I am just a big kid at heart who is very passionate about outdoor learning! Growing up in the Dorset countryside, memories of my childhood were out in the fields with my siblings, letting our imaginations run wild as we made bridges across ditches, built dens and look out towers in the trees. We were out all day, Mum would ring the cow bell when dinner was ready! It wasn't until I had children of my own that I really appreciated how lucky we were and so I set out to create a place where kids can be kids, love nature and learn at their own pace.

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I have been working in Early Years since 2001 and qualified as a Forest School Practitioner in 2012  this combined  knowledge has built the foundation and passion for our settings. With our move to Broadlands Estate it has enabled my husband and I to live on site where I run the nursery. We have two grown up children that come and go, chickens, guinea pigs and three working cocker spaniels Kayla, Simba and Tikka who enjoy visiting the children in the Nursery. 

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• Favourite campfire recipe - Pumpkin soup and ash cakes

• Favourite woodland animal - Owl or hedgehog (I can never find either!)

• Favourite woodland activity - Lying under the trees and watching the clouds float by!

• Scariest things - Computers and admin!

• Favourite quote - “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination” – Albert Einstein

• Hobbies -  Being outside with the dogs, walking along coastlines, wild swimming & cruising!

Growing up with a mum that ran a preschool Claire was always around children, and child care just became natural. Leaving school she completed her cache diploma in child care & education and has been working with children ever since. Recently she had been working as a nanny for a family with 3 children, spending a lot of time outside with them on walks through the forest or visiting our favourite park or farm.

Claire and her husband are often visiting family in Cornwall, or cruising to take time to themselves and explore all the countries they visit. They are both animal lovers, having rabbits and Guinea pigs in the garden, but they also love their reptiles.

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• Favourite Campfire recipe – Marshmallows

• Favourite Woodland Animal – Deer

• Favourite Woodland Activities – Bug hunting

• Scariest Things – Jellyfish

• Favourite Quote – “Hakuna Matata"

• Hobby – Watching Netflix

Erin loves exploring the UK countryside with her family, camping and visiting historical places. When she is not out and about, you can find her in the garden crafting, building, archery, growing vegetables and foraging. She likes to keep busy but also enjoy slowing down and savouring the moments (especially in the hammock).

Erin studied Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at university and visited places such as Sweden and Denmark to see how they carryout conservation and education. In 2016 she was an education trainee at the wildlife trust and this set me on the FS path and passion for working with children in nature. She has been Level 3 FS trained since summer 2021 and currently working towards her Level 3 Childcare (NCFE).

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• Favourite campfire food: hedgerow crumble wrapped in hazel leaves

• Favourite woodland animal: badger

• Favourite woodland activity: Creating tree spirits with mud/clay and scavenging the woodland floor for items to bring them to life

• Scariest thing: being stuck indoors

• Quote: “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, they find it attached to the rest of the world" - John Muir.

• Hobby: Archery

Michelle loves everything about nature and if she isn’t bouncing around in our woods she might be seen out hiking with her family, bird watching or just chilling by the sea.

Michelle studied Environment Science at University has a level 3 Playwork and Forest School qualification, she is a member of the FSA and has an outdoor paediatric first aid training certificate. Michelle has worked with Sam since 2014 and now has her own little explorers, Xyla and Zevi, who can often be seen at Farley Mount and in the Nursery when Michelle is working.

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• Favourite Campfire recipe – An onion hollowed out, filled with stuffing and baked in the ashes. Yum!

• Favourite Woodland Animal – The woodlouse - cousin of the crab

• Favourite Woodland Activities – Exploring and looking for minibeasts and climbing trees

• Scariest Things – You can't scare me...I'm not afraid of the big bad wolf!

• Favourite Quote – “Play in the highest form of research” - Einstein

• Hobby – Exploring the great outdoors

Coming soon

Emma loves outdoor play and adventure with her three boys who all were Little Explorers.
When not working, Emma can be found exploring the countryside with her two dogs (Rosie and
Bertie) or enjoying the Hampshire coastline. Having worked in other childcare settings, Emma is
completing her early years practitioner level 3 and has a paediatric first aid certificate.​

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• Favourite Campfire recipe – Baked banana with chocolate

• Favourite Woodland Animal – Barn Owl

• Favourite Woodland Activities – Bug hunting

• Scariest Things – Being trapped in a small space

• Favourite Quote – “You never know what someone is going through. Be Kind. Always”

• Hobby – Running

Isabell is an enthusiastic mum-of-three, always up for the next adventure. She loves feeling the rain, wind and sunshine on her skin and she is most at peace in nature. With three young children it is busy at home, so getting outside is one of their favourite things to do and they love exploring the New Forest and the beaches as a family.

For a moment of peace, she likes to hide with a book and a cup of tea, but she also enjoy running, cycling and Pilates. Isabell has a degree in Languages and has worked as an English language teacher in different countries with students of all levels and abilities. Currently, she runs a toddler playgroup and will be supporting the team as a Forest Nursery Assistant.

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• Favourite Campfire recipe – Bread on a stick

• Favourite Woodland Animal – Roe deer

• Favourite Woodland Activities – Climbing and balancing on trees

• Scariest Things – Graveyards at night

• Favourite Quote – “Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay  – Dalai Lama

• Hobby – Cross country running

Alice is a caring and enthusiastic member of the team, with a real passion for childcare. She studied Health and Social Care and Photography at college last year which has definitely helped to develop her understanding of important topics such as safeguarding and providing quality care to children.

This September Alice is attending Norland College in Bath to study Early Childhood Education, Development and Care and the Norland diploma. Alice is very excited and can't wait to extend her knowledge and gain invaluable skills for when she becomes a nanny.

• Favourite Campfire recipe – Chocolate bananas

• Favourite Woodland Animal – Hedgehog

• Favourite Woodland Activities – Bug hunting and making bug hotels

• Scariest Things – Slugs

• Favourite Quote – "Well done is better than well said" - Benjamin Franklin

• Hobby – Singing, cooking sweet treats and Barre Pilates

Chelsey is a fun and lively person who loves nature, animals and the outdoors. She has a passion for special educational needs and raising awareness around the topic, particularly the autism spectrum.

Before MLE Chelsey taught life skills for almost 9 years at an FE college to 16-18 year olds with varying learning difficulties and have a level 5 Certificate in Further Education and Training. When she's not working she is a mum to her son and daughter who are both on the spectrum.Their favourite place to adventure is Old Winchester Hill in Petersfield.

• Favourite Campfire Recipe - Foraged Blackberry crumble

• Favourite Woodland animal - Badger

• Favourite Woodland Activity - Scavenger hunts

• Scariest things - Heights

• Favourite quote - "The world needs different kinds of minds to work together" - Temple Grandin

• Hobby - Gardening and growing her own vegetables!

Coming soon

Before joining MLE, Luisa was quite an indoors person but her time at the setting has changed that wholeheartedly! Luisa's personal favourite is watching how everything changes with the seasons, the leaves changing colours, the animals that we see, the different plants that bloom (or don t!). Beside from her apprenticeship, she currently really enjoys reading and has set herself a goal of 20 books this year!

• Favourite campfire recipe - Butternut squash or edible sparklers

• Favourite woodland animal - deer! especially fallow

• Favourite woodland activity - den building has to be a favourite!

• scariest thing - small spaces

• Favourite quote - "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else." - Booker T Washington

• Bobby - reading (boring i know!) or journaling, I have a whole travel/memory journal from the past year

Tallulah has always loved being out in nature and the outdoors, so she is just fascinated by Sam's work and the children's play. She is also just a big kid at heart!

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Currently, she is working towards her Level 2 Early Years Qualification and she finds herself learning throughout the day from the team which she loves. Tallulah's passion is to help children and loves that she can make that happen through her day-to-day work. 

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• Favourite campfire recipe - Pancakes

• Favourite woodland animal - Fox, Bear or Hedgehog

• Favourite Woodland Activities - Sawing and Hammering

• Scariest things - Big spiders

• Favourite quote - "Actions speak louder than words"

• Hobby - Baking

Sam's stepdaughter Nesha moved from Holland to the UK with her son Noah in 2018. With her computing, administration skills and accounting background Nesha has been a great support to Sam as the dream of setting up a forest nursery became a reality.

Coming soon

Coming soon