Who's who at Wild Sparks
Alice Warren
Alice set up Wild Sparks in October 2013 and is currently the service manager for all Wild Sparks services. Alice previously worked as a playworker, education officer and community artist before undertaking Forest Schools training in 2009. Forest Schools and outdoor play has enabled Alice to bring all her favourite things together in one practice; children, nature, free play, creativity and a sense of adventure; no two days are ever the same.
Alice was lucky enough to grow up amidst woods and farm land, surrounded by space to roam, climb, build, explore and admire, so she knows what it feels like to be a nature connected child. Alice set up Wild Sparks to support local children to get out into the incredible woodlands on their doorstep and experience the exhilarating freedom of nature-based, adventurous play.
Alice set up Wild Sparks in October 2013 and is currently the service manager for all Wild Sparks services. Alice previously worked as a playworker, education officer and community artist before undertaking Forest Schools training in 2009. Forest Schools and outdoor play has enabled Alice to bring all her favourite things together in one practice; children, nature, free play, creativity and a sense of adventure; no two days are ever the same.
Alice was lucky enough to grow up amidst woods and farm land, surrounded by space to roam, climb, build, explore and admire, so she knows what it feels like to be a nature connected child. Alice set up Wild Sparks to support local children to get out into the incredible woodlands on their doorstep and experience the exhilarating freedom of nature-based, adventurous play.
Elena Stevenson
Elena is a kindergarten teacher, a sociologist, a yoga and mindfulness teacher, and currently completing her Montessori teacher diploma course. She joined the team in the position of Nursery Manager in October 2019
Elena is the mother of three sons with an aspiration to support and encourage any child to discover who they are and to develop into who they want to be. Most of her professional life she has been involved in learning and teaching children and families in various positions in Denmark, Scotland and in France.
Elena finds great joy in spending time with children in their learning environment, while they
are discovering who they are and exploring the world around them. She believes that by
offering children an inspiring and safe space, and supporting them to recognise and
apply focus and concentration, we teach life-skills which enable them to trust their own
abilities to master tasks and solve problems. Having the opportunity to learn these skills in the
outdoors enhances this learning experience greatly and she is passionate about using the
natural environment as a classroom. Our natural world is within and around us and it offers
continuous learning opportunities for any age all through the year. Offering children the
opportunity to recognise, explore, be inspired by, handle and care for our natural world is one
of the greatest gifts and most important life experiences which we can offer to our future
generation. Elena aspires deeply to be part of this movement in education and is delighted to
be able to explore learning environments and to offer my knowledge and experience at Wee
Wild Sparks.
Elena is a kindergarten teacher, a sociologist, a yoga and mindfulness teacher, and currently completing her Montessori teacher diploma course. She joined the team in the position of Nursery Manager in October 2019
Elena is the mother of three sons with an aspiration to support and encourage any child to discover who they are and to develop into who they want to be. Most of her professional life she has been involved in learning and teaching children and families in various positions in Denmark, Scotland and in France.
Elena finds great joy in spending time with children in their learning environment, while they
are discovering who they are and exploring the world around them. She believes that by
offering children an inspiring and safe space, and supporting them to recognise and
apply focus and concentration, we teach life-skills which enable them to trust their own
abilities to master tasks and solve problems. Having the opportunity to learn these skills in the
outdoors enhances this learning experience greatly and she is passionate about using the
natural environment as a classroom. Our natural world is within and around us and it offers
continuous learning opportunities for any age all through the year. Offering children the
opportunity to recognise, explore, be inspired by, handle and care for our natural world is one
of the greatest gifts and most important life experiences which we can offer to our future
generation. Elena aspires deeply to be part of this movement in education and is delighted to
be able to explore learning environments and to offer my knowledge and experience at Wee
Wild Sparks.
The nursery team....
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Sam Brittain
Sam joins the Wee Wild Sparks nursery with a variety of experience under his belt. He has worked with different groups in outdoor settings - from young children and teenagers, to adults with mental health problems and elderly people living with Alzheimer's. This has provided further proof for Sam of what we already know: spending time outdoors, developing a deeper connection with nature and succeeding in a variety of environments is good for our well-being. It doesn't matter what age you are or what your level of "ability" is, given autonomy and the right support, we can all learn and grow in the outdoors. Having worked at the Wild Sparks play scheme at Alyth and Dunkeld for the past two years, Sam was keen to take on a permanent position at the nursery. The opportunity to work in such a supportive and positive environment - alongside the adults of tomorrow - was too good to miss! |
Nikki Edmondson
I am a “local” and grew up here in the Perthshire countryside. My background is in Art & Design but have always enjoyed working with children, while accompanying my husband during his time in the British Army I volunteered in schools and nurseries here in the UK and overseas in Cyprus, Germany and Belize. I previously volunteered with Wee Wild Sparks while my daughter attended the nursery. During our time there I was able to witness first-hand the numerous benefits the outdoor nursery experience gives the children. I was delighted with the transformation in my own daughter after only a few weeks at Wild Sparks. Her confidence, resilience and sense of self had doubled and in addition to this she had developed a deep connection with and empathy towards the natural world around her. I couldn’t feel any more privileged and excited to now be taking on a permanent role within the nursery. |
Rebecca Logsdon
Rebecca 'Becs' works in our Outdoor Nursery on a Tuesday and from time to time on our summer playscheme at Dunkeld or Alyth. Becs is passionate about outdoor learning, has completed her Forest Schools Level 3 training and has an MSC in environmental Resource Management. When not in the Wee Wild Sparks woods Becs is either at her other job with John Muir trust or is outside somewhere home-schooling her son! |
Nicky Bolland
Nicky has worked with Wild Sparks since 2014 as a playscheme leader and has been doing cover with the nursery since it opened. She will now be working every Monday at the nursery. Nicky has experience of working in various childcare and education settings as well as a background in arts and community work with people of all ages and backgrounds. Nicky enjoys the opportunity to foster positive relationships, facilitate creativity and inspire learning, and she believes that there's no better place to do these things than in the woods. Her passion for outdoor learning and play motivated her to complete her Forest Schools Level 3 training in 2017. Alongside her role with Wild Sparks, Nicky is a community worker, a parent and a maker. |
