Meet the Team!

Sarah Morgan

I have always worked in early years health and education with a few short breaks to raise my two amazing  boys who are 8 & 20…

  • I have loved being a part of supporting children to become the very best they can, and helping them to be happy, independent and resilient people and explore and discover the world around them.

    I have enjoyed being a part of teams to develop a strong structure to provide and deliver  all that is required in the EYFS and to make it easily accessible and understood to all professionals in order for them to deliver it in their child care settings.

    I have always felt passionate about children having as much access to the outdoors and all it has to offer us, especially the mental health support our natural world has to offer. This became even more so important during the pandemic.

    It was during this time that I was introduced to Pam when an opportunity to volunteer in a community support group pam and few others had started. Me and Pam realised our kindred passion for supporting families especially the children, the group were able to fund some forest school sessions for children from the local school,which  me and pam were lucky enough to attend and help, very quickly we both loved the idea of every child in our community having access to this. I have since trained as a forest school leader and along with Pam and an amazing team of volunteers we now have our very own community forest school.

    I feel very lucky and privileged to have had such a positive experience come  from the pandemic which I know is a very rare thing. I have been given the opportunity to be a part of an amazing community who will hopefully leave a beautiful legacy behind for generations to come.

Pam Whittingham

After many years in the finance industry gaining organisational skills Pam found that her true vocation was to help people…

  • Pam became a learning support assistant at the orpheus centre, a specialist college for young disabled adults. During the pandemic Pam helped set up a group of volunteers to support people that were shielding. This is where Pam met Sarah, sharing a passion for the outdoors , mental health and supporting children emotionally. They soon found a way to help children affected by the pandemic by facilitating forest school sessions. This then blossomed into the charity Warlingham Forest Schoolers and Pam helps behind the scenes as well as getting involved in the sessions, her favourite activity being nest building!

Kate Mountain

For the past 6 years I have been working as a teaching assistant in a specialist setting for children with social, emotional and communications difficulties…

  • I love seeing and helping children build confidence, resilience and independence and an outdoor setting like forest school is the perfect place for young people to explore independently. I believe this kind of experience should be equally accessible to any child that would benefit from it.

    I've always enjoyed the outdoors - me and my family are keen campers and walkers, an animal lover (with two dogs) and a big fan of board games.

Alice Mountain

Hi, I'm Alice daughter to Kate, one of the volunteers, I am currently doing my GCSEs and am hoping to stay on at 6th form after and study A level Theatre studies, media studies and psychology…

  • I love to challenge myself and am currently doing my D of E award,which is a great way to learn new skills and contribute to the community. I always enjoy forest school and would like to continue volunteering after my D of E hours are completed as it's such a great team and I love seeing the children get so much joy from the outdoors.

Caroline Blok

I have had a long, rewarding and fulfilling career in teaching having taught all ages within the primary school age range…

  • I am retiring this year clocking up too many years to mention!

    I have a passion for writing. One of my picture book stories called “ the Handbag mice,” has been published. I have had the pleasure of reading my story to the children when I visited local schools and my story has been favourably received.

    I have always enjoyed outdoor learning and spending time outdoors. I used to play hockey for Addiscombe ladies. I was very good at Athletics when I was younger, and I used to sprint and hurdle for Enfield Harriers in middlesex.

    I have two grandchildren called Monty and Wilma and I look after them once a week. We spend a lot of time outdoors as the children live on a farm.

    Being part of forest school is such an exciting and innovative aspect of learning. Children who enjoy being outside and away from indoors curriculum restraints and expectations can flourish and explore freely in their own time and at their own pace. The forest school gives children the chance to explore their surroundings, problem solve, understand their wonderful world and to be close to nature in a safe and happy environment.

Abi Cornish

I’m Abi, a mum of 2 kids and 2 young adults (i can't quite believe thats gone so quickly!)…

  • I work in finance which keeps me busy but over lock down i found my love of nature again with many local wood walks and being outside as often as possible.

    I was so happy to hear a forest school was coming to warlingham and excited to get involved. I wish something like this had been around for my oldest son who would have thrived in this environment.

Emma Armfield

I’ve always been creative and a people person. I left school to be a hairdresser… unfortunately after 2 years when I was allergic to hair dye…i then kind of fell into accounting…

  • I enjoyed my job as I work for a charity and since covid work from home which really suits me as I now have a toddler and another one on the way!

    I've lived in Warlingham for 4 years now and really love the countryside we are privileged to be surrounded by. Since Becoming a mum I wanted to do something for myself rather than the mum/work life! I really enjoy cooking, getting stuck in and the outdoors life! So does my little boy.. Nothing better than being covered in mud!

    I've wanted to get my little boy involved in forest school for a while and now we have the best of both. I can put my cooking skills to good use, muck in and get involved and my little boy can have fun at the same time.

Laura Souber

Hi, I’m Laura, I am a local childminder & I run the weekly toddler group sessions alongside Sarah, the forest school leader. I have lived in Warlingham for about 15 years…

  • I love the outdoors so being involved in the forest school was the ideal opportunity for me to combine my love of the outdoors and being able to give the young people of warlingham a taste of the outdoors learning. I enjoy camping, walking my dog and learning new skills.

Sarah Dunnell

As a chartered accountant working at one of the main UK banks for over 25 years, I gained invaluable experience in managing finances and ensuring compliance with regulations…

  • As a chartered accountant working at one of the main UK banks for over 25 years, I gained invaluable experience in managing finances and ensuring compliance with regulations. However I have always been keen to use my skills to help charities, in particular charities that support children, and have volunteered for various charities over the years in both the uk and overseas. I am also a very keen runner, walker and someone who really appreciates being outside, having spent most of my childhood playing outdoors.

    Warlingham Forest Schoolers are giving me a great opportunity to use the knowledge I have gained in the corporate sector to help support a fantastic charity that gives children the opportunity to experience the fun of being outdoors.