Bushcraft and Nature Outdoor Education


All of our staff are trained instructors and are experienced and patient with their approach. All have First Aid certificates, Food Hygiene and are enhanced CRB checked

The Team
John Rhyder


Duncan MacLeod-Rhodes


Nick McMillen


Dominic Strutt


Aaron Sawney



Guest Instructors
Nigel Ohlson


Charlie Chambers


Company details for Woodcraft School Ltd Contact details Postal Address : PO Box 64 Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9WL . Tel no: 01730 816299 Email address: info@woodcraftschool.co.uk Company registration number: 474759. Registered address: Unit 3 The Grange, Grange Road, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9LS Members of the Institute of Outdoor Learning and registered with the NCFE. Please also find us on the directory for Outdoor Learning as West Sussex Grid for Learning Website






	John is both the founder and head instructor at Woodcraft School. He is a naturalist, woodsman and craftsman and has a long, impressive pedigree in all aspects of outdoor life including being appointed as chief instructor for Ray Mears. He has worked as an arborist, green woodworker, charcoal burner and hedgelayer and been heavily involved in conservation management. The school and John have been featured on television, national and local newspapers and made many appearances on national radio. John has recently pioneered accredited courses through the NCFE - the only type of their kind in the UK.


	Duncan has been an assistant with us now for 3 years and is a natural, patient individual with lots of knowledge under his belt. He is a qualified archery instructor, a keen bow maker, and an ardant canadian canoeist. Formerly an engineer, he has now achieved his NCFE Instructors Certificate and spends every spare moment out of doors developing his skills.


	Nick completed his instructor programme a year ago and now assists students with their learning on our new NCFE course. He is patient and skillfull teacher and is always ready to lend a hand. Nick has a history of delivering bushcraft and nature skills to youngsters as part of a Youth Work initiative which he started 4 years ago in Surrey. His basket work and weaving has to be seen to be believed! He is a gifted, trained artist and loves to pass on his knowledge as a true teacher should!


	Dominic was brought up on a busy farming estate and has been helping run things since the age of six! He holds a degree in Rural Land management and has many skills too numerous to list. He is very well versed in all aspects in the country from farming, to hedgelaying and forestry management, game management, chainsaw, blacksmithing and knife making. He passed the instructors course with flying colours and regularly leads groups of all ages in outdoor education & bushcraft activities.



	Aaron has a continuing professional background in practical countryside work that includes arboriculture, forestry and hedgelaying. The rest of his time is spent learning, practicing and teaching bushcraft skills. Having previously attended Woodcraft School as a student, in 2007 he completed the Bushcraft Instructors Programme and has been assisting with courses since.


	Nigel has worked as Senior Outdoor Education Youthworker for the past 17years specialising in Outdoor Education and Therapeutic Counselling, he holds a post grad diploma in youthwork and has an advanced diploma in therapeutic Psychotherapy in working with adolescents.Nigel has led many expeditions around the world and holds advanced coaching and instructors qualifications in a variety of activities including Caving, Rock Climbing, Mountaineering, Open Canoeing, Kayaking and PowerBoating.He is into cave research, surfing& playing the guitar (badly!).


	A professional youth worker , Charlie is a specialist in setting up accredited projects and writing programmes for young people. She holds a number of qualifications, including Open Canoe, Mountain Leader, Rock Climbing, Caving and Power boating. A special area of interest for her is open canoeing and expeditions. As part of a team she broke, and still holds a world record for the fastest decent of the longest river in the British Isles. She covered 200 miles in 3 days, 15 hours and 6 minutes, from source to sea, on the river Shannon in Ireland.