Moses Maponya

Drama, Theatre & Music

My name is Moses Maponya aka Bushman, from South Africa. I am 36 years old. I work as a Field Guide in game reserve and I have been doing this now for over 9 years.

While I was still at high school in the villages of South Africa we were introduced to Marimba instruments, where we taught ourselves how to play the instruments and since then I loved music and started to learn more instruments too.

Later after High school, I was trained to become a music tutor by one of the professionals and worked for NGO (Bjatladi Youth Development). I then moved into Wildlife conservation. In 2015 I got the opportunity to work in Shen Zhen (Windows of the world Theme Park) based in China, I was an entertainer, did some dance, Marimba performance. I stayed in China for a year.

I love working with people from different cultures and races, just to share my knowledge. I love sharing my knowledge of the African bushes and the culture on my Safaris.

Brandon Miller

Drama, Theatre & Music

Brandon Miller is a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, USA, Berlin, Germany and most recently Montaldo, Italy. He is known within the independent music scene for his eclectic and intense live performances, surreal yet nostalgic lyrics, fingerpicking guitar style, elegant piano playing and heart warming vocals. He has worked with many artists across the music and performing arts world including Jessica Einaudi, Federico Albanese, Kyle Crane (drummer for Daniel Lanois), August Diehl, Aaron Embry ( pianist/guitarist Elliott Smith's band), and many others.

Brandon has also worked in the independent theatre and performing arts scene in Berlin and across Europe. He was engaged as a composer, musician, writer and performer with the Internil performance group and was awarded the Doppelpass Prize which is a three year funding and the highest funding award possible for independent theatre in Germany.

Siobhán Madden

Arts & Crafts in Nature

Siobhán Madden is based in the Wicklow hills in Ireland. She is a visual artist, writer and film maker. Siobhán is also a Forest School Leader and works both freelance in schools, and with her own groups in Wicklow. She founded The Natural School of Art which works with Nature as co-faciltator to nurture our creative expressions and insights. Siobhán works with all age groups and finds the unique and creative unfoldment of children in particular, a real joy. Siobhán has a BA degree in Fine Art from the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin. She is currently in the middle of a Masters in Arts and Engagment with a special purpose award in eco-arts practice, at Crawford College of Art and Design, in Cork.

Siobhán sees the interconnectedness of life and wishes to give space to nurture a positive relationship with the earth through the creative arts.

Hadas Shvat

Arts & Crafts in Nature

My name is Hadas, and I live in Israel. I started my journey in Waldorf education as a teacher assistant in a Walford kindergarten. I immediately felt, that I had found something I was looking for, for a long time: a warm, peaceful environment, surrounded by nature and harmony, a place where I could find rest.

Since then I had completed my BA in Waldorf education. I am playing, creating and learning through my fingers. I sew, knit, wave baskets, create with felt, and am keeping my hands busy. I study the simplicity parenting approach and help parents to create a loving environment for children to learn and explore. I raise my two young boys in that spirit and constantly keep learning.

Oscar Trenchard

Survival & Forest skills

From the age of three right up until I was eighteen I attended a Steiner inspired school in Gloucestershire, UK, where there was great value placed in learning and exploring out in nature. This fostered in me a great love for being outdoors and exploring which led me to undertake an outdoor activity instructor training course in Cornwall back in 2019. This was a challenging and inspiring experience which taught me a lot about teamwork, team leadership alongside lots of practical skills in activities such as navigation, climbing and overnight survival skills.

As it did for many people, the Covid19 pandemic changed the course of my career as most of the work in the outdoor adventure industry dried up which led me to begin training as a Humanistic Counsellor. Alongside my training, however, I have still kept my interest in the outdoors and I have worked on a few outdoor therapeutic retreats. These have included facilitating walks and overnight camping trips where I have worked alongside my father, who is a family therapist, and other practitioners to provide a therapeutic experience out in nature.

Eric Rubenstein

Survival & Forest skills

Hi I'm Eric! I am a Cornell University graduate who has long-term plans to become a speech pathologist for young children with autism. I've been working at a Waldorf school with children ages 3 to 11 for the past year, bringing them on nature walks, helping with their art journals, and organizing games for them as their extended day leader. I believe in engaging with children as equals, in a way that is gentle and encouraging, centering their own perspectives and interests without sacrificing their safety. I've been immersed in art and music from a young age and value community, mutual aid, and food justice. When I'm not working with kids, I like to hike, spend time on illustrations, write poetry, stock community fridges, listen to music, cook with friends, and sing. I'm excited to contribute to life on this beautiful campus.

Clare Jeffries

Food & Farm

I love working with children and helping them see the connection to food, the earth and their own body and health. I qualified in 2006 from the University of Westminster in London and have been helping people heal through nutritional medicine ever since. In recent years I made the decision to specialise in children’s health and wellbeing. Some years back now I also founded a company called Foodie Kids, running classes and workshops in schools, nurseries and the community. These aim to show children where their food comes from and encouraging them to have a natural curiosity in how nature can nourish us, all through hands on fun ways of exploring and cooking!

I have two sons, one 12 and my 13 year old who taught me a lot about managing fussy & difficult eaters! I now have both personal and professional experience in this area and use my knowledge in groups or one to one sessions, to help children overcome fears or resistance and gain confidence in trying new foods much to their parents relief! I’m looking forward to having fun with the children on the summer camp this year in such a beautiful setting!

Julie Hancox

Food & Farm

I love nature, food and flowers!

Since graduating as a Nutritional Therapist in 2016, I work with people to find their way back to health, guiding clients on food and lifestyle choices.

Since 2022, I have been leading local foraging walks in the UK, teaching safe foraging techniques to identify edible plants. I have a passion for creating healthy meals, preserves and teas from my modest vegetable garden and from locally foraged ingredients. I am excited to be returning to Italy, having worked in Monza teaching English in my 20’s.

I love sharing my passion with children, including my 8-year old son. I can’t wait to be one of the leaders on this adventure and help the children have fun with food at the Summer Camp!

Fun fact! We have 3 Silkie chickens called Snowball, Shadow and Helga!

Eliah Golden

Camp Chef

Hi there! I am Eliah Golden from Boulder, Colorado, and I am excited to be at the Village Forest School for summer camp with all of you and partaking in this amazing experience together! As a professional chef of over 20 years, my passion is rooted in nourishing the mind, body, and soul through thoughtfully curated cuisine. I focus on carefully sourcing ingredients with intention and enhance their true being and beauty through simple preparation and unique flavor combinations. I love knowing my farmers and honoring them and their land through a beautiful menu and dining experience. I thrive on tackling problems with eloquent solutions, whether I am executing high end plated dinners, or pop-up street festivals for 10,000 people. As a lover of herbalism and holistic health, my internationally inspired flavors rely heavily on the ample application of fresh and healing herbs, spices and nutrient dense ingredients. I am driven by the fundamental belief of “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” In my free time, I enjoy working in my garden, cuddling my chickens, tinkering on my various ferments and tinctures, playing the piano, travelling and being silly with my husband, Beau, and daughter, Analise.

Pom Granin

Food & Farm

Our activity stems from the desire to spread the culture of respect for horses, in an environment surrounded by nature and in a supportive, welcoming and non-competitive atmosphere.

One of our main intentions is to teach the children who come to visit us respect for animals and nature, and to share with other children, so as to create an environment that is educational and familiar for each of them.