Andy Wood
Chief instructor and expedition coordinator
Hailing from the west-country "Woody", as he is known to friends and family, has spent all his working life travelling the world, working with, and learning the Bushcraft and Survival Skills of many of its first nations peoples.
With over 30 years experience he has researched, planned and participated in expeditions to some of the planets most remote regions.
Supporting this experience he has many formal instructor level qualifications. These include being a full time Certified Wilderness Guide, and Guide Instructor, registered with the Professional Association of Wilderness Guides and Instructors (PAWGI), Multiple Specialist Wilderness Guide Qualifications (See below), International tracking qualifications that have seen him involved in search and rescue tasks in places as far flung as the slopes of Mount Kenya to the jungles of Borneo, and is a qualified cross country ski instructor, freefall parachutist, PADI qualified diver and has medical training to paramedic level.
As a result of his knowledge and experience, Woody has been called on to work in varying roles with television personalities such as Ray Mears, Bear Grylls, Jake Gyllenhaal, Will Ferrell, Ben Fogle, Steve Bagshaw and Tara Shine, as well as consulting on documentaries with the BBC's Natural History Department. (See: Media support portfolio)
Despite all this wanderlust and thirst for adventure and knowledge, his passion is for bushcraft and the survival skills of indigenous peoples, a subject he is the first to say “you never stop learning” and a subject he takes great pride and pleasure in passing on to others.
WOODY'S QUALIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
Certified Wilderness (Guide) Instructor. License No: 100917-300199088
(Professional Association of Wilderness Guides and Instructors)
Certified Wilderness Guide. License No: 100917-290199070 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Jungle. License No: 100917-290199073 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Winter. License No: 100917-290199074 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Arctic. License No: 100917-290199075 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Desert. License No: 100917-290199072 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Survival. License No: 100917-290199071 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Tracking. License No: 100917-300199086 (PAWGI)
Certified Specialist Guide/Nature interpretation. License No: 100917-290199078 (PAWGI)
MIRA (Remote Environments Medic) (Royal college of surgeons, Edinburgh)
Patrol Medic (Mil - Equivalent to UK civilian Para medic).
Advanced Trauma life support medic. (Mil)
Open water diver. (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors)
Cross Country Ski Instructor. (Mil)
Survival Instructor. (Mil)
Jungle Instructor. (Mil).
Tracking Instructor. (Man and Animal - Multi National Qualifications (NZ, SA, UK)
Firearms and Marksman/Sniper Instructor. (Mil/Civ)
Water Safety Officer. (Mil)
Boat Handler qualification. (Mil)
Advanced evasive and off road driving qualifications. (Mil)
Forestry/Chainsaw operator. ( Forestry Commission )
IOSH - Health and safety assessor (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health)
Member of Institute of outdoor learning (Institute of outdoor learning)
Member of the Royal Geographical Society (http://www.rgs.org)
BS8848 Compliant (BS8848)
For staff profile gallery please click here
.jpg "Ross Bowyer")
Ross Bowyer
Instructor
Ross Bowyer is a name destined to be heard a lot amongst the Bushcraft community. Having been involved with Bushcraft Expeditions from its concept, Ross has contributed to its growth over the years in a myriad of ways. A consummate instructor and bushcraft practitioner Ross has instructed from the Jungles of Borneo, across Asia and Africa and up into the high arctic as well as on a regular basis on our UK courses.
As well his teaching ability Ross is also a regular consultant on many of the Television shoots Bushcraft Expeditions has worked on, including an on screen contribution when he lead Baz Ashmawy on a trip into the Arctic circle for RTE, Ireland.
Already holding an impressive array of skills and qualifications to his name, including a National Certificate of Further Education in Bushcraft and Outdoor Leadership Ross continues to develop these skills and is currently accumulating Mountain days and experience to qualify for his Mountain Leaders qualification and has recently qualified for his remote areas expedition medic certificate (MIRA).
Trained under some of the leading Bushcraft instructors around the country as well as having taught for some of them, Ross's natural, enthusiastic, and approachable manner makes him a true asset to the Bushcraft Expeditions team.
Megan Hine
Instructor
Megan joined the Bushcraft Expeditions team in 2008 and brought with her a passion for all things outdoors. Trained under some of the leading Bushcraft and Survival instructors in the UK she has an infectious personality that warms every one to her relaxed teaching style. When not teaching for Bushcraft Expeditions Megan can be found planning and coordinating outdoor programs for the international schools community in Geneva.
An extremely motivated and accomplished sports woman, Megan represented Britain in Saber fencing for 3 consecutive years, and has many climbing, Skiing and diving qualifications to her name, including her International Mountain leaders certificate. With trips to Spain, Italy, Austria, Namibia, Norway, Switzerland, Poland, Georgia and the Czech Republic under her belt and a guiding post at the Boyle River Outdoor Centre in New Zealand, Megan brings a wealth of expeditionary skills and knowledge to the Bushcraft Expeditions Team.
Adam Hendley
Instructor
Adam Joined Bushcraft Expeditions in May 2010 bringing with him an impressive skills set. Having worked and taught at his mother's art school from an early age his artistic talent is reflected in all that he does. With a passionate interest in the primitive skills of our ancestors, Adam produces pottery, pack baskets, quivers and many other artefacts to an amazing standard.
Adam has the same wanderlust as all Bushcraft Expeditions staff and has travelled extensively, setting off at the age of 18 to travel through Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Kashmir and then onto New Zealand with the sole purpose of studying indigenous living skills. During this time he spent time living with a Karen community on the Burmese – Thai border. On his return to the UK Adam worked at another school teaching persistent young offender in conjunction with Dorset police using Bushcraft and primitive skills as their medium and from here he went on to take his Forest Schools practitioner course to assist in this training.
Adams itchy feet didn’t keep him in Dorset for long and he soon set off in the opposite direction, this time heading for the US, here he taught at Tom Browns "tracker school" before being asked to teach at one of Tom's non profit organisations, 'The children of the earth foundation'. From here Adam went onto complete a 6 month 'Practical primitive course' in New Jersey before returning to the UK and taking up a position with Bushcraft Expeditions
Adam's enthusiastic nature, keen sense of humour and practical, patient approach to teaching make him a great asset to the team as, has been testified by all that have met him.
Georgie Corrywright
Medical Herbalist
A qualified Medical Herbalist with IRCH (International Register of Consultant Herbalists) Georgie has worked with Bushcraft Expeditions since the outset. Georgie's Knowledge of the Medicinal and Herbal plants of the UK is unsurpassed. The English Botanist Nicholas Culpeper once said that "you can find all that you need within a mile of your door" and for her dissertation Georgie set out to find out if this was true for her, living where she does in the heart of the Dorset countryside. As a result, her exceptional knowledge and in-depth familiarity with the area she leads workshops in is self evident to all who attend. Georgie's passion for her subject, natural teaching style, and keen sense of humour make her an invaluable member of the Bushcraft Expeditions team.
Jed Yarnold
Canoe Expedition Leader and Instructor
Jed Yarnold has a background in forestry as a National Park Ranger and is well travelled as a result of a military career, serving with distinction in the Parachute regiment, Ghurkhas and the RAF. His company
http://www.truenorthoutdoor.co.uk provides tailor-made canoe journeys at home and abroad for people from all walks of life, from novice to expert.
Jed is a dedicated outdoorsman, coach and wilderness canoeist and has led numerous expeditions. These include guiding a number of trips in Canada, a raft expedition in Brunei, a ramble up Mt Kinabalu, explored the Florida mangroves again by canoe and took part in a descent of the infamous South Nahanni in the Canadian NW Territories. During his varied career, an abiding theme has been a fascination with the natural world, low-tech skills, wilderness living and survival.
Jed is a BCU level 4 Open Canoe coach and works closely with Bushcraft Expeditions acting as river guide, and canoe instructor and assists with bushcraft instruction.
Jed Yarnold (01491) 838 858 or 0777182540.
Email: truenorth@tesco.net
Dave Connell
Medical Advisor
(Updated Information to Follow)
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