About Brampton Valley Group

What Sets Us Apart From the Rest, Why Are We The Best?

Brampton Valley Training & Assessments is an independent training provider based in South Northants, in the heart of England. We specialise in Forestry, Arboriculture, tree surgery and other land-based training. As a leading Lantra Awards & City & Guilds (NPTC) Approved Centre we can offer a wide range of industry recognised qualifications. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are on hand to offer our clients professional and up-to-date advice on all industry recognised training requirements. Our Training Centre is ideally situated in South Northamptonshire with great access from the M1 & M40. We have a fully equipped classroom and workshop facility as well as many stunning woodlands to manage and a wealth of fantastic trees to climb. In addition to the Lantra Awards & City & Guilds (NPTC) qualifications, we are able to offer a wide range of bespoke training which can be tailored to suit our clients requirements. We aim to deliver these courses by using only recognised instructors who have years of industry experience and knowledge. Our instructors not only train you to be successful in your assessment, but also pass on their many years of knowledge, experience and skills in their chosen subject whether it is arboriculture, forestry, agriculture or horticulture.

Our Accreditations

Meet The Team

Dane Wood Description

I have been working in the Arboricultural and Forestry industry since 2004 where I completed a National Certificate in Arboriculture at Sparsholt College. This gave me the fundamentals to be able to work in various sectors within the industry. I spent a lot of time working for several companies gaining experience in Urban Arboriculture, Railway and Utility, as well as Forestry operations. I enjoy the challenges which are often found in these different sectors. In September 2007 I went to Moulton College to complete a Foundation Degree in Arboriculture where I also started my training career alongside studying. I left Moulton College in 2011 having completed my FDSc in Arboriculture and started a position as an Arboricultural Consultant. In 2012, the Brampton Valley Training & Assessments journey began. Currently I am a Lantra Instructor and Verifier and have enjoyed working with many industry experts to assist with the development of current and future industry qualifications. I am also an NPTC Assessor for many Chainsaw and UA qualifications. Over the last 6 years, I have developed a passion for angling, with my main sport being spent targeting Pike, Perch and Zander from a kayak! I have had the privilege of being a member of the Ocean Kayak UK Fishing team as well as the Old Town Kayak Fishing Team and have gone on to compete in lure fishing competitions in both the UK and Europe, with trips to Holland and Sweden, Holland producing me a Second Place out of 80 European kayak anglers. In the UK I have won the WPC for 2 consecutive years 2017, 208 and a second place in 2019 on the legendary Grafham Water. My other hobbies also include DJing and I enjoy spending time with friends and family.


Helen Wood Centre Manager/Director

I worked for Brampton Valley Group LTD for a short period of time back in early 2012 when it was Brampton Valley Training & Assessments. I also worked within the NHS at this time too. In 2012 my main role was office based but I did venture outside of the office and tried my hand at using a chainsaw! I am pleased to say that I passed my Chainsaw Maintenance, Crosscutting, Felling and Processing trees up to 380mm (CS30/31). From mid to late 2012 I took a step back from Brampton Valley and carried on pursuing my career in the NHS. For the first 5 years I spent my time in the Operating Theatres of the hospital (I saw some cool things). I then finished the remainder of my 10-year NHS career working in Mental Health at my local Psychiatric Hospital. I have now gone full circle and come back to Brampton Valley Group LTD. My role is still very much office based but on the odd occasion I may go out and get my hands dirty. Outside of work I enjoy going on walks with our dog Timber who is a crazy Cocker Spaniel! I like doing Jigsaw puzzles and am more dangerous in Waterstones than any clothes shop.


Liam Evans Description

I started the company with around 3.5 years experience in the industry and straight away was put into a team leader position undertaking an arrangement of jobs from small felling, dismantling and reductions to big technical rigging takedowns, big fells and big tree reductions. From the beginning Dane helped me progress from pillar to post not only by putting me on more courses but investing his time and energy to helping me towards who I am today. Now I am the company's Operations manager in charge of the Tree teams that go out each day and I make up a team leader/lead climber to run a team of my own. If I'm not out on the tools with the lads, running big jobs, in the office or quoting then you will find me teaching or Assessing as I am also a Lantra instructor and a NPTC assessor. What I love most about BVG is the warm loving family environment, as well as the time and effort we all put into each other not only to help the company grow but more importantly the individual. In my spare time I volunteer at different organisations to help addicts, alcoholics and the homeless people in northamptonshire. I feel I am an approachable kind of guy, and I do my job to the best of my ability but I also recognise the need to enjoy and have fun in life.


Pauline Mallard Description

My name is Pauline Mallard and I have been at Brampton Valley Group since its inception, with breaks in between. I have currently been with the Company for over a year now on a part time basis. My main roles are Quality Assurance for both training and arboriculture contracting, together with Health and Safety. My background was within the NHS, I have been able to use transferable skills for Brampton Valley Group. I like the variety of work the position offers and helping to maintain the high standards that have been achieved. My hobbies include, walking, reading and “ladies who lunch”.


Becky Peace Lead Arboricultural Consultant

Starting off my career at an early age as child labour in a tree nursery my experience in arboriculture is varied. From teaching, surveying and consultancy I have gained a lot of knowledge throughout the years. Since 2014 I have been working with Brampton Valley Group as a trainer and surveyor and now head the Consultancy Department. We have been lucky enough to work with some very notable clients including The Bushcraft Company, The Church Conservation Trust, The Wildlife Trust, The National Trust, Stowe Gardens and a number of large rural schools and estates amongst many others. I possess the LANTRA Professional Tree Inspectors Qualification and the QTRA and I am also an instructor for the LANTRA Basic Tree Inspection Course that we run here at BVG. I am a past HND student of Writtle Agricultural College in Essex with various additional arboricultural qualifications gained over the decades. Over the last couple of years I have been developing a new surveying software which we now use as part of the BVT surveying process. As a hobby I am an occasional panel member of BBC Radio Northampton’s Gardeners Question Time providing expert advice on trees and shrubs for the Kitchen Garden Show usually broadcast on Sundays. Apart from trees my other passion is music and I am also in a punk band murdering songs that should never be covered.


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