Meet The Team
Our dedicated team of practitioners are highly skilled and brings a level of expertise that sets us apart. Rigorous training, continued professional development and an intense induction process ensure all team members have the insight and tools to nurture and support young people in a safe and playful environment.
Kelly - Founder, CEO & Managing Director
Kelly discovered her passion for self-directed play and learning when she became a mum and began home-educating her children. The more her children learnt through play, the more curious she became about children's brain development, especially through self-directed play. This led her down a rabbit hole of intense research and upon many other findings, she found that play is a vital activity for healthy development. Kelly holds qualifications in understanding and supporting children and young people's mental health, has undertaken Forest School training and is currently undertaking a level 3 qualification in playwork. Kelly loves being in nature and practising yoga, but her greatest love is changing the lives of children who just don't "fit in" with traditional schooling. She believes that all children should Play Wild, Love Learning and Be Free!!
Tanya - SENCO & Support Mentor
Tanya - SENCO & Mentor
Tanya is a former nursery teacher with both personal and professional experience with special needs and disabilities. Tanya holds qualifications in childcare, special educational needs, team leading and also has undertaken training in Makaton and BSL. Tanya is passionate about helping children with SEN and is incredibly talented at helping children reach their personal goals as well as helping them to grow their self-confidence and self-worth.
Tanya loves to cook - especially baking and spending time outdoors in nature. Her playful side shines through whenever she is around children. Tanya believes all children should have ample time to simply be themselves in a safe, nurturing environment.
Jo - Support Mentor & Outdoor Activity Lead
Jo is passionate about children learning through play whilst in nature. She holds a Level 3 in early years and level 3 in Care. Jo has very nearly finished her level 3 in forest school leadership and is also a former student nurse and Scout leader. Jo is a naturally playful person and comes alive when children are present. Jo loves to take part in Mud Runs and fitness camps and is a keen explorer. You'll often find Jo building dens, whittling, cooking over the campfire or playing team games. Her skills and knowledge of Forest School, bushcraft and play are second to none.
"The Willows is a place where it's normal to be different" - Jo
Tracy - Mental Health Lead & Support Mentor
Through her employment achievements working within a variety of roles, Tracy’s passion for people, community and mental health is apparent. Tracy is a qualified Playworker with nearly 10 Year’s experience working in a range of settings with Children and Young People and has also proudly achieved a level 1 in Forest Schools with the Green Light Trust. As Mental Health Lead & Support Mentor at The Willows Tracy offers her experience, understanding, and passion for child development and healthy outcomes for children. Having recently completed a degree in integrative counselling and psychotherapy, Tracy’s therapeutic skills are transferable to understanding the mental health needs of children for healthy development.
Matt - Sports Coach
Matt is a qualified football and cricket coach. In his "spare" time, he runs an under 10's football team and under 11's cricket team.
You'll often find Matt playing football, golf, cricket, snooker or pool. He has a great understanding of children's physical and emotional development and is an advocate of self-directed learning and learning through play. His sports skills mean that we can offer an abundance of sports activities and learning through sports opportunities. Matt loves to set up age and ability-appropriate activities.
Lucy - Mental Health Practitioner & Support Mentor
Lucy began her career supporting children and young people with special educational needs in a residential setting. This sparked her interest in mental health and led to Lucy pursuing a mental health nursing degree. As a registered mental health nurse, she has an abundance of knowledge and experience in supporting people with a variety of mental health needs. Her expertise and playful energy go hand-in-hand with our overall ethos with the children thriving from her carefully planned approach to supporting mental health in a variety of ways. She has a kind, patient nature with a passion for travelling and camping.
"The chance to impact someone else’s day positively, even if for a fleeting moment can impact their quality of life and outlook for the future."
- Lucy
Support Mentor
The successful applicant will have a kind, empathetic, playful nature with a love for working with children and young people who are a little (sometimes a lot) neuro-spicy! They must have excellent communication skills and work well within The Willow's policies and procedures delivering the highest quality support possible.
For more information, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!
Annabell - Support Mentor
Annabell is made for working with children and young people. She has a background in childcare and a thirst for knowledge regarding playwork, forest school and special educational needs. Her naturally playful personality shines through when children are present.
As a Young Carer, she is keen to take part in setting up a project to help support other Young Carers within the community through therapeutic play-based experiences.
Watch this space!!
Support Mentor
The successful applicant will have a kind, empathetic, playful nature with a love for working with children and young people who are a little (sometimes a lot) neuro-spicy! They must have excellent communication skills and work well within The Willow's policies and procedures delivering the highest quality support possible.
For more information, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!