Carly Walker-Dawson
Secretary general of IFM-SEI (International Falcon Movement – Socialist Education International, the Woodcraft Folk umbrella body)
When were you in Woodcraft Folk?
I joined around the age of eight and have been involved ever since – so into my third decade now! I’ve been a young member, group leader, board member and international representative, so I’ve seen the movement with many different hats.
What did you think of it at the time?
I didn’t really think about Woodcraft Folk in terms of the political side or what I learnt when I was a kid, I just found it fun. It was the chance to get outdoors, play games and make new friends. Only when I got older did I realise how much I gained in terms of how I view the world and the strong value-based education I gained.
What is your strongest Woodcraft Folk memory?
Global Village 2006 – a huge IFM-SEI international festival bringing together 4,500 young people from over 50 countries. I was elected to the steering group when I was 15 and coordinated the evening programme for the festival. Seeing people enjoy the programme you worked so hard on was pretty mind blowing.
What is one thing you learned that stuck with you?
That you can achieve so much more if you work together. We live in a world based on competition, socially as well as economically, and capitalism thrives on this principle. What Woodcraft Folk taught me is that in order to create a world where inequalities are overcome and where every person is able to live their lives freely and in peace, we must co-operate and act in solidarity.
Did Woodcraft Folk impact who you are today?
I genuinely wouldn’t be the person I am today without Woodcraft Folk. As a shy, somewhat socially awkward child, I was able to find my voice, was given the tools critically analyse the world and form my own opinions, and grew able to be an active decision-maker in my own life. I also gained a passion for education and youth work, which has translated into my professional life. As secretary general of IFM-SEI, I’m giving back what I gained every day on a global level.
Related: Woodcraft Folk – Co-op thinking from an early age
Lloyd Russell-Moyle
Labour & Co-op MP for Brighton Kemptown
When were you in Woodcraft Folk?
I joined at the age of six, so 1992, I remain a member and have helped them out, most recently searching for a site for their next international festival in 2020. I was most active between 1998-2003 when I ran a Venturer Group. From 2001 to 2013 I sat on a number of national committees including the trustee board where I was chair, vice chair (campsites and centre) and also lead on our relations with the International Falcon Movement – Socialist Educational International (the international Woodcraft Folk) where I worked in their office in Brussels for a year.
What did you think of it at the time?
I loved the Woodcraft Folk, it gave me so much in terms of critical thinking and a perspective on the world which I will never forget. Some weeks in a cold prefab I would think, ‘why I am doing this?’ But it was always worth it when summer came around, or group nights where we took political action.
What is your strongest Woodcraft Folk memory?
Bivy camping in the local woods, making the shelter out of the branches, lighting fires and then talking about how we wanted to change the world around the camp fire.
What is one thing you learned that stuck with you?
To question authority, not for the sake of questioning, but for the sake of making a positive change.
Did Woodcraft Folk impact who you are today?
Yes, my strong belief that we inhabit this world not just to make our own lives better, or to fit in with society, but to slowly, sometimes gradually, but always persistently change the world and society caring for and working with other around us as we go along.
Elle Dodd
Economist and former Foreign Office Post-2015 development agenda officer (UK Mission to the UN)
When were you in the Woodcraft Folk?
I joined as an Elfin in Coventry in the mid 1990s. My best friend at school was a member, it sounded like such fun so I wanted to go too! I got involved in national activities after the International Camp in 2001 and eventually served on Woodcraft Folk’s General Council for several years, including my a part of the planning team for International Camp 2006.
What did you think of it at the time?
As a kid who got bullied at school it was amazing to have a place to go to once a week where people embraced you for who you were, and where difference was celebrated and encouraged. I really enjoyed meeting other people from across the country, or sometimes across the world, and experiencing new things together.
What is your strongest Woodcraft Folk memory?
Aged 15, I was lucky enough to be part of the Woodcraft Folk delegation to the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa, which was a huge moment in my life. The two weeks were full of unforgettable experiences, seeing Nelson Mandela, being interviewed on live TV, dressing up as a giant planet, meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair.
What is one thing you learned that stuck with you?
As a young adult, I had the opportunity to be on a trustee board and learn about governance, budgets, fundraising, strategy and staffing. It’s definitely not the most fun thing I learned from woodcraft folk, but was definitely one of the most useful for my later life.
Did Woodcraft Folk impact who you are today?
My experience in Woodcraft Folk was fundamental to who I am today. The experiences I had shaped my beliefs and values, and the things I learned enabled me to have the skills I needed to begin my career in the Foreign Office. I hope I can provide similar opportunities to another generation of woodcraft folk in the years to come.
- Find your local group at woodcraft.org.uk/where
