About Wild Oak Workshops
Wild Oak offers creative experiences that are inspired by Nature, to help people feel connected with nature, here in West Norfolk.
Our workshops are held either here at The Nest, Watatunga, Ely Cathedral and Church in the Fields. We also bring tailored workshops to organisations that wish to offer their team some ‘headspace’ and create together.
Wild Oak Workshops was founded by Katie Haydn-Slater, inspired herself by our natural surroundings and recognising the benefit to people slowing down, reconnecting with nature and unleashing the creative self that is within us all.
Activities, workshops and services
Seasonal
With a strong emphasis on seasonal inspiration, our current autumnal and winter seasonal workshops include Smudging and Christmas Wreathing sessions.
Throughout the year
We can bring or create a seasonal workshops to enhance the wellbeing of teams, colleagues, friends or family. It might be a get together with friends, doing something that enhances our connection with nature, or a breakout day with us bringing a nature experience into the workspace. We have created seasonal workshops for Seedlip, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, King’s Lynn Town Hall and can also provide a fully catered light lunch for bespoke workshop days or half day events. Our Team Together days are also really popular.
The Nest
Available to book for business or friends, The Nest – is nestled at the bottom of a Farmhouse garden, under the 200 yr old Oak tree. Cladded in English Oak panels, fully insulated, The Nest comfortably accommodates up to 10 guests and offers decent WiFi! With a kettle and a large fridge, plus hot running water in two Butler sinks for customer use, along with a log burner to keep friends, colleagues or clients nice and toasty during the winter months!
Floral Tributes
Our funeral floristry creations are natural, seasonal, abundant and wild as inspired by Nature.
We always include locally harvested gatherings, with accents of a dash of colour, if that is desired, or seasonal blooms to symbolise the person who has recently passed away. I will always use masses of foliage such as laurel, eucalyptus, bay plus seasonal foliage like oak, beech and viburnum.
Career reflections
My message to you? Don’t worry if you ‘Don’t know’ what you want to do or be in your future life........it is incredibly rare that anyone does, certainly when you are young. So stick your hand up and try everything........you never know what skills you are gaining which you will use in future jobs.
Think of your Job journey as a Daisy Chain.....each one connects to the next. Who knows where it will take you! " - Katie
When I was 15 and trying to decide what A-levels I wanted to choose, I had no idea what I wanted to do!
I loved Art and could describe in words vividly what I wanted to say, so I chose History of Art, Art and English. After that I was considering a Foundation Art course for one year at an Art College, but when I was visiting these amazing creative places, I saw their Textiles department.....fabrics, silks, leather, fur, buttons, tassels, ribbons, rainbows of colours and textures.
My sister lived in London and suggested I try a course in ‘Interior Design’ - 'What was that?' I asked!
Soon I'd applied to the The Inchbald School of Design for a 3 Month Diploma. Even though it was a short course, I learnt so much! It totally opened my eyes to the wonderful world of Interior design and gave me just enough training and skills to start at the bottom and get my first job.
From then on I worked all over London in different Interior Design roles, honing my core skills of organisation, planning, being positive and approachable to my clients, capable and committed to getting things done.
One of the roles I adored was dressing a house for the final reveal, once we had hung all the beautiful new curtains, the furniture specially designed was in place - we just needed the final flourish. This was Floristry! So I would go to Covent Garden Flower Market at 3am to gather beautiful blooms brought in from all around the world but it was the English flowers and all the glorious greenery, foliage and wild harvestings that I was always drawn to. Christmas Wreathes and Garlands, Easter Spring bulbs nestled in Moss in wicker baskets, Huge bouquets of Paeonies and blossoms........This was my favourite part.
The minute I arrived here in Norfolk, I was amazed at how abundant the hedgerows were and realised that most of the greenery I had been buying in London had originally been grown right here! As I was now looking after my new tiny child, our walks in Nature took on a treasure hunt every time we went outside. Acorns, Lichen covered twigs, leaves, caterpillars, lady birds, butterflies all made their way back to our kitchen table to be marvelled at. I realised that gathering and wandering in the woods was incredibly relaxing and brought me and my daughter such happiness and I started to buy more and more books about wildlife and nature.
I hung my first Wild Whopper Wreath on my front door and was so happy when my girlfriends, other mums from school were amazed and begged me to show them how I made it......and so ‘Wild Oak Workshops’ was born! I now share my love of nature, my creative skills with others, giving them all sorts of fascinating facts about the natural ingredients they are working with.
Sending you Positive Thoughts and a friendly shove to Just do it! - Katie (You can read my full story here)
