Meet our team
Cath Woolloff
Cath is a co-founder of Talking Sticks and is passionate about nature, play, and child-led learning. With a deep love for the outdoors, she’s happiest exploring new places, birdwatching, travelling, and discovering the magic in the natural world. She holds a degree in Biosciences and Health and spent many years working as a Scientist but for the last decade, Cath has worked with children and young people in a wide range of settings—from church groups and primary schools to Scouts. These experiences have only strengthened her belief in the power and importance of being outdoors in nature.
Cath believes Forest School offers something truly special: a chance for children and young people to connect—with themselves, with others, and with nature. She’s always up for a new game and believes that giving children the freedom and space to play in nature is at the heart of what Forest School is all about. Play isn’t just fun—it’s essential. And she’s convinced that adults need a lot more of it, too!
Cath brings creativity and curiosity into every session. She finds inspiration in the simplest things—especially a pile of sticks, which she sees as a pile of potential! Whether it becomes a fire, a bow and arrow, a wand, a dreamcatcher, or a Talking Stick, Cath loves turning ideas into adventures. When she’s not teaching kids how to make a fire from nothing but sticks and sheer determination, you’ll probably find her having a ‘serious conversation’ with a robin about life choices.
Her motto? "If you can’t find the answer in nature, then it’s not worth knowing.
Lisa Barker
Lisa is a co-founder of Talking Sticks and pioneer of Forest School at All Saints C of E Primary in Ilkley, where her Forest School journey began. With 15 years of experience in schools, Lisa has done it all – from being a 1:1, TA to a Cover Supervisor, she’s worked with every primary year group. She’s also been responsible for running and delivering pastoral support sessions and groups for children who need extra support, mental health guidance, and possibly the occasional snack!
Lisa, is basically a cross between Bear Grylls and Mary Poppins, when it comes to cooking over fire, there is nothing Lisa likes better. Give her a campfire, a pan and a handful of foraged wild garlic, and you’ll soon have a woodland feast. She’s happy to cook anything on a stick and somehow manages to make each dish both delicious and a mini adventure. Her philosophy is simple: everything tastes better outdoors, especially when shared around a roaring fire.
Lisa cares deeply about children’s mental and physical health and wellbeing, she can untangle any knot including the ones in shoelaces and life. Her natural habitat is the great outdoors and when she’s not in the woods she can be found running over the moors or swimming in a pond but in general she’s happiest anywhere with mud, sticks and children shouting, “LOOK WHAT I FOUND!”
Ultimately, Lisa’s mission is to help all children thrive in life and outdoors. The forest is her happy place and she’s bossing it one muddy, adventure at a time!