About Us
Grassroots are a nurturing solution to social, emotional and anxieties within a natural environment.
We call it the antidote.
At Grass Roots, we are committed to collaborating with the community to create a positive impact through education and support. We strive to provide a safe and nurturing environment for everyone, ensuring together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of all individuals.
We believe everyone, including marginalised and excluded groups, should have access to the physical and mental health benefits of learning in nature.
Why We Do It
We particularly aim to meet the needs of looked after children, children excluded from mainstream education, SEND adults, refugee communities, and families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
Who We Serve
We provide high-quality, enjoyable, outdoor nature-based experiences in which participants can build confidence and autonomy, develop relationships, and learn new skills through hands-on activities in the natural environment.
How We Serve
Our Values
We strive to make our services accessible to as many groups and communities as possible who would otherwise not normally be able to access nature-based learning.
— Inclusive
Understanding that the communities we serve often face instability, our providers offer a consistent, grounded approach and a calm, reliable presence.
— Dependable
We offer our services without prejudice or preconception to a range of communities, regardless of past and background.
— Non-Judgemental
Building relationships and trust is a key element of our service, both between our activity leaders and participants, and among the participants themselves.
— Relational
Meet The Team
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Hi, I am Vicky and I am one of the Directors of Grass Roots taking over from the founder Jane Hooper (Lovely Ella's mum). As a child I found school really difficult and just loved to be outdoors. We had a brook that ran behind our house and I would spend hours playing in nature looking for bugs and climbing trees. After having my 3rd child I started an undergraduate degree in early childhood teaching and learning. For my final year I completed my Forest School Leader training alongside my dissertation on Forest School. I have been working in education for 20 years and doing Forest School for a little over 10 years. I believe everyone should have access to nature and have time to explore and play in their own way.
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Hello, my name's Will. Like many people I started my Forest School journey when I was a toddler. Haha! Well supposedly I liked collecting buckets of creepy crawleys and by the time I was 10, I'd started messing about with tools, making dens and whittling sticks; and lived to tell the tale. Having had a couple of careers in the media and corporate worlds, I became a Forest School Leader during the pandemic and have never looked back. I enjoy seeing people with that excited "I've done it!" face, when they've achieved they thought they couldn't or wouldn't do. Whether it's climbing, hiking, camping, cooking on a fire, making a wooden spoon, or simply relaxing in a hammock, reading a book or listening to music (and nature), you can do anything outdoors, so come and join us”
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I started working as a Forest School Assistant in 2015 with my Mum, who had been a Forest School leader for a number of years. I'm very passionate about holistic approaches to education, and am currently studying for an undergrad in Psychology. One of my favourite things about being outdoors is just listening to the sounds of nature (especially in a hammock!)
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