Wilderness Adventures was originally a dream of Steve Brondel - you can still see his posts on our Facebook page, and we wont be deleting these as it is part of our history and our identity.  Nicola worked for Steve and ran the Saplings Forest School Playgroups.   When Steve's career took him and his family on another path they offered to sell their equipment to us, to carry the mantel so these Sapling groups could continue. 

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So, in September 2020 Molly and Nicola launched Wild in the Woods Ltd; a Pontefract based Forest School initially running sessions at a private woodland in Ackworth.  Although our vision of the business has diverged, in line with our skill sets, the core beliefs we think are still very much in line.

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The end of 2020, mid pandemic, was a time when people were coping with progressive isolation, for those families with young children we offered a community where families found support and children were allowed much needed normality.  We took advantage of our 100% outdoors environment, allowing us to run safely and responsibly for much of the pandemic.

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We are currently running forest school playgroups which regularly support 60-70 families a week, forest school sessions for older children and children who home educate. 

We run private parties, and we deliver forest school sessions to local SEN schools and groups within our community.  We have 4 staff who regularly deliver sessions with a varying bredth of skill and qualification including QTS, first aid training and curiosity approach practice qualifications. 

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We are lucky to have a beautiful and growing community of like-minded families who are a joy to work with.

Its been a challenging year and the trials of the pandemic are likely not over yet.  We have learnt and grown a lot, but we love and believe in what we do and we knew that the positive impact we could offer was always worth the fight. 

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In August 2021 we were rewarded for our hard work with the 'Entrepreneurial Excellence' GOLD award from Wakefield Bounce Back Week Awards :D Which was totally unexpected but also pretty fantastic!! (Wakefield Bounce Back Week is a collaborative partnership made of stakeholders from the Wakefield district including Wakefield First, Mid Yorkshire chamber of Commerce, FSB, We Are Wakefield, Leeds Beckett University, Wakefield College and DWP)

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In Aug 2023 we were awarded  "Outdoor Adventure Experience of the Year" in the Yorkshire Prestige Awards 2023/24.  The awards are rolling in now! :D 

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Not-for-Profit with Community and Wellbeing at our Heart

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In 2023 we converted our business from a limited business to a not-for-profit Community Interest Company and instated a committee to help us grow.  We put our hearts and souls (and pennies!) into this business so in some ways this was a hard decision, but in others it was the easiest and most logical thing we have ever done.  Our business model has always put the wellbeing and holistic development of our learners and staff, and the environment over profit.

 

 In August 2024 Molly chose to persue a different direction in her career leaving me (Nic) to go it alone.   I believe passionately in what we do at the woodland and giving families in our community access to woodland space, time in nautre with their children and a feeling of being welcome in a supportive, friendly environment is so important to me along with being as accessible as possible to everyone.

 

With the cost of living ever increasing and the realisation that so many more families would benefit from our services, our C.I.C status means we will endeavor to secure funding so we can reach more families and grow our community even further!

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Committee: Hazel Hunter-Steele (Chair); Nicola Cowell (Secretary); Michele Dixon (Treasurer) and ordinary members: Beverley Walker, Karen Umbleby, Joanne Buck & Courtney Gowler

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