South West Survival

South West Survival is a specialist survival and bushcraft school based in the South West of England, founded and led by serving British Commando Steven Kelly – a Warrant Officer in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and survivalist on Discovery’s Naked and Afraid and Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse. Operating mainly on and around Dartmoor and the wider South West, South West Survival delivers realistic, down-to-earth outdoor training that’s designed for normal people – families, youth groups, veterans and workplaces – not just elite soldiers or TV personalities. At its core, South West Survival exists to help people become more capable, more confident and harder to break in the outdoors and in everyday life. The training blends: Real Commando fieldcraft and SERE experience – honed over decades of global deployments and exercises. Modern survival and bushcraft skills – fire, shelter, water, foraging, navigation, tool use and campcraft. Mindset and resilience coaching – practical tools for staying calm, thinking clearly and working as a team under pressure. What South West Survival offers South West Survival runs a wide range of experiences, including: Introductory bushcraft & survival days Friendly, accessible courses that teach the fundamentals: safe fire-lighting, basic shelter building, water sourcing and purification, knife and tool safety, and essential navigation. Ideal for beginners, individuals and small groups. Family and kids’ adventures Structured, age-appropriate sessions that get children off screens and into the woods. Kids learn outdoor safety, simple campcraft, respect for nature and teamwork – often leaving with a huge confidence boost and new skills. Overnight and advanced experiences For those wanting a deeper challenge, South West Survival offers longer, more demanding courses that simulate real-world survival situations, always with professional oversight and clear safety margins. Corporate and team-building events Bespoke days and weekends for companies and organisations, using survival scenarios to build communication, leadership, problem-solving and resilience. Activities are tailored to the group and linked back to the workplace. Veteran and forces-community events Regular campfire meet-ups and courses where serving personnel and veterans can reconnect outdoors, share stories and rebuild community around the fire rather than in a bar. The atmosphere is relaxed, supportive and grounded in shared military experience. Schools and youth groups Curriculum-linked or enrichment sessions that give young people hands-on outdoor education: from fire and shelter basics to team challenges and nature awareness, with clear risk assessments and safeguarding built in. How South West Survival works South West Survival keeps group sizes small to maximise learning, safety and support. Every session starts with a clear safety brief and is run by experienced instructors who are used to working with a wide range of ages, abilities and backgrounds. The style is straight-talking and relaxed: * No fake “army shouting” or macho nonsense * Plenty of humour, honest stories from Commando life and survival TV * Constant focus on doing things safely and correctly, not just quickly Underneath the practical skills, every course emphasises three things: 1. Skills – simple, reliable techniques that actually work in UK conditions. 2. Mindset – how to control fear, make decisions and keep moving when things go wrong. 3. Community – looking after the people with you and leaving the land better than you found it. Why train with South West Survival People choose South West Survival because it offers something rare: genuine operational and TV survival experience, delivered in a way that is approachable and useful for ordinary families, teams and individuals. Whether you want to: * Learn how to keep your family safe outdoors * Give your kids a confidence-building adventure * Develop your team’s resilience and leadership * Or simply spend a day on Dartmoor learning from a serving Commando and survival TV veteran South West Survival provides memorable, professionally run experiences that leave you more prepared, more resilient and more connected to the natural world.