Shared Earth Learning is a forest school co-op based in Frome, Somerset

Shared Earth Learning is a charitable community benefit society. Our aim is to nurture a love of nature.

Shared Earth Learning

Shared Earth Learning is a charitable Community Benefit Society, offering forest school and outdoor activities in Frome and the surrounding area. We’re inspired by anarchist DIY ideals, deep environmental concerns, cooperative principles and an understanding that the current disconnect between people and planet is causing illness in both.

Our Objectives

The objects of the society are to benefit the community in East Somerset

  1. To enhance people’s relationship with the natural world and awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability; and by doing so simultaneously developing their personal and social skills.

  2. To improve community cohesion by working across generations and integrating people from different backgrounds in our programmes.

  3. To advance the education of the community in co-operative principles and practices and therapeutic engagement with nature.

  4. To provide services that promote the physical, emotional and mental well-being of disadvantaged people in our community, as well as those who care for and support them.

  5. To do all such other activities that are charitable in law and are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects above managed in accordance with co-operative principles

Shared Earth Learning has three directors, Alex Hart, Sam O'Malley & Non-Executive Director Jenny Macdonald. We work closely with other members of our Co-op, volunteers, supporters and local social enterprises. We deliver outdoor education and experiences for adults and children, for local schools and colleges, as well as community events and projects.

We are currently actively seeking new directors; could it be you? Get in touch!

Shared Earth Learning is supported by Chris Smaje and Cordelia Rowlatt who own and farm the Vallis Veg site on the outskirts of Frome, from where we run many activities. (For more details, visit www.vallisveg.co.uk )

  • Alex Hart: Director & Level 3 Forest School Leader

    I have been working with young people in and out of schools since 1999. I qualified as a secondary English teacher in 2002 but finding that most children and young people are more relaxed outside than in, and struggling to get them outside at mainstream schools I gained my Forest school leadership qualification with Archimedes in Spring 2011. I now happily work as a forest school leader and co-director of Shared Earth Learning

  • Briony Dace: Level 3 Forest school Leader & head of HR

  • Kirsty Staines: level 3 Forest school leader.

    I have worked with children, young people and marginalised adults in various different settings for my whole career. Having children also drew me into running different voluntary community groups including The Woodcraft Folk. Volunteering with Shared Earth Learning showed me the enormous value and scope of outdoor education and I qualified Forest School leader in 2020.

  • Tabitha Devereaux

    I've been working with SEL since September 2024

    I’ve been working with children and families in Frome for several years with Purple Elephant. Having previously worked as a TA and am now a qualified counselor.

    In my previous career I worked with vulnerable adults dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues in both community and residentual settings. Using nature as part of their recovery process I was able to witness the healing and calmness that this brought.

    Loving being outdoors !

  • Jonny Davies Level 3 FS leader

    I began working with children and young people outdoors in 2018, and qualified as a forest school leader with Circle of Life Rediscovery in Sussex in 2022. I am also a trained horticulturalist with experience in veg-growing. I joined the Shared Earth Learning team in 2023, where I am lucky to able to share my love of nature, bushcraft, and growing food in my role as forest school leader and gardener! 

  • Jenny Macdonald: Non-executive Director

    I joined SELCo as a volunteer in 2017, and began helping Alex with marketing and business planning. In 2020 I became a non-executive director, and my focus now is on supporting our co-op as it grows, and helping the Forest School leaders to develop and promote outdoor learning and wellbeing sessions. I’m not as practical or weatherproof as the Forest School leaders, but I can help them to fundraise, organise and publicise SELCo’s work.

  • Anna Karlsson: admin and finances

    If you email us about admin related or finance things, I am likely to be your first point of contact. I am a local home educator. I love learning, nature and movement. I’m glad to use my skills to help make nature and forest school accessible to more people.

  • Angelina (Nina) Maudet: Forest school Leader in training.

Co-operative principles