Meet the Team

Meet The Team

From left to right

Name: Carole Watson, Education Assistant
Background: Carole graduated from DeMontfort University in 1984 with a degree in Environmental Science, specialising in Microbiology.  She then embarked on a career in insurance, working in the industry for 22 years and achieving her professional ACII exams. In 2008 she was given a unique opportunity to work a bit closer to home, for a large farming business on a project bringing children out of the classroom and into the countryside. Even though this meant getting cold and muddy, she found it an extremely rewarding time.  Carole has now joined the team at Barleylands and continues to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with all our visitors. 

Name: Hilary Moore, Education Assistant
Background: Hilary trained at the Norland College and since leaving 35 years ago has always been involved in the development and education of children, either as a nanny, both in the UK and abroad, play leader, or learning support assistant.  In 2007 Hilary moved out of the school to a classroom in the country, where she put all her skills to use teaching children how to prepare and cook healthy meals. She enjoys sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge of nutrition and cooking with  visiting school groups, finding it especially rewarding when she hears the children have taken their newfound skills and information home to share and pass on to their families.

Name: Karen Watson, Education Officer
Background: As a dance teacher, Karen has been involved with teaching children for over 30 years but for the past four years has focused on her true passion, teaching children and adults about food, farming and the countryside. Karen grew up baking in the family kitchen with her Grandfather who was a master baker and would say she has never stopped since. She is married to a farmer and is determined to share her knowledge and teach children how to source and cook the food that UK farmers produce.  

Name: Jo Waggerman, Education Assistant
Background: After careers in Retail Management and Training and Development, Jo established her own training consultancy, however after the arrival of her daughter, now 6, she wanted to combine her passion for animals and her love of the countryside with her teaching skills.  This led her to Barleylands where she feels quite at home having spent many summers on her Uncles' farm. She likes seeing the instant bond that exists between visiting children and the animals, together with being instrumental in a child’s understanding of where our food comes from; not from the supermarket but from the land.