Meet our Event Leaders

Olivia Beardsmore - Firebird Firewalks. Olivia is an internationally qualified, empowerment and fire walking instructor having trained with the founder of the fire walking movement, Tolly Burkan and Master Fire Walking Instructor, Kevin Axtell at The Fire Walking Center in California, USA. Olivia continued her training with Fire walking UK, with Master Fire walking Instructors Steve Consalvez and Barry Collins. Olivia’s enthusiasm is infectious, you will feel her positivity. She has a burning passion to do everything within her power to empower others. She can gain an emotional connection with people and really understand how to install confidence and self-belief in those who undertake her fire walking events. Olivia delivers regular Empowering and Full Moon Firewalks at Whistlewood. Her website is oliviabeardsmore.com and her email is [email protected].

Sarah Cooke - Textile Artist

Sarah has a Fine Art background, having set up and managed arts courses for adults, giving her the chance to learn from witnessing excellent teachers and seeing others develop their artistic skills.

Having experimented with many different crafts, she returns to textile work again and again. Tapestry weaving and weaving chunky rugs and cushion covers with recycled fabrics fulfils her need to 'fiddle with fabrics', while using her skills for designing, working with colours and developing her own style and techniques.

Living in Nottingham, a city with a rich history in Textiles, Sarah is a member of Nottinghamshire Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, and the Living Threads Textile Group. She continues to teach 'Weaving with Waste' and Tapestry Weaving.
Website: sarahcooke.co Facebook: WeavingwithWaste

Chenma Hayhurst

Having had the great fortune to grow up watching and assisting her father Alistair running his woodworking business, Chenma can add the additional element of wellness to their events. This is from having been born and raised in Buddhist centres. This has ensured a close relationship with mindfulness techniques and meditation. She aims to highlight the benefit of working with and within the natural environment around us. Chenma also provides nourishing plant based and visually beautiful lunches and refreshments at events, truly believing in the healing power of food.

Sarah Spencer

Think like a Tree/Think like a Forest. Sarah is a regenerative trainer and speaker, helping individuals, businesses and organisations to adopt regenerative ways of living and working, inspired by living-systems success. She is author of Think like a Tree: the natural principles guide to life and runs Think like a Tree programmes at Whistlewood, supporting people to create the lives they want, inspired by the wisdom of nature. If you are interested in regenerative practice, Sarah welcomes you to join the online Inspired by Nature Network. Sarah holds a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design and was a co-founder and lead permaculture designer for Whistlewood Common. Her family smallholding and woodland is the next farm over from Whistlewood. Her Website is www.thinklikeatree.co.uk

Ali Hayhurst

- Underwood Crafts. Alistair is an experienced woodworker and yurt maker, having ran a coppice crafts business based in Ashbourne for over 20 years. He specialises in traditional woodland crafts such as wattle hurdles, cleft fencing, and hedgelaying, and runs a variety of courses throughout the country as well as locally for organisations such as Derbyshire Eco Centre, The Wildlife Trust, and The National Trust. Spending most of the winter sourcing his materials in local coppice woodland, Alistair gets great satisfaction in seeing the tree from where it came, and using traditional and often ancient methods to transform it into a bespoke item. Ali's website is www.underwoodcrafts.co.uk. Ali and Chenma deliver regular willow working and wellbeing events at Whistlewood.

Andy Mason - Andy Mason Ceramics & Food. Andy has spent many years developing his ceramics technical knowledge, skill and creativity. Using this expertise he creates a range of pottery at his studio in Derby and also enjoys sharing his enthusiasm and offering tuition, practical demonstrations and workshops. Andy delivers regular public and private Raku events at Whistlewood. Andy designed and led the Central tile installation project in our Roundhouse. Andy's website is www.rakuworkshops.uk and his email is [email protected]

Dena Smiles - Probiotic Love

Dena is a mother of 5, a Plant loving chef, permaculture designer, community facilitator and teacher. She offers workshops teaching about fermentation, cooking skills and hedgerow finds. In one of Dena's many incarnations she was an award winning chef at Vegetarian restaurant Cafe Roya in Nottingham.
Her website is: probiotic-love.weebly.com