The woodland ways bushcraft foundation is a charity that aims to use the skills, history and story of bushcraft to provide tribal peoples around the globe with assistance where required or requested.

This assistance is sometimes finanical, is sometimes opening up access to opportunities, and is sometimes developing new business opportunities. With the ultimate objectives being simple, we look to improve the quality of life of those individuals and communities that benefit from a lift up to allow themselves to overcome issues of poverty. The preservation of ancient skills is very important to us here at the woodland ways bushcraft foundation and projects are looked upon favourably if they have an element of preservation of culture, tradition and skills.

Based within the United Kingdom our reach is Global, with current key projects being undertaken within the Maasai community in Kenya.

It is a pre-requisite for all projects that we support that it must be individually or community led by those affected, not led by the charity. Access to our services is for the benefit solely of those communities who want to lead themselves, we supply the means, knowhow and project management. All the money raised goes directly to the causes we work with. Not a penny is wasted.

We are guided by strong ethics to ensure there is no personal financial gain from any of the team.

Jason Ingamells funds many projects from his personal income, and provides an infrastructure and team free of charge to the various projects through his commercial businesses.

Sandra Higgins provides free of charge all of the associated accounting and legal paperwork required by UK law for Charities. A mine of help and assistance we could not cope without her.

This website was designed and hosted for free by Sam Longhurst.

The creation of the charity came about following a number of overseas expeditions lead by founder Jason Ingamells where the profits were then donated to a local Maasai community in Kenya. We began the process of securing land for the maasai in order to build a school, this then led into further projects including the actual build of a school, funding education etc and it has grown from there. As this relationship developed Jason identified that he could use his influence to help. As more and more interest developed back in the UK we saw interest from the Royal Geographical Society in London and from publications such as GLASS Magazine and Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine.

It was decided that the project needed to be formalised into a specific charity, with official recognition in the UK and so the Woodland Ways Bushcraft Foundation was formed. Initially supported by funding from Woodland Ways Ltd commercial adventures the charity has now grown to taking on further projects funded by kind hearted individuals. To see how you can help then please see out projects page

Current Project – Fencing Of The School

Through 2024 and 25 we are fundraising for some fencing to surround the school to make it safer for the overnight boarders as the area is surrounded by Hyena and Leopard. Once the fencing is complete we are assured of further government support for the school

You can donate to this cause here

Current Project – Ongoing Costs for the school

This project supports the operational running of the school and covers teacher salaries, feeding programs in times of drought and to provide access to free sanitary products for the young girls

You can donate to this cause here

This is where the journey began. In 2011 & 12 we were able to provide assistance to a remote Maasai village in Kenya to realise there dream of securing land to build a school for the smaller children of the village. Since those early times we were able to help finance 50% of the building of an initial school with two classrooms. We then raised funds for a further classroom in the school, and an external covered area where the children could learn protected from the heat of the midday sun. Teachers salaries were being assisted by 2014. From 2015 through to the current time a further 4 classrooms have been built and the government has since supplied a further 3 teachers. We have other NGO’s getting involved with the project now and in 2023 we were able to match fund with another american charity funds to provide a bore hole in the village which now supplies the school with clean running water.

Project Oloip Maasai Dance Troop

In order to reach local communities in Kenya the charity assisted the Oloip Maasai Dance Troop to form and give an infrastructure. Consisting of a group of friends and family, all of whom were unemployed at the time, they got together to form a dance troop to help educated within the maasai community on traditional music, dance and culture. The charity funded the production of a website and secured local funding for performances through trips operated by Woodland Ways Ltd. In 2012 and 2013 the charity funded with sponsorship and donations from The Bushcraft Show, Woodland Ways Ltd and public donations a visit to the United Kingdom to perform at a number of venues around the country. During this time the dance troop were able to raise funds for their own troop and back for the village we support. They have returned to the UK now on several occassions and each time we set up a new fundraising page.

In 2024 they are returning with the support of The Bushcraft Show and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and of course, Woodland Ways. You can donate to cover the costs of transporting, feeding and housing them here

Old Projects- Supporting Education

In 2013 the charity began the financial support of ALPHA, a young maasai and son of Sylvia from the Oloip Maasai Dance Troop. The charity now funds ALPHA’s annual education fees and associated equipment in order to get this young boy access to an education he would otherwise not have recieved.

Meet the directors of The Woodland Ways Bushcraft Foundation

Jason Ingamells

Director

The founder of the charity Jason helps to promote and steer the work after being inspired by the simple humanity of peoples around the world. Driven by the desire to help people to understand we are all the same underneath, he is a stout believer that it is everyone's individual right to gain access to opportunities to help themselves. He has a passion for culture, history, tradition and skills sharing- particulaly those skills that come under the umbrella of Bushcraft

Sandra Higgins

Director

Sandra became involved in the project following a trip to the maasai village with Jason. Moved by the experience she had no hesitation in putting herself forwards to assist Jason with the skills required to formulate the official charity. It is very hard to try and help someone nowadays with all of the regulation and paperwork that comes with setting up a charity, and Sandra steers us through the minefield as she too has the desire to help. Sandra has since self funded trips to keep on top of progresss within the Maasai village where it all started.