEADER

Louise grew up exploring Surrey, whether that was climbing trees, squelching through the mud or collecting natural “art supplies” for collages and paintings. Today, she still tries to explore and is now accompanied by her 10 month old puppy, Cara – who loves it! Louise studied Applied Psychology at the University of Brighton, where she graduated in 2018. During her time here she rediscovered her connection with nature and the outdoors, through her many solo walks on the beach and on the Sussex Downs. As well as this, she also discovered the psychological and social benefits of nature through a module in her final year at university: Environmental Psychology. After graduating, she worked as an Applied Behaviour Analysis Tutor with children with autism, and this role often led to her helping the children to learn through play, song and music, as well as helping them to navigate the world. “An environment-based education movement—at all levels of education—will help students realize that school isn’t supposed to be a polite form of incarceration, but a portal to the wider world.” (Richard Louv).

emma

forest nursery educator

Emma grew up in London loving the fabulous green spaces that this city offers. She loves being outdoors and connecting with nature. The sounds of the birds, the scent of the flowers, the changing seasons and inner city wildlife, all make London’s parks and riversides exciting places to explore and discover. Emma has worked in childcare for over 9 years and she has a rich understanding of child development and the Early Years curriculum. Emma strongly believes that children deserve the opportunity to play and learn in a natural environment, and that this environment builds their resilience and confidence as well as creating lasting memories for them. Emma enjoys walking and on a trip to Northern Ireland she found the Giant’s Causeway to be breathtaking and spectacular. Emma also loves photography and has captured some glorious images of nature and her environment through the seasons. Emma is both creative and fun to be with and she loves sharing her ideas with the children.

denisa

Forest Nursery educator

Originally from Slovakia, Denisa is multi-lingual and has spent many years working with children through her work as a family photographer. 

Having lived in the countryside with an agricultural background, nature and gardening have always been a very important part of her life. Denisa enjoys going for muddy walks whilst camping with her family and dog and has also loved teaching her son all about plants, nature and animals, which has led her to pursue a career in forest education. 

She can't wait to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to explore and learn in!

esther

Forest Nursery educator

Esther was born and raised in the beautiful city of Hong Kong. 

Working with children has brought immense joy to her life & she is so excited to be Forest Educator with Little Forest Folk. All throughout her life teaching has been her passion and her dream job. She has been blessed to be able to walk hand in hand with children and find opportunities for them to learn and grow together.

One of her passions is to travel to see different cultures and also to enjoy photography which can tell a story without a word, there’s no language barrier - it’s complete expression of the real moment through photos. In her spare time she loves exploring the outdoors and taking part in sports activities, especially swimming and hiking.

jamie

Nursery Manager

With over 11 years of experience working in early years, Jamie became interested in forest schools through a college placement, and it is because of this that he has followed this path to where he is today. With previous experience of being Deputy Manager in a Forest School, his love for the great outdoors stemmed from growing up living near Kingston Gate of Richmond Park, with many fond memories of exploring the wilderness it has to offer (Penponds and Isabella Plantation being his favourites!)

Since moving to Worcester Park, he has discovered the natural beauty of the Hogsmill Nature Reserve, and enjoys regular walks here with his fiancé and daughter. Jamie has a real passion for early years, and believes the great outdoors is imperative to children's development.

Karlenne

Acting Nursery Manager

Karlenne’s love for the outdoors started at a young age. When she was seven years old she became a Brownie as part of Girlguiding, then a guide and is now an active volunteering leader for the last 25 years. She enjoys taking them camping, teaching them to make and cook on open fires, respect the natural environment and enjoy the outside natural world which even included some international trips. It was this involvement and passion that she learnt that she really loved helping children and learning new skills in the outside environment. She worked as a Nanny for a year and then worked as a level three practitioner for the last ten years and took her Forest school Leadership qualification.

She is excited to be joining Little Forest Folk and sharing her skills, knowledge and smiles each day.

dan

deputy manager

Dan has a passion for early years care and education. He enjoys nature and after seeing the potential for children’s development in this environment, is keen to develop his career. With over 5 years of experience in childcare he intends to expand on his knowledge and NVQ3 Children and Young People's Workforce. Dan intends to develop a career towards becoming a Forest School Leader. Dans hobbies include; gardening, watching live music and finding new bands, travel, archery and appreciating creativity art/architecture/food for example.

SAM

third in charge

Sam has worked in 3 different styles of forest school’s over the last 8 years. He is keen on exploring new ways to support children learning in new environments. Sam has studied practical habitat management at Merrist Wood agricultural college in Guildford, Surrey. He also has his Forest School Leader, level 3 from the Surrey Wildlife Trust and a level 3 in Children and Young People's Work Force. Sam’s hobbies include going to music festivals, repairing and driving old British cars and cycling.

Emma

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Emma has always been enchanted by the vibrant spirit, creativity and playfulness of children. Her fascination with their world, combined with an interest in understanding and aiding their mental and emotional development, guided her towards a path in child and adolescent psychotherapy. 

Currently in the final year of her Master's degree, Emma is deeply engrossed in her dissertation. Her numerous placements across various educational settings have opened her eyes to the many complexities surrounding the mental health of young people, and enriched her understanding of child development. Her journey has taken her from the detailed study of a newborn's growth up until eighteen months to an extensive observation of  a nursery school child. These latter experiences have ignited her passion for the early years. 

Emma was very excited to discover Little Forest Folk, an organisation that resonated with her core beliefs about learning and growth in natural environments. Emma loves the outdoors and cherishes her hiking adventures in Scotland, an annual tradition she enjoys with her partner. 

Looking ahead, Emma aspires to blend her psychotherapy practice with the therapeutic essence of nature. She dreams of establishing a therapy cabin within a natural setting, convinced of nature's restorative powers. Joining the Little Forest Folk team, Emma is thrilled to witness children flourish in what she considers their truest sanctuary: nature itself

Zofia

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Zofia has been working with children since 2017 in the informal education and museums sector. She has degrees in physics and planetary science and loves to share her passion for science and nature with children through play-led learning and discovery. Encouraging children to experience and appreciate our place in nature is really important to her. In her free time Zofia loves going for hikes, skiing, foraging edible plants, and cooking delicious food.

meera

forest nursery educator

As an outdoors enthusiast who loves spending time with children, Meera’s keen interest in becoming a Forest Nursery Practitioner has grown from her experience of joy, solace and learning rooted within the natural world, including her barefoot adventures in the Aotearoa New Zealand bush as a child (and adult). Appreciating these opportunities in her early life, Meera is passionate about tending children’s natural curiosity, stoking their adventurousness, and supporting meaningful and lifelong relationships with nature. Meera’s enthusiasm for exploring the outdoors with children has honed her skills in puddle-splashing, tree-climbing, and critter-encounters.

Meera has wide-ranging experience in health and social care, having worked within several charities and the NHS. She recently graduated with a first-class honours degree in ‘psychosocial studies and principals of psychodynamic counselling’. These days, alongside spending time with the little folk in the forest, Meera also works in gardens with bigger folk as a Horticultural Therapist and is involved in three ecotherapy garden charities in London. The cross- fertilisation of her endeavours continues to nurture an organic understanding of learning and wellbeing, at heart appreciating the symbiotic relationships between (human) beings, communities, and the natural environment.

Meera’s love for being outdoors leads her to spend considerable time wandering in the woods and wilds, accompanied by her maps, compass and canine companion. She relishes getting her hands and feet mucky in the soil, and it’s not unusual to find her perched up a tree.

SIMON

HANDYMAN / OUTDOOR LEGEND

Simon has been running his own business for a number of years and spent 8 of these years in beautiful Spain. After having made the decision to return to the UK, he joined Little Forest Folk and has since enjoyed driving the children, supporting the team and helping as an all-round outdoor legend.

poppy

manager

From growing up in the Hampshire countryside, Poppy has always enjoyed being outdoors, and she is fascinated in the way in which children can use nature to learn, play and explore.

Poppy has a degree in Early Childhood Studies and is a firm believer in the Little Forest Folk ethos of giving children the freedom to learn through play.

tammy

Deputy Manager

Tammy grew up in the South West of England near Bath. Living close to lots of green space, she has always loved being outside, exploring and believes that this is as important for children as well as adults. From her teenage years, Tammy has been involved in a Majorette Team and Carnival club, spending lots of time outdoors, training and performing for large groups of people, as well as spending nights performing in different towns in carnivals as part of the South West’s staple winter season. She attended her local college, completing a level 2 childcare qualification and realised that she loved working with children. In particular the way that they learn and explore, finding this fascinating.

Tammy really enjoys seeing children develop in all areas of learning, whether it be physical, emotional and social or expressive arts and design. All areas of learning are interlinked during activities, this has many benefits towards the children and is known as holistic development. She has recently moved to London with her Partner and is very excited to join the team and see what her future at Little Forest Folk has in store.

Olivia

Deputy Manager

Olivia has always spent time outside, as a child she loved going to local parks, beaches and forests with her family (& still does!). This inspired her to do her Adventure Education degree where she learnt outdoor sports such as: kayaking, canoeing, sailing, skiing and rock climbing. 

She now climbs regularly at different London climbing centres & her weekends are full of sport, anything from watching Crystal Palace in Selhurst or netball online. 

She completed her PGCE at Canterbury and taught in South London for a few years. She is now undertaking her Level 2 forest school training. She is really interested in how the outdoors and forest school ethos can benefit children and their development.

Lucy

third in charge

Lucy has a Primary Education degree, and her dissertation was on outdoor education.

She was a Brownie and Guide growing up and enjoyed camping and campfire singing with the Guides. She has been a Brownie leader for many years now.

Previously, she has worked with children in several different settings; including schools, holiday club and on a farm. Looking after the planet is important to her, she is making small changes to make a difference. When not at work, she enjoys gluten free baking, reading and sewing. She also likes walking in the countryside and spending time on her allotment.

Arron

FOREST nursery educator

Originally from Manchester, Arron has always loved the outdoors and from a young age would spend his summers exploring the Irish countryside, where his Mum's side of the family are from. Whether it was making dens, going for walks, collecting turf, or helping his Grandad with the gardens, he would always be out and about.  

Arron has younger siblings much younger than himself, as well as a niece and nephew with whom he is close too and has always enjoyed spending time with them. He has always been active and involved in multiple sports teams from a young age. This led to him volunteering as a children's football coach in 2019.  Arron has a degree in Music Production & Live Performance as well as Extended National Diploma’s in Sport Science & Biology and Computer Science. When he's not in the forest getting muddy, he DJs in clubs and radio stations around London, as well as producing his own music and watching his football team, Everton. Arron believes in a patient, understanding and fun approach to childcare and loves the concept of combining education with nature and believes the forest school is a great environment to ensure children excel in life. 

cassie

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Coming from a retail and customer service background, Cassie loves building and nurturing relationships with people. Having spent time working in a corporate environment and office setting for most of the week, Cassie found her free time most valued spent outdoors in the fresh air and reconnecting with nature which is what encouraged her to make the jump into a new adventure. Cassie is also an artist and enjoys painting, with a particular love of portraiture. Cassie looks forward to incorporating art and exploring creativity within childcare and is so excited to be a part of the team and what Little Forest Folk have to offer.

hannah

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Hannah has always loved being outside in nature and that's where she spends her free time. She is always going out on hikes with family and friends. Whilst studying animal care at college she found a new love and appreciation for the outdoors. She thinks this is a great program for the children to learn different skills and learn that nature is not just important but fun.

Carla

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Carla has had a wealth of experience with childcare, after deciding to home educate her son. Her love for free play and education began at the start of her home schooling journey. Carla then went on to work in a primary school for seven years and gained a wealth of experience from this but the outdoors was calling.
She found that education outdoors with her son benefited him and became a big believer in outdoor eduction which led her to Little Forest Folk.

Her love of the outdoors and nature never ceases and working within the wonderful world of children, combined with the great outdoors, is what it’s all about for Carla.

Anamika

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Anamika has a background in Forensic Science and is working toward her master's in Criminology with a Forensic Psychology specialisation at Middlesex University. She is also interested in child psychology.

She believes life has to be bound to nature, especially at an early age, to develop the core skills of an individual.

Anamika is delighted to be a member of a team that encourages kids to develop in harmony with the environment.

amy

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Amy is currently studying for a degree in Primary Education and she has now completed her second year.

Previously, Amy worked in administrator and PA roles but after the COVID pandemic decided to pursue her real passion for working with children by pursuing a new career path into Primary teaching.

Amy enjoys being active, especially out in nature on hikes or walks and values the real positive impact these experiences in nature can have. After applying to Little Forest Folk, Amy was intrigued to see this unique approach in action and is very excited to be apart of this outdoor nursery practice and looking forward to the adventure ahead.

celeste

FOREST NURSERY EDUCATOR

Growing up in rural Somerset, Celeste has always found magic within the forest and countryside. She is a big believer in spending as much time as possible out in nature. She will always finds a big sense of peace whenever she is outside! Until recently, Celeste has worked in an international school in Amsterdam with students ranging from early years to school leavers. One of her favourite times in the school day was working with the early years out in the stunning forest surrounding the schools! She has also attended a residential trip in Belgium, supporting smaller groups in outdoor activities. This helped her realise how much she thrives and loves to work with children in this setting.Her creative background in music allows for her to explore unique and exciting activities in every setting! During the summer, she helps out at a local festival running sessions for children. She has experience making musical instruments, and running mindfulness sessions suitable for early years in an outdoor setting Celeste is super excited to start working with little forest folk!

rebecca

Forest Nursery Educator

Rebecca’s career background is originally in university libraries and more recently working with secondary age students. Growing up on the rural North Devon coast gave Rebecca an early appreciation of nature, wildlife and wild blustery weather. Watching her own three children grow up in the city Rebecca found it was important to find them good climbing trees, leaves to crunch and mud to squelch in. Rebecca in interested in the benefits of being outdoors both for adults and children and how playing in natural outdoor spaces can affect child health, wellbeing, confidence and resilience. Rebecca is intrigued by children’s connection with nature and it’s importance in early years as it enhances language, expands vocabulary and gives children an appreciation of the natural world.

Les

driver

Les has three children himself who have spent a vast amount of their play time on Wimbledon Common. Les loves nature and wild animals, especially pond life and is really enjoying being part of Little Forest Folk team.

cARRIE

FLOATING MANAGER

Carrie has been extremely fortunate to have been surrounded by nature for most of her life. She grew up on Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada where she spent her free time climbing trees, swimming, and riding her bike.

Her family have always been avid campers and they still consider muddy clothes, skinned knees, and a big grin a sign of a good day out! She was involved in Girl Guiding and worked at a camp and outdoor centre in Algonquin Provincial Park for 15 years, where she discovered her love for outdoor education.

As a qualified teacher, she has taught in both traditional classrooms and informal education settings, but has always found the most joy and fulfilment when working with others outdoors. Seeing children (and adults!) make new discoveries and become immersed in their surroundings always reminds her why the environment is so important for development and wellbeing. During free time Carrie can be found wandering the outdoors, reading in a sunbeam, playing volleyball, or working out how to keep parakeets from eating all the birdseed!

zhiyang

Playworker

Zhiyang is from China and is studying for her Master's at UCL IOE. Her love for the outdoors comes from hiking, which gives her a true sense of freedom and happiness. Her passion for the outdoors stems from hiking, where she feels truly free and happy every time she gets in touch with nature; Zhiyang loves children and cherishes every second she spends with them. During her studies, Zhiyang became interested in topics related to children's outdoor play. She has interned in a traditional Chinese kindergarten and has experience caring for children. But she wanted to have the opportunity to practice childcare and education outdoors and experience a completely different kind of outdoor life with children! Zhiyang is very thankful to be a part of this family and looks forward to every beautiful day ahead!

Katie

playworker

Katie grew up in the Midlands making dens, picking up worms & getting muddy at every opportunity. After working for a forestry charity, she realised how much she loved working outdoors and learning about the plants and animals around her. Most recently, Katie has picked up foraging, which has lead her to learn more native plants than ever before and can often be found hunting through foliage for ingredients.

Katie studied art at university, where she also co-lead a dance society. She knows that sometimes words aren’t enough: sometimes you need to be a little more creative & find other ways to express yourself. Katie hopes to provide opportunities for the children to nurture their curiosity and enjoyment of themselves and their surroundings.

evie

playworker

Evie runs her own business as a Wedding and Events Florist, she also has a BA in Fashion Marketing and before floristry worked at the National Trust in Retail Visual Identity. 

Evie lives in SW London and draws a lot of her inspiration and creativity from nature, which she implements in her florist work through colour, texture and form. She loves working outdoors and being up against the elements. Evie grew up exploring the countryside in Somerset and continues to explore the Royal Parks and the Thames Riverside in her spare time.

Evie is really looking forward to working at Little Forest Folk and inspiring young children to use their imagination and creativity to explore the outdoor world. She really believes in the Little Forest Folk ethos and hopes to help to create a fun and nurturing environment for young children to thrive in.

georgia

bank staff

Bio coming soon…

Junior

bank staff

Bio coming soon…

LOUISA

BANK STAFF

On a visit to Norway, Louisa was inspired by the way they teach outdoors in all weathers. After learning about the growing inspiration of forest schools from Scandinavia and the impact it could have on future generations she had to get involved!  Having worked in horticultural therapy she has seen the various ways nature can help individuals.

She believes an early connection to our environment is essential to protecting it for the future but also hugely beneficial for our wellbeing.  Louisa set up a business in food refills in order to reduce food waste and preserve our biodiversity. She is now training in permaculture and rewilding and hopes to bring what she learns to Forest school. 

BRIDIE

bank staff

Bridie has always had a passion for the outside and working with children. She started by regularly babysitting and is now working as bank staff with us, alongside her animal studies course at college! In her free time, she enjoys long walks and hikes with her dog and riding her bike everywhere. Bridie loves collecting flowers during her hikes and using books to press them for her arts and crafts. Bridie sees working for Little Forest Folk as a great opportunity to get children growing up in the city to experience the wonders of nature and to learn about all different kinds of insects, plants and animals.

TESSA

Bank staff

Tessa grew up in Dorset where she enjoyed spending her time at the local beaches and in the New Forest. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was young, so is excited to work towards this at the nursery, and in her Education Studies and Global Sustainable Development degree at the University of Warwick. Tessa believes that it is vital for children to spend time in nature in order to understand it and feel inspired to protect wildlife.

Tessa also loves baking, cycling and playing tennis in her spare time.

Martha

bank staff

Martha loves the outdoors and working with children.

From being in the Girl Guides and going on multiple camps a year from the age of 11 and then at 16 staying with the Guides and becoming a young leader, teaching all the younger guides the skills. With guides she also completed her bronze, silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh which involved doing a 5 day canoeing excursion whilst wild camping.

Also from the age of 14 Martha worked at a stables, teaching young children to horse ride and also working there one a weekly basis

chloe

bank staff

Bio coming soon…

Mahesha

bank staff

Mahesha is a vibrant person, her love for childcare is what really fuels her soul & her desire to raise and instruct the next generation is what drives her on this quest. She has recently graduated with a masters in digital marketing but her passion for discovery also includes the natural world, which inspires and comforts her.