Wild Embers

Wild Embers Wild Embers is a South Devon CIC offering outdoor alternative provision, SEND support, and community programmes for children, young people, and families.

We create spaces where everyone feels seen, supported, and able to thrive.

🔥 WILD ADVENTURERS IS BACK! 🔥Looking for a summer holiday club that's all about muddy boots, campfires, adventure and fr...
11/06/2026

🔥 WILD ADVENTURERS IS BACK! 🔥

Looking for a summer holiday club that's all about muddy boots, campfires, adventure and fresh air?

Join us this summer at the beautiful Pondfields Living Projects in Dartington for days packed with outdoor fun and unforgettable memories!

Explore waterways, build dens, learn campfire skills, create woodland crafts, play games and challenges, discover nature and make new friends!

Wild Adventurers is designed for children aged 6–12 who love getting outdoors, getting creative and embracing adventure.

🔥Every Tuesday & Wednesday
🔥 Pondfields Living Projects, Dartington
🔥28th July – 26th August
🔥Just 15 spaces available each day

If your child loves being outdoors, this is the perfect way to spend the summer holidays!

Book now before spaces disappear! https://www.wildembers.org/wildadventurers

đź’š A message for our families

Many of you will know that our specialist SEND Holiday Club has previously been funded through the National Lottery, enabling us to provide enhanced staffing ratios and tailored support for children with more complex needs.

Unfortunately, that funding has now come to an end and we have not yet secured replacement funding for this summer. As a result, we are unable to run our specialist SEND holiday provision at this time.

We know this may be disappointing, and we want to reassure families that we are actively seeking funding opportunities to bring this provision back in the future.

If you're unsure whether Wild Adventurers would be suitable for your child, please get in touch before booking. We'd be happy to have a conversation and discuss your child's individual needs.

We've been getting hands on exploring nature's pharmacy! From infused oils to handmade balms - we've been using natural ...
08/06/2026

We've been getting hands on exploring nature's pharmacy! From infused oils to handmade balms - we've been using natural ingredients and traditional apothecary-inspired techniques, to create simple wellbeing products while developing practical skills, confidence and creativity along the way.

No two days are ever the same at Wild Embers, and that's just one reason we love doing what we do.Last week alone, our l...
21/05/2026

No two days are ever the same at Wild Embers, and that's just one reason we love doing what we do.

Last week alone, our learners were:

🪵 Repairing a shave horse
🦉 Making wooden owls
✍️ Creating carved initials

But while the projects change, one thing always stays the same; our relational approach.

We know that before learning can happen, children need to feel safe, seen, and connected. Many of the young people accessing Alternative Provision have experienced challenges within education, relationships, or the wider world around them. For some, trust in adults and confidence in themselves has been shaken over time.

That’s why relationships come first.

We take the time to build genuine connections, work alongside learners, notice their strengths, and create spaces where they can succeed without fear of failure. Whether it’s carefully measuring timber, learning to safely use tools, fixing something broken, or simply sharing conversation side-by-side while sanding wood. These moments matter.

Alternative Provision is far more than “time out” from school. For many children, it becomes a lifeline and a chance to believe in themselves again.

And sometimes… that journey starts with a piece of wood, a drill bit, and someone who believes in them.

WE'RE HIRING!(And honestly… if you’ve got SEND experience and love the outdoors, we want to hear from you ASAP 👀)We're l...
16/05/2026

WE'RE HIRING!

(And honestly… if you’ve got SEND experience and love the outdoors, we want to hear from you ASAP 👀)

We're looking for bank staff to join our amazing team supporting children and young people with SEND through our outdoor alternative provision.

This is NOT your average role. Think campfires, connection, muddy boots, nature-based learning and experiences, relationship building, creativity, and making a genuine difference every single day.

BUT — and this is important —
✨ Experience of working with children and young people with SEND is an absolute MUST ✨

We’re looking for someone who:

- Understands neurodivergent children and young people
- Can build safe, trusting relationships
- Doesn’t melt in the rain
- Sees behaviour as communication
- Believes outdoor spaces can change lives

If that sounds like you… don’t wait for the deadline! We’ll be reviewing applications as they come in.

đź“Ť Halwell, nr Totnes
⏰ Flexible days (hours are 9.30am - 4pm)

Full details & application info here:

https://www.wildembers.org/aop-session-worker

Tag someone who’d be PERFECT for this 👇

Proud moment incoming!! Our brilliant TSP learners have made spaghetti from scratch! In recent sessions, our learners h...
10/05/2026

Proud moment incoming!! Our brilliant TSP learners have made spaghetti from scratch!

In recent sessions, our learners have been making fresh pasta by hand, creating rich Bolognese sauce, and whipping up wild garlic butter freshly foraged from site.

And while it might look like “just cooking”, moments like this are building so much more than meals.

They’re building confidence. Independence. Patience. Creativity. Problem-solving. Teamwork. Pride.
Because when a young person realises:
“I made this myself”
…something shifts

If they can learn to make spaghetti from scratch now, imagine what they’ll go on to do later in life.

Future chefs? Maybe. 👨‍🍳

Outdoor instructors? Designers? Carpenters? Entrepreneurs? Support workers? Leaders?

Sometimes children just need the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of, away from pressure, labels, and the feeling of getting things “wrong”.

At Wild Embers, we see it all the time:

Give children meaningful experiences, trust them with real skills, and they will surprise you.

Wild Embers is continuing to grow, which means we're on the look out again for more bank staff to take us on the next st...
08/05/2026

Wild Embers is continuing to grow, which means we're on the look out again for more bank staff to take us on the next stage of our journey.

Have you...

🔥Got what it takes to work outside in all weathers.
🔥Got what it takes to work in an emotionally challenging environment.
🔥Got what it takes to work with dysregulated learners.
🔥Got the skills and patience to ensure that learners experience a supportive and positive staff team at all times.

If you've got experience of and an ability to work with children and young people who may have special education needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and challenging behaviour, and can do this with sensitivity and respect - we want to hear from you!

Apply now: https://www.wildembers.org/aop-session-worker

“How can they learn by just playing and being outdoors?” We hear this question A LOT! But this is exactly how...One of o...
07/05/2026

“How can they learn by just playing and being outdoors?”

We hear this question A LOT! But this is exactly how...

One of our TSP learners has been building a bird box; measuring wood, solving problems, using tools safely, planning ahead, persevering when things didn’t quite fit first time, and learning about wildlife and habitats along the way.

To some, it might just look like outdoor play. But underneath it, real learning is happening.

For many children, especially those who struggle in mainstream education, learning outdoors feels safer, calmer, and more accessible. Without the pressure of a traditional classroom, confidence starts to grow naturally.

Through hands-on outdoor activities, children develop:

- Maths skills through measuring and estimating
- Design & Technology skills through building and creating
- Science knowledge through learning about nature and habitats
- Communication, teamwork and resilience through shared experiences
- Emotional regulation and self-esteem through achievement and connection (the one that actually needs to happen before 'learning' can commence)

Alternative Provision helps us meet children where they are, recognising that learning doesn’t only happen sitting at a desk.

Yes, sometimes learning looks like worksheets, but it looks like muddy sleeves, a hammer in hand, and the pride of building something real ✨

www.wildembers.org

THAT'S A WRAP (for now) 🎬Saturday marked our last SEND Family Day of this National Lottery funded chapter… and what a da...
27/04/2026

THAT'S A WRAP (for now) 🎬
Saturday marked our last SEND Family Day of this National Lottery funded chapter… and what a day it was.

Sunshine warmed the site, boots were dusty, and smiles stretched from ear to ear. There was laughter in the air, food shared and cooked over the fire, and the simple magic of families spending time together; feeling safe, supported, and understood.

Martin worked his magic with creating some incredible crafts from wood - thank you Martin, while Mel, Richard, Cam and Veronique were there, offering listening ears, steady shoulders, and genuine care.

These days are so much more than just time outdoors. They are spaces where families of children with SEND can breathe, connect, and feel part of something. And the impact? It’s HUGE.

As this funded period comes to an end, we’re reflecting on just how special and essential these days are. We don’t want them to stop here.

If you’d like to help us continue supporting our SEND Family Days, you can donate here: https://www.wildembers.org/supportus

OR perhaps you might know an organisation or business looking to support a local community interest company like ours. Drop us a DM to let us know.

Thank you to EVERY family who has joined us over the past two years, every smile shared, and every moment that made this journey so meaningful.

If you've attended a SEND Family Day over the years, please drop us a comment to let us know what you loved about it.

From gorse jam to dandelion honey!…can you tell we LOVE making delicious goodies.In our recent sessions, we’ve been maki...
23/04/2026

From gorse jam to dandelion honey!…can you tell we LOVE making delicious goodies.

In our recent sessions, we’ve been making the most of what’s growing all around us, this time turning bright spring dandelions into something gooey and delicious.

After carefully foraging, the group got stuck into the process:

🔥Picking and preparing the petals
🔥Adding simple ingredients
🔥Watching it slowly transform

There really is something powerful about this kind of learning - taking something often overlooked and discovering its value and versatility.

Slowing down, working together, and creating something from the land, builds patience, curiosity, and connection — not just to nature, but to each other.

Following on from our gorse jam making, it’s been amazing to see confidence grow as young people begin to recognise what’s possible in the natural world around them.

What might look like “just a weed”… has a BIGGER story to tell!

Address

Wild Embers, Dartington
Totnes

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447967755357

Website

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