Live Wild Calderdale- Team

Leonie is one of Live Wild’s founders and directors, and works with people of all ages to encourage confidence, competence and a sense of belonging in the outdoors. She is a qualified Bushcraft Instructor & Wild Food Teacher, with many years of experience teaching a range of programmes, including regular seasonal foraging courses in locations across the north of England. She is also a qualified Forest School Leader, and runs Calder Valley Woodland School home education days in Hebden Bridge after many years working with Manchester Forest School and The Wood School in Manchester, which provides a nature-based learning experience for urban children. Leonie is known amongst her colleagues for her particular skills in creating fire whatever the weather using traditional methods, her sharp and seemingly extra-sensory ‘mushroom vision’, and her ability to help people of all ages see the world in a completely new way through sharing her extensive knowledge and nature-based wisdom.  

Sophie is an experienced foraging and fungi teacher and has been co-leading Live Wild’s seasonal foraging courses, which come recommended by the Guardian newspaper, since 2018. Her own foraging journey began during her years living on the inland waterways where, mooring up in different locations on her boat, she became fascinated by the plants, trees and fungi that surrounded her. Foraging fit very well with an off-grid and self-sufficient lifestyle, and soon she was hooked! The unexpected gift was a depth of connection to the wild world that has been life-changing. It wasn’t long before fungi became a fascination, and Sophie studied mycology with the Field Studies Council as well as soaking up wisdom from various mentors and elders in the foraging community. Sophie is co-creator and facilitator of Live Wild’s unique long-term foraging programme, The Forager’s Journey, and is a proud member of the Association of Foragers. You can listen to her talk about foraging on BBC Sounds. Sophie also works behind the scenes as part of Live Wild’s core team, sending out newsletters, keeping the website up to date, and communicating with our community across various channels.

Rachael has more than 20 years experience as a youth worker, working with neurodiverse children in and out of care, and in both mainstream and home-school settings. She has also created, and now delivers, a children’s permaculture course. Rachael is part of our Monthly Nature Mentoring team. Outside of her work, she loves wild camping, swimming, canoe expeditions , foraging, bushcraft and learning what it is to be human. “My work and hobbies have shown me the power of nature to enliven and recalibrate us, young or old, and to give us increased confidence and creativity, as well as bring us closer to our grounded selves. I feel that creating a closeness with nature is key to our mental and physical health.”

Nessa has spent many years as a Teacher and Head Teacher in mainstream primary education. She is also  qualified forest school leader with a wealth of experience in both school and outdoor woodland settings. Live Wild are delighted that, as of 2025, Nessa is a Director, and leads both the Wildlings School Holiday programme, and Live Wild Family Days. 

Thryn is an experienced youth worker and outdoor practitioner with over 15 years’ experience working alongside children, young people and families in community and outdoor learning settings.

They previously worked within a specialist outdoor therapeutic team, where they used nature connection and bushcraft to support families, young people and professionals facing complex challenges. Their approach is grounded in play, relationship-building and creating welcoming spaces where everyone feels they belong.

Thryn has delivered bushcraft and outdoor programmes across the UK and internationally, and holds a Bushcraft Competency Certificate and is a professionally qualified youth worker. They care deeply about inclusion and are passionate about helping people of all ages — old and young, new to the outdoors or lifelong adventurers — to play, explore and feel at home in wild spaces.

For Thryn, the outdoors is a place of curiosity, campfire conversations and shared discovery — and they believe play is something we never grow out of.

Leona has now moved on to pastures new, but was one of the original founders of Live Wild. 

We sadly lost Laura in 2018. She is sorely missed. She was a founding member of LiveWild and a great influence and she is still in our hearts so we feel she is still very much part of the team, influencing and inspiring us forever. Laura began leading Burn and Brae Wilderness School (Scots Language for Stream and Hill) in September 2015.   Laura did an MA in art and illustration and enjoyed creative thinking and generating ideas. When she became a mum, she began to search for nourishing ways to grow and guide our children. She became involved with La Leche League – a breastfeeding and gentle parenting support network. She did the ‘First Three Years’ Course with the Steiner School in York and became inspired by connecting children with nature and gently marking the rhythms of the day. Through training as a Forest School Leader 7 years ago, she heard that there are many different ways around the world that people educate their children. She found Re-evaluation Co-counselling and enjoyed the amazing Liberation work and healing that this movement brings. Laura went to community camps, and started learning about indigenous peoples wisdom in how society can be, about community, ceremonies and marking special occasions. She volunteered at a girls wilderness camp in Wales. A few years ago, she heard about ‘The Art of Mentoring’, went to an introduction to The 8 Shields in Ireland, loved it and went to do Ring 1 of The Art of Mentoring in Scotland and then Ring 2 the following year. She took part in a Life Stage Honouring course led by Sal Gencarelle – learning the importance of marking life transitions- different periods in our lives and how it leads to our well being and healthy culture. She also made environmentally responsible Jewellery using designs inspired by nature, storytelling and herbal lore. She learned to read the tracks left by our wild creatures and understand the language of birds.