Axes | Survival Training Courses

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.

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.