Where it all started

As long as I can remember I have loved art and photography. From being told off in school for colouring everything in rainbow colours to spending ages on family walks lay in the mud taking photographs, to having several different unfinished art/craft projects on the go at once, it didn't matter what I was doing or where I was, I was happy as long as I was creating something, this has followed me throughout my life and even today you can usually find me out taking photographs or sat creating something.

Alongside running Woodland Workbench I am a freelance outdoor instructor, I love this job and the opportunities it brings to help people of all ages and abilities conquers their fears in a safe environment. I also love encouraging people to spend more time outdoors or supporting others, something I have always been passionate about.

I also previously worked as an animal assisted coach in a local company, with an aim to support young people who are differently-abled, neurodivergent, struggle with anxiety or their mental health. For the majority of the young people I worked with this meant that school is't their favourite place. I loved working alongside them while they cared for animals on the farm, learned new skills, talked about their experiences and positively impacting their mental health. it was so rewarding seeing the positive impact we had on those young people, unfortunately the farm had to close and I no longer work there but continue to use the techniques I learned to benefit the young people I work with in my role as an outdoor instructor.

In June 2024, I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 27, as a result of this diagnosis I found myself evaluating a lot of things in my life, including Woodland Workbench (which at this point was just a Facebook page that created to sell macrame and pyrography but I kept loosing forgetting to update). The process of accepting the diagnosis has allowed me to learn so much about myself and create positive habits to help with my anxiety, confidence and motivation. This has helped me gain the confidence to grow my business and focus on the crafts and photography that I am the most passionate about.

After receiving my ADHD diagnosis I knew that the best way for me to understand and accept it was to be open about it in both my job and my personal life, this has not only helped me, but allowed both adults and young people who also are (or suspect they are) neurodivergent, to feel like they're able to open up, be themselves around me without masking. Sharing our experiences usually leads to a lot of laughter and positivity, in knowing we're not alone with some of the challenges having a busy brain brings!

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My long-term plan for Woodland Workbench is to create workshops and social events for people who are Neurodivergent so that they have somewhere to leet likeminded people and learn a new skill/ craft , while socialising in a non-judgemental environment.