Paul Hooper

Paul has spent his working life accumulating the skills which now serve him well as a Forest School Leader. Early on he left a career within the computing industry to learn how to craft furniture from green wood and take care of people undertaking outdoor activities. This was followed by further varied freelance work, running Leadership workshops with groups as diverse as Boards of Directors and Young Offenders. At the same time, he worked in partnership with the Countryside Management Unit in Sheffield organising and delivering educational material for children in a woodland environment.

Paul is completely committed to and excited by the possibilities of Forest School. This has been matched by the enthusiasm of local teachers and children.

Paul became an accredited Level 3 Forest School Leader during 2005 and founded Green Learning shortly afterwards. He is qualified in First Aid in the Outdoors.

Martin Holliday

Martin (Cate's brother in law) has a wealth of experience of working with people outdoors. It is over 20 years since he first worked with young people in a woodland environment. Along with this experience comes an openness and acceptance of others. He is passionate about self development, starting with himself; and takes his responsibilities of leading others very seriously. Having written that, he has an enormous capacity for play which is never far from the surface.

More recently, Martin has trained with the Cornwall Youth Service and the Forest Schools Training Company. With the latter he is training to become a Forest School Leader (Level 3). He is qualified in First Aid in the Outdoors and as a Coastal and Countryside Leader.

Outside of work, Martin spends many hours with his two teenage sons and their friends, playing and learning in an outdoor environment. He also has a strong comittment to, and practise of, Tai-Chi Ch'uan and associated disciplines.

Cate Holliday

Cate (Martin's sister in law) has worked and played in the field of conservation and environmental education for over 25 years; involving and inspiring people of all ages to explore the natural world through hands on activities and outdoor craft.

Cate's work has seen her take excluded youngsters from London's East End to Epping Forest to conserve fragile habitats (where groups tackled pond clearance, tree felling, fire lighting - then monitored the returning wildlife), Outdoor education in Cumbria, leading Sunship Earth weeks in the Cheviot Hills, and felt making in the forests of Hampshire.

Much of Cate's time is spent outdoors with her own two daughters. She is qualified in First Aid and Forest Skills.