Chloe Walker – Services Manager

Chloe is a methodical and motivated individual who has worked within the care sector for over the past 11 years. Previous roles have included Residential Support Worker, House Manager, Designated Safeguarding Officer and Deputy Head of Care and holds her NVQ level 5 in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.
She has an excellent understanding of the requirements of the service, audit processes and legislation. She is child centred, approachable and instrumental in the development of the service.

Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care – Children and Young People
NVQ level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for residential care
Designated Safeguarding Lead

Tash Dews – Operations Manager

Tash has over 15 years of experience supporting young people of all ages in various settings. She has worked in primary and secondary schools as a teaching assistant and then as a pastoral manager coordinating support for young people to enable them to succeed and reach their full potential.

She is trained as a forest school leader and enjoys sharing her passion for bushcraft and the outdoors with young people. Tash delivered an Alternative Provision Programme for young people that were excluded from school and at risk of criminal exploitation.

Tash is an energetic and enthusiastic individual who strives to build positive relationships with the young people she supports. She will adapt her approach to meet their individual needs to ensure they gain as much as possible from working together.

OCN Forest School Leader Level 3
NVQ 2 Supporting teaching and Learning
HLTA
Youth services Training

Calum Bennett – Mentor

Calum left school at 16 and immediately started a PE & School Sports Apprenticeship, where Calum assisted a lead Coach in delivering Primary School PE & After School Clubs across the curriculum in Shropshire, mainly spending his 2 year Apprenticeship at Greenfields Primary School. Once Calum was 18 and he had completed his Apprenticeship, Calum was awarded a promotion as a Primary School Sports Coach, where he spent 3 years as the lead Coach at Pontesbury Primary School. Calum then progressed into a full-time coach and spent 2 years at Radbrook Primary School. Calum then decided to try his hand at Alternative Provision, to which Calum instantly thrived in his new role and he found a real passion for. Calum worked with Primary, Secondary, Post-16 and Adult ages. Calum supported individuals in a 1-1 environment to help them achieve qualifications, learn new life skills, taking them on enrichment activities whilst supporting their SEMH and any additional needs they may require support with.

Calum plays Semi-Professional Football, alongside working as a Football Coach who delivers his own 1-1 outfield and goalkeeping sessions. Calum is a lover of all sports, especially Football, American Football, Mixed Martial Arts and Darts. Calum is also a big fan of reading, listening to music & podcasts. Calum loves to travel as much as possible, visiting new cities and countries when he can. Calum spends as much time as possible with his friends and family, who he has a very close relationship with.

PE in School Sport Apprenticeship Level 3 

PESS Level 3

Dominic Brand – Mentor

I’m a former chef with over 13 years’ experience in professional kitchens, including running my own restaurant. I hold an NVQ Level 3 in Professional Catering as well as a National Diploma in Art and Design, blending creativity with culinary skill. I’m passionate about experimenting with food, trying out new recipes, and foraging for wild ingredients—especially during walks in the mountains.

Outside the kitchen, I enjoy skateboarding, snowboarding, and listening to alternative music. I also play the bass guitar, which has been a long-time creative outlet for me. Life is never dull with two young children and our two dogs, Conker and Lola, who are very much part of the family.

Whether it’s exploring nature, creating in the kitchen, or chasing adventure on a board, I’m always looking for new ways to stay inspired and connected to the things I love.

National diploma, Art and design
NVQ level 2 and 3, professional catering
Archery instructor

Emily Birch – Mentor

After many years of building her skills and experience within the hospitality industry, Emily decided to take a new direction and step into the field of education. She began her journey working in a specialist SEN provision, where she supported children and young people with a wide range of additional needs. In particular, Emily’s role focused on working closely with individuals presenting with challenging behaviours, providing early intervention and support designed to nurture wellbeing, develop life skills, and promote positive mental health. She placed a strong emphasis on helping learners with their social and emotional development, guiding them in emotional regulation, and incorporating restorative practices to build resilience and confidence.

Emily brings creativity and warmth to her work, often shaping her sessions around her passions for art, baking, animals, and the outdoors. She finds these interests to be powerful tools for engagement, offering students enjoyable, hands-on opportunities to learn, express themselves, and grow in a supportive environment.

Isobel Broadley

New to the role of working with young people, Izzy brings with her valuable experience supporting children in educational settings, helping them navigate emotions and challenging situations. She is able to think logically and strategically about how to position herself as a mentor at Life Shed, always focusing on the best interests of the children she supports.

Over the past three years, Izzy has spent three winter seasons in France and three summer seasons working at a variety of festivals, gaining valuable experience in team management and event organisation. She now applies these skills in her role at Life Shed, where she works efficiently and offers reliable, consistent support.

Izzy also has many years of experience teaching children to swim — an area she is particularly passionate about and looks forward to incorporating into her sessions at Life Shed. With her bubbly, enthusiastic, and compassionate nature, Izzy’s sessions are sure to be filled with fun, engaging, and meaningful activities.

STA certificate Swimming Teaching

Kelvin Sirrel – Mentor

Kelvin comes from a military background having served in the Royal Navy since the age of 16 from 1981 to 1990 , firstly as a cook and later a Physical Training Instructor.

Kelvin will openly discuss he to was not a attentive student and struggled in the system but through drive and self motivation made a successful career path . He has come to us via another mentor program and brings with him a life skill set and an ability to inspire and motivate learners of all ages.

His students can learn basic car maintenance skills, garden maintenance, various sporting skills and of course culinary skills.

Kelvin says “ I thrive on the challenges that each young student brings and seeing them blossom and achieve. If each student I have takes a little bit of our days into a better future then I become fulfilled”.

Nick Herbet – Mentor

I have over 35 yrs experience of working on mentoring and juvenile intervention programmes, both from my time within the Fire Service and since my retirement in 2014.

As a passionate sports participant and fan, I have benefited numerous times from the positive impact sport can have on our lives and I have previously worked within our County Sports Partnership delivering a West Mercia PCC funded programme that focused on using sport and physical activity to keep young people out of the criminal justice system.

I am lucky that my work at Life Shed often allows me to continue using sport and physical activity as a positive influence, where appropriate for the young person we are working with.

For my sins I am a Stoke season ticket holder, but I hope this isn’t held against me. I also enjoy travel and have been lucky enough to have participated in humanitarian aid programmes that have taken me to places I would never have had anticipated visiting.

Qualifications
BA Youth and Community Studies
Level 3 Award in Education and Training

Ryan Earl – Mentor

Ryan has dedicated his working life to helping adults and young people to see the benefit of exercise and healthy eating, and the impact it can have on a positive body and mind. Following years working in Gyms as a Personal Trainer and Fitness Manager, he decided to focus his attention on the younger generation, initially a transfer to a PE teacher across Primary and Secondary Education in an SEN setting. Now working at Life Shed, he aims to pass on his enthusiasm for anything and everything sport, exercise and more!

Trained and Qualified as an Advanced Personal Trainer and Teacher of PE in Primary Education specialism, he can create bespoke sessions for those that love the gym, sport, swimming, archery, hiking and everything active. Looking for something a little more relaxed? He can help Young People to learn to cook healthy, nutritious food.

Ryan is a very active mentor, who can adapt to all children and their needs, through a genuine empathy for all backgrounds. He believes working with Young People has been his calling.

Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Personal Training.
Level 4 Higher Level Teaching Assistant.
Level 5 Physical Education in Primary Education Specialism.
Archery GB Instructor Award Course

Shelley Dovey- Mentor

Shelley has over 20 years’ experience in working within the childcare sector. Her previous roles have included residential house manager, designated safeguarding lead and groups operations manager for children’s services.

Shelley has an excellent understanding of the requirements for her mentoring role, she is enthusiastic, approachable and creative in delivering a child centred approach and has a diverse set of skills that will help the young people to flourish and progress.

NVQ level 3 in Health and Social care- Children and young people
NVQ level 4 Registered Managers Award
NVQ level 7 Strategic Leadership and Management

T Evans – Mentor

T brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles in early years settings. With seven years of working in early childhood education, she has developed a nurturing and engaging style of practice that she now brings to Life Shed.

Her enthusiasm and passion shine through in everything she does, and she has a clear sense of purpose in supporting young people to achieve their goals while providing enriching opportunities.

T has a love for travel and enjoys embracing new cultures and traditions. During her time in India, she earned a Public Health and Education Certificate, which included opportunities to observe teaching practices and deliver workshops to both college and lower school students.

Adventurous and resilient, T rarely shies away from a challenge. Although new to the role of supporting young people within an alternative provision, her own personal journey and professional background strengthen her dedication to nurturing and guiding the next generation.

Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Early Years
Paediatric First Aid Qualified
BA (Hons) Degree in Early Childhood in Society
Makaton Trained
Public Health and Education Certificate – Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences

Ben Marston – Mentor

Ben has completed Level 3 in Outdoor Education Studies and also completed a higher national diploma (HND) in outdoor leadership. During his time on the courses, he has done a lot of work experience in primary and secondary schools. Focusing on working in the PE department and working with all ages. Which helped him realise that he wanted to work with children to support them physically and mentally.
Ben has always had an interest in working with children either in schools or in the outdoor industry, which helped him make the decision to go gain further experience at Camp America, where he taught children of all ages how to learn how to ride mountain bikes but also improve their personal skills.
Ben is a qualified Level 2 Mountain bike instructor. He was taken part in his mountain leader training and also water sports (kayaking, paddle boarding, kayaking) training. Ben wants to use all his skills in the outdoors to help improve skills of the younger generation and also help them take the correct pathways to success.

Level 2 mountain bike instructor
Level 3 outdoor first aid
Level 3 diploma in outdoor education studies
Level 4 and 5 higher national diploma in outdoor education

Taran Lyth – Mentor

Taran has completed a Level 3 in Outdoor Education Studies and is currently in the final year of his Higher National Diploma (HND) in Outdoor Leadership. During this time he has undertaken work experience placements in specialist settings for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties which is where he realised that he wanted to make a difference to young people who were finding mainstream school placements difficult.

Taran has always had an interest in special educational needs and has enjoyed supporting young people at an Outdoor Adventure Centre in his late teens, prior to becoming a Lifeguard at a local leisure centre and then in his latest role as physical education coach supporting young people in mainstream schools.

Taran is a qualified Level 2 Mountain Bike Instructor. He has taken part in training for both his paddle boarding and kayak instructing as well as his Mountain Leader Award. Taran is keen to pass on his passion for the outdoors and build positive relationships with young people to enable them to be as successful as they can be.