Survival School Team

  1. Jonny Crockett

    Jonny Crockett

    Jonny Crockett

    Survival School was established in 1997 by Jonny Crockett, a Level 5 Instructor, to provide a place of learning for those who wanted to know more about bushcraft and the wilderness. Jonny Crockett still runs most of the courses himself. It is his personal attention to detail and his enthusiasm for the subject that has helped to make Survival School what it is – A place of good fun and good learning.

    Jonny graduated from the University of Exeter with a Masters Degree in Experimental Archaeology.  His dissertation was on Ötzi the Iceman’s curation and transportation of fire, in which he scientifically disproved a key theory.  He is now studying for a PhD at the University of Exeter, specialising in Fire Lighting, Curation and Maintenance.

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  2. Brett Selby

    Brett Selby

    Brett Selby

    Growing up in a rural area, Brett spent his spare time in the woods building shelters, or by the river searching for signs or wildlife.  He can often be found walking the moors and woodlands of Yorkshire, oftern with no other reason than to not spend the days indoors.

    A long suffering Land Rover enthusiast, he is a keen bush mechanic and has off-road driving experience.  he has climbed in the UK ( including a single rope abseil of 275′ at Malham), France, Germany and the US.  An accomplished knife maker, Brett has completed several commissions on his homemade hand powered forge.

    In addition to Expedition canoeing in Scotland and Husky Trekking in Northern Sweden, he has completed Temperate and Arctic Winter Survival, Wilderness Cookery, Tracking and Blacksmithing courses.

    As he says, “While there is always more to learn about different facets of bushcraft, these

    apparently separate parts van be seen as a whole.  Perhaps it’s the same for other people, but in the woods, I feel myself re-connecting with things that I had forgotten about.”

     

    Brett always enjoys teaching, especially when helping and encouraging others to overcome their own boundaries.

    He is a modest man and would never sing his own praises, but we are lucky to have him at Survival School.

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  3. Dan Burdus

    Dan Burdus

    Dan Burdus

    Dan was born a ‘Man of Kent’, with the North Kent Downs on his doorstep. He spent most of his teenage years roaming the ancient chalk downs and patchwork woodland with a bunch of likeminded friends, enjoying the adventures of youth. Set firmly on the idea of an outdoor life, he joined the British Army in 1986 and enjoyed a full career, serving 22 years; Dan travelled the world, including Europe, Central America, South East Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

    On leaving the Forces, Dan built on his passion for trees by working as an Arborist. He has recently graduated from Harper Adams University with a degree in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry. Dan is now a Course Manager at Askham Bryan College & University Centre in Yorkshire, and lectures in Arboriculture, Horticulture and Urban Forestry.

     

     

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  4. Scott Murray

    Scott Murray

    Scott Murray

    Scott’s love of the great outdoors began at a young age, with his family’s annual holiday on the North West coast of Scotland, a place he still visits regularly. Although originally a Londoner he now lives in rural Exmoor with his wife and two sons.

    Scott works as a full time Outdoor Skills Instructor and Vocational Assessor. He is an Accredited Outdoor Practitioner & holds the Mountain Leaders Award. He is also involved in training young people for their Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions and is an Accredited Expedition Assessor.

    Time in the Reserve Forces led him into instructing Army Cadets and for 8 years ran an Army Cadet Detachment. During this time he was involved in training teams for the Ten Tors competition. Scott is now part of the Exmoor Search and Rescue Team and their Assistant Crag Rescue Team Officer.

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  5. Paul Rose

    Paul Rose

    Paul became interested in primitive living and adventure during extensive travels around South East Asia after university – he spent many months living in small villages in the jungles of Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos trekking with local guides, learning about the beliefs of the indigenous populations, using the natural resources of the jungle and observing the uncomplicated techniques used to live successfully in these areas.

    Paul’s basic survival skills and love for the outdoors developed further through trekking, sea kayaking, wild camping & foraging around Australia, New Zealand, Borneo, North Africa, Norway, Nepal and the UK through both summer and winter months where valuable lessons were learnt on the importance of preparation before venturing into the wilderness and the psychological aspects of stays for longer periods of time during more extreme conditions. “They weren’t always intentional lessons but that’s the beauty of mother nature, she does like to try and catch you out sometimes….!”

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  6. Christopher ‘Mac’ McNamara

    Chris McNamara

    For as long as he can remember he has been drawn to the outdoors, from lighting fires and roasting marshmallows in the woods with friends to fishing and camping under the stars, and being a Hampshire lad put the great outdoors at my fingertips.

     

    He joined the British army at 16 years of age, which further fuelled his passion for the outdoors, serving all over the world from the jungles of Belize to the plans of Canada.

     

    It was during his time on the Falkland Islands that he decided to progress his bushcraft enthusiasm to the next level completing various military courses as well as the Level 4 Instructors Course with Survival School.

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  7. Keith Polkinghorne

    Keith Polkinghorne

    Keith is proof that anyone, at any time can find a space in the wilderness living skills and bushcraft world. He has a wide and

    varied background having worked as a professional musician, and tutor, amongst many other roles. He found a passion for traditional skills and bushcraft from an interest in re-enactment and living history.

    Being a qualified Archery Instructor and registered HEMA Instructor; It was a traditional bow making course that started his journey. Since then, he has gone on to study, research and experiment in the field; obtaining his NCFE level 4 from Survival School, as well as completing many other qualifications and CPD courses.

    Keith’s enthusiasm for the subject is infectious, and he has a relaxed, friendly, individual approach to the subject and to his teaching. Keith believes that bushcraft and wilderness living skills should be accessible and is dedicated to passing on these skills.

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  8. Mark Fox

    Mark Fox

    Mark has worked as an outdoor education instructor/practitioner for the past 22 years.  15 of which were as a senior instructor

    for local authority.  He has travelled extensively and used this as a learning experience to enhance his skills and knowledge of the natural world and wilderness living.

     

    Mark lives in the Peak District and is found most weekends enjoying the Peak Park both above and below ground!

     

    Mark has extensive experience of delivering fun, educational courses to a wide client base including; schools groups, young people, corporate groups, teachers and military personnel.

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