East Midlands Forest Education Network Skills Festival 2025
About
Friday 9th May - Registration, networking, workshops followed by campfire dinner, night walk and camping. Arrival from from 3pm. Helpful information will be sent to you in advance.
Saturday 10th May - Registration and Networking from 8.30am Workshops start at 9.30 (details of workshops below) You will be able to choose one from each of the three sessions.
Buy weekend tickets (Both Friday and Saturday) £75
OR Saturday only tickets £50
SESSION 1 (9.40 -11.10)
Kincraft for Practitioners with Paul Moseley: Kinship is a very different and particular form of relationship. It is our deepest, most trusting and most important bond with others. Kincraft is the practice of forming this kind of relationship with the Land. Drawing on local and traditional ecological knowledge and ethnoecology, we will explore the vibrant ways we can relate to the Land, its materials and other communities
Natural Paints and Pigments with Kirsty Dexter: During this workshop, we will explore ancient techniques of creating paints and pigments from plants, minerals, and other wild sources. We’ll discuss how early humans and indigenous cultures processed earth pigments, berries, and charcoal to make paints for art and storytelling. The session will include hands-on experience with grinding, mixing, and binding natural pigments using traditional methods.
What's in your water with Rupert Loch: Water filtration in Bushcraft is a great topic that links with the school science curriculum as well as broader aspects of survival. In this session we will go through the process of water filtration using natural materials to clarify our dirty water sample and discuss and understand the pathogens that are not removed. We will then complete the process by sterilising the water by boiling before a wider discussion of whether this processed water really is safe for consumption.
Axe Faffery with Luke Astle: Learn how to handle an axe safely and efficiently and gain an understanding of the tools potential and limitations. Gain an understanding of different axe grips, tricks, techniques and skills to enable you to become more confident and able with the best all round tool of the woods. You will leave with a new or improved skillset and an expensive shopping list.
Pewter casting with Chris Sykes: This will involve making a quality necklace pendant / keyring with a leaf cast into pewter. It will involve heating the pewter to a liquid, pouring into moulds and then finishing processes including filing and polishing. The outcome is a keepable and useable pewter pendant.
Woolly Wonders with Lauren Kinnesley: An opportunity to relax and get creative together. You will make a nature inspired creation of your choice from fleece, to enjoy yourself or use as a prop in your sessions, to inspire creativity and imagination with your children. I will show some simple needle felting techniques to enable you to create basic forms, add appendages – such as legs and tails, and how to embellish and add details, such as shading and adding eyes.
Cordage, Ties and Ropes with Dave Watson: Discover a range of materials and methods to engage people in creating quality cordage and some of its applications within woodland education
SESSION 2 (11.40 -13.10)
Kincraft for Practitioners with Paul Moseley: Kinship is a very different and particular form of relationship. It is our deepest, most trusting and most important bond with others. Kincraft is the practice of forming this kind of relationship with the Land. Drawing on local and traditional ecological knowledge and ethnoecology, we will explore the vibrant ways we can relate to the Land, its materials and other communities
Engineering in the woods with Mark Clarke: Test your knowledge, skills and engineering abilities with a range of fun practical challenges. From ropes and pulleys and ball run type opportunities to Pioneering Structures, build a Go Kart and even a Railway! Learning engineering principles to apply in your own setting whilst working in collaboration with your team to solve problems
What's in your water with Rupert Loch: Water filtration in Bushcraft is a great topic that links with the school science curriculum as well as broader aspects of survival. In this session we will go through the process of water filtration using natural materials to clarify our dirty water sample and discuss and understand the pathogens that are not removed. We will then complete the process by sterilising the water by boiling before a wider discussion of whether this processed water really is safe for consumption.
Axe Faffery with Luke Astle: Learn how to handle an axe safely and efficiently and gain an understanding of the tools potential and limitations. Gain an understanding of different axe grips, tricks, techniques and skills to enable you to become more confident and able with the best all round tool of the woods. You will leave with a new or improved skillset and an expensive shopping list.
Edge Revival with Bracken Van Ryssen: A hands-on workshop where you'll learn to transform your dull, worn-out tools into sharp, session-ready essentials. Whether you're working with bushcraft knives, axes, or loppers, we'll guide you through sharpening techniques, proper maintenance, and edge restoration. You'll also learn how to care for wooden tool handles, keeping them strong and weather-resistant.
Willow Weaving with Nita Rao: Using willow weaving to create a soaring swallow.
Woolly Wonders with Lauren Kinnesley: An opportunity to relax and get creative together. You will make a nature inspired creation of your choice from fleece, to enjoy yourself or use as a prop in your sessions, to inspire creativity and imagination with your children. I will show some simple needle felting techniques to enable you to create basic forms, add appendages – such as legs and tails, and how to embellish and add details, such as shading and adding eyes.
Tarps and Knots with Simon Perkins: Active demo of some simple set ups with tarps and a few simple knots that work and are easy to remember.Time for group members to practice putting them up together.
SESSION 3 (14.30 – 16.00)
Kincraft for Practitioners with Paul Moseley: Kinship is a very different and particular form of relationship. It is our deepest, most trusting and most important bond with others. Kincraft is the practice of forming this kind of relationship with the Land. Drawing on local and traditional ecological knowledge and ethnoecology, we will explore the vibrant ways we can relate to the Land, its materials and other communities
Natural Paints and Pigments with Kirsty Dexter: During this workshop, we will explore ancient techniques of creating paints and pigments from plants, minerals, and other wild sources. We’ll discuss how early humans and indigenous cultures processed earth pigments, berries, and charcoal to make paints for art and storytelling. The session will include hands-on experience with grinding, mixing, and binding natural pigments using traditional methods.
Engineering in the Woods with Mark Clarke: Test your knowledge, skills and engineering abilities with a range of fun practical challenges. From ropes and pulleys and ball run type opportunities to Pioneering Structures, build a Go Kart and even a Railway! Learning engineering principles to apply in your own setting whilst working in collaboration with your team to solve problems
Can't sing, won't sing with Bethan Painter: We’ll briefly explore the extraordinary benefits of music, especially singing, for development and wellbeing at all ages. Most of the session will then be spent enjoying trying out a range of songs and techniques, including plenty to encourage reluctant KS2/3 learners to get singing. You do NOT need to “be able to sing!” Spoiler: You can expect to leave the workshop with reduced cortisol and increased oxytocin levels.
Quick cooking tools with Luke Astle: Using greenwood and sharp tools, learn how to make quick and functional cooking equipment...spatulas, stirrers, spurtles, flippers and grippers and maybe simple spoons. You’ll start with a log and end up with something useful and gain loads of tips and ideas to enable you to leave the box of equipment at home and make things as you need them while cooking. Axes, knives and saws will be available to
Edge Revival with Bracken Van Ryssen: A hands-on workshop where you'll learn to transform your dull, worn-out tools into sharp, session-ready essentials. Whether you're working with bushcraft knives, axes, or loppers, we'll guide you through sharpening techniques, proper maintenance, and edge restoration. You'll also learn how to care for wooden tool handles, keeping them strong and weather-resistant.
Willow Weaving with Nita Rao: Using willow weaving to create a soaring swallow.
Cordage, Ties and Ropes with Dave Watson: Discover a range of materials and methods to engage people in creating quality cordage and some of its applications within woodland education
Location
Park Farm Training Centre (W3W Worms.spilling.pelting)
Ibstock, LE67 6PD
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