meet wild things!
The Wild Things Charity currently has 3 trustees and 5 workers (who work both in the woods with the children and young people, and are keeping on top of the admin mountain), as well as some dedicated and amazing regular volunteers who support the delivery of our programmes.
oUR TRUSTEES
Aqeel Kapasi
"My appreciation of, and connection to, the natural world has fortunately increased as I've got older and it has enriched my life beyond measure. I was keen to support Wild Things as they are cultivating the same for others, especially young people who might not otherwise get such opportunities so early in life."
Aqeel has been a trustee of Wild Things since the charity was first registered in 2024.
Far from the woods, his day job involves working in VAT for an accountancy workers co-operative. Prior to that, he worked for environmental and children’s charities. Since 2020 he has been a trustee of The GAP Arts Project, a youth arts charity in Birmingham, moving to the advisory board from 2025.
Rosie Barker
Rosie has a background in youth work, play work and community food projects. She is a level 3 forest school practitioner and worked with Wild Things Ecological Education Collective in Nottingham and Derbyshire for six years. By day (and night!) she works as a paedriatic nurse in Sheffield but spends her spare time in the woods and on the moors where she feels most at home.
Tim Allman
"Connecting with nature has been fundamental to me all my adult life, and I have admired the work of Wild Things for over 25 years. Their work in engaging young people in the natural world has never been more important, and I am proud to support them."
Tim became a trustee of The Wild Things Charity in 2024. He has a degree in Botany and a Diploma in Nature Conversation, and works variously as a carpenter, community garden worker, outdoor instructor and mountain leader. He has also been a trustee of The Magic of Life, an environmental charity in Cymru/Wales, for many years,
OUR WORKERS
Kate Milman
“Time in nature has offered me a safe space throughout my life where normal pressures don’t apply and I can feel happy and strong in who I am. I believe that all children have the right to time in the natural world where they can develop their sense of self and resilience, yet the majority of children in this country have no or extremely limited access to the natural world. It’s been a privilege to watch so many children at Wild Things fall in love with the natural world, with all the lasting benefits this might bring to them and the future of our society and environment.”
Kate left University with a BA Hons in English and American Literature, to change course slightly, to concentrate on environmental campaigning and working with children and young people. Kate worked as a qualified youth worker, an environmental youth worker, and a detached street outreach worker with Nottingham City Council for 12 years. Kate was a co-founder of Wild Things Ecological Education Collective, the forerunner of Wild Things Charity, which was running for 27 years before its metamorphosis into the present-day charity.
She has undertaken the programme leadership training with the Institute for Earth Education. Kate has a BTEC in Advanced Forest School Leadership and is a qualified Forest School outdoor first aider. She is also involved with mutual aid and housing co-op networks in her spare time.
Nick Robson
"I was fortunate enough to grow up in the countryside with freedom to roam and explore. I also had the privilege of having adults in my life that shared their sense of wonder, and enthusiasm for adventure and discovery with a curious boy. I was gifted with the awareness of my connection with the natural world, and this has been the backbone of my life and my drive to share this with others. I believe the natural world is under great threat-it's only by sharing this emotional, intellectual and physical connection to our ecology that it stands a chance."
After graduating with a Bsc (Hons) in Countryside Management and working on various conservation and wildlife protection projects and campaigns, Nick worked as a qualified youth worker and detached street outreach worker with Nottingham City Council for 13 years, delivering sessions in youth clubs, on the streets and within schools. In 1997, Nick co-founded Wild Things Ecological Education Collective, the forerunner of Wild Things Charity, which was running for 27 years, before its metamorphosis into the present-day charity.
He has undertaken programme leadership training and programme design training with the Programme Leadership Training & Programme Design Training with the Institute for Earth Education. Nick holds a BTEC in Advanced Forest School Leadership and is a qualified Forest School outdoor First Aider. He has enjoyed designing and delivering training in environmental play and youth work as part of his role at Wild Things.
Kath Andrew
“For huge numbers of children in the UK, spending time in the natural world is a privilege they do not have. One of my main aims at WT's is to fight against this lack of access, and enable as many children as we can to experience the benefits of being out in the woods and develop a sense of connection with it. I have been lucky enough to spend over 20 years working with different groups, deepening my understanding of the positive impact that being in the natural world has on children and young people.”
Kath has a background in play and youth work. She has coordinated various inner city play schemes, including a play scheme for Refugee and asylum seeker families in Nottingham, and has joined the Wild Things Ecological Education Collective, the Wild Things charity forefunner, in 2000.
Kath has a BTEC in Advanced Forest School Leadership and is a qualified Forest School First Aider. She holds a BA (Hons) in Applied Social Science.
Since 2006 Kath has been a Trustee of CYF, a charity in Nottingham that works with some of the most marginalised children and young people, from the inner city.
Kathleen Gillen
"Being in the woods and connecting with the natural environment is the best way I know how to engage young people. As the trees transport you away from the noise and chaos and time seems to find a new pace, absorbed in new colours and smells, little opportunities creep in that allow you to explore and express feelings that are too big to think about in the outside world."
Kat is a Level 3 qualified Forest School Leader. Kat holds a BA(Hons) in Fine Art and has a background in Play and Youth Work. Kat has worked with the Wild Things Ecological Eduation Collective for over 13 years.
Alongside her work with Wild Things, Kat is an environmental studies tutor at a local alternative education provider, delivering outdoor learning based on the principles of Forest Schools, Earth Education and Permaculture Gardening.
Kat holds a certificate in outdoor first aid.
Maja Likar
“I grew up in rural Slovenia, right on the edge of the woods. Those woods offered me the breathing space I needed, and provided a place of solace. I still feel that way, no matter where I live, I can find that connection in the woods. I notice a similar thing in the children we work with, for whom the UK often is not their first home and also for the children who do not have much space in their lives (physical or mental) - they seem to feel at home again when they come to the woods.
It's one of the best things, to be able to experience that with them and the joy that comes from that!”
Maja has been involved with Wild Things Ecological Education Collective since 2015.
Maja’s background is in youth and play work: she ran a youth club in inner city Nottingham and later worked for the Nottingham City Council Play and Youth Service as a play and youth worker and a senior. Maja is a qualified outdoor first aider and holds a certificate in mental health first aid.
Maja is also a qualified and registered Art Psychotherapist and is currently working as a Specialist Mental Health Mentor and works as an art therapist with young people and families from the Nottingham CYF Project.