President

Mervyn is President of the ICO and has been working in hospitals and private practice in Israel since emigrating in 1990.

He qualified in 1974 from the BCOM and continued his studies in osteopathy under the close tutelage of John Wernham and T.E.Hall. Working alongside John Wernham for some 15 years, a two-volume text on Osteopathic Technique was co-authored and published in 1982. Subsequently, and to date, articles on Classical Osteopathy have been regularly published in professional journals and two sets of instructional DVDs on Classical Osteopathic Technique have also been issued.

Mervyn has recently established hospital-based workshops on Classical Osteopathy in The Institute of Pain Medicine in the Rambam University Hospital in Haifa, Israel. It is his hope to provide students and graduates with an opportunity to see Classical Osteopathic treatment applied in a hospital setting with particularly difficult patients. He is also a regular guest lecturer both in Europe and Japan with a particular concern and interest to see the ICO flourish and continue to be the flagship of Classical Osteopathy world-wide.

Chairman + Lecturer

Robert Cartwright graduated first in class as an osteopath from COET in 1997 and was asked to become a clinic tutor, where he worked part-time for five years. He graduated as a Naturopath in 1998 and successfully completed a three-year course in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine in 2000. Robert left COET in 2002 after being the Clinical Competence examiner for the 5th year students’ final clinical competence exams and helping the clinic through the General Osteopathic Council recognised qualification.

Robert worked within the typical modern medical osteopathic framework until he gradually became concerned about the treatment he was using to help people, due to a mixture of results and what he’d been taught didn’t always appear to make sound physiological sense. After meeting a well-known osteopath who trained at the John Wernham College in Maidstone, who explained some of these problems coherently, Robert pursued further education via the Institute of Classical Osteopathy and British Institute of Osteopathy.

Robert has worked in private practice since 1993 and runs 2 busy osteopathic practices on the south coast, he is the Vice Chairman for the Institute of Classical Osteopathy, does occasional lecturing and presenting webinars, writes the ICO podcast and peer reviews for a manual therapy journal.

Director of Education

Christopher Batten graduated in 1989 from the Maidstone College of Osteopathy under the tutorage of the late John Wernham.

He taught pathology, osteopathic principles and the applied mechanics of the spine and pelvis at the Maidstone College of Osteopathy from 1991.

From 1991-93 he taught at The John Wernham International Academy of Classical Osteopathy at St. Joris-Weert, just outside Leuven in Belgium. There, he taught regularly on their undergraduate program until moving there for a full-time position between 1992 and 1993, teaching and running the busy undergraduate clinic.

In 1999, he was asked to teach at postgraduate level for the Institute of Classical Osteopathy (ICO).

The year 2000 saw Chris made Co-Chairman of the ICO and write its Newsletter, later taking over the running of the Postgraduate course, under John Wernham. He has subsequently become the Secretary of the ICO and is the current Director of Education.

In addition to his ICO duties, he now has a life of the travelling lecturer, teaching at various venues through Europe, Canada, Japan and Russia.

He is not registered with The General Osteopathic Council, but is a registered member of the Association of Osteomyologists and practices as an osteomyologist in Devon.

Lecturer 

Henry Lee has been Chairman of the Institute since the beginning of 2007. He graduated from the Maidstone College of Osteopathy in 1990, where after qualifying, he worked as an assistant to John Wernham for 3 years. He then set up practice with Alex Milne in Horsham, West Sussex. Over the years, he has lectured at both under and postgraduate levels and has been involved in ICO education for the past 10 years. He was instrumental in setting up the London Centre of Classical Osteopathy in 2011.

“It has been an exciting few years with a lot of activity. We have had some wonderful young osteopaths through our courses, some of whom have gone on to work within our community-based clinic in North London. We have also been busy on the publishing front with new titles in print and the production of educational DVDs.”

Secretary + Registrar

Sian graduated from the Surrey Institute of Osteopathic Medicine in 2015. During her studies, she also worked as a sports masseuse. Since graduating, she now works in clinics in Carshalton and West Wickham, as well as being an Equine Osteopath in the Surrey area.

Lecturer

Michaela graduated from The Surrey Institute of Osteopathic Medicine in 2011, where Classical Osteopathy was part of the curriculum. This gave Michaela her foundation of knowledge and led to her working alongside Classical Osteopaths and the ICO, where she was a teaching assistant on the foundation course for four years.

Michaela works in practice in Surrey part-time and as treasurer for the ICO.

Lecturer + Director Foundation Course

Alice graduated from the Surrey Institute of Osteopathic Medicine and practices classical osteopathic medicine from a holistic perspective. She also has a degree in Physics from Imperial College London, with specialism in holography. She lectures, both at SIOM and the ICO, and overseas, on the philosophy, principles, mechanics and physiology of osteopathy and is especially interested in reinstating wholeness as the central tenant of osteopathic teaching.

Lecturer + Director of the Applied Course

Ben is Head of Applied Learning at the Institute, and a Senior Lecturer specialising in classical osteopathy. He teaches across the UK and Europe, supporting osteopaths at all stages of their careers through postgraduate education.

His work is driven by a strong interest in the relationship between mechanics, physiology, and how we teach and learn effectively. He is particularly passionate about finding clear, practical ways to communicate the complex principles of classical osteopathy—making them both clinically relevant and grounded in real-world reasoning. His teaching approach emphasises critical thinking, continuity of osteopathic tradition, and the application of core concepts to everyday practice.

Alongside his academic work, he runs a busy clinical practice in North Hertfordshire, where he applies classical osteopathic methods in a contemporary healthcare setting.

Outside of osteopathy, he’s a certified scuba diver and a dedicated supporter of Saracens rugby. 

Webinar program

Since graduating from The British School of Osteopathy in 2002, 'Pindy' has continued her studies with the ICO, whilst working full time in practice. This has brought her experience of complex osteopathic cases and has built up her level of expertise within the osteopathic profession. Pindy is committed to the Classical Osteopathic approach and has built a good relationship with the ICO, and with their ethos to health and good education, has decided to take on a more active committee role to promote this to the other osteopaths. Pindy believes health is a balance and practices what she preaches by listening to Classic FM and climbing for fun.

Lecturer 

Miriam graduated from the Maidstone College of Osteopathy in 1995, and went on to do a post-graduate qualification in Naturopathy with the London College of Naturopathy, where she is now a director. She had a busy London practice from 1995 until 2008, when she moved to Portugal.  She has taught Post-Grad Osteopathy at the Maidstone College of Osteopathy and now at the ICO and the LCCO, as well as internationally.  She has also taught Naturopaths, Homoeopaths and Nutritionists.

“What I love about Classical Osteopathy is that we don’t make a distinction between Osteopathy and Naturopathy.  We take AT Still’s original remit of finding a drug-free system of healing, add the deep understanding of physiology that came from JM Littlejohn and others, and from here come the principles that we teach at ICO and that we apply to our patients.”

Lecturer 

Simon qualified from the British School of Osteopathy (now University College of Osteopathy) in 2014. He started teaching technique at the UCO in 2015 and became involved in teaching with the ICO in 2018. He is now a clinic tutor at the London Clinic of Classical Osteopathy. He is currently completing a post graduate certificate in academic and clinical education.

Staff Training Program

Amanda graduated from SIOM formerly The John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy in 2003, since this time she has run a busy clinic in Caterham, Surrey. Prior to this she worked in a gym as a sports therapist and exercise instructor.

In 2004 Amanda became a member of the Institute of Classical Osteopathy having attended and lectured on the course. She is now Clinic Coordinator and tutor at the London Clinic of Classical Osteopathy on Holloway Road, London, and an examiner for the Institute.

Since becoming an Osteopath Amanda has furthered her knowledge in alternative health care and graduated as a Homeopath, Naturopath, and Cease therapist.

Lecturer

Following a degree in Physical Education and Physiotherapy at the Catholic University at Leuven (B), Hendrik studied at the International John Wernham Academy of Classical Osteopathy at Leuven (B) in association with the Maidstone College of Osteopathy (UK).

After graduation in 1995, he started an osteopathic practice in Sion Switzerland, where he has also mentored since 1999, trainees of the Swiss School of Osteopathic Medicine.
At this school, he was an expert on the final exams for more than seven years.

Hendrik was one of the first osteopaths to pass the Swiss State Exam for osteopaths in 2008.

He was actively involved in creating the Swiss Association of Osteopaths, in which he’s still a commission member, and lectures on many of their postgraduate courses.

In October 2017, he’ll mentor in his practice the first trainees for the Swiss MSc in Osteopathy.

For many years, it has given him great pleasure to teach at the ICO.

In October 2017 and 2018 at the iO convention in London, he was one of the speakers from the ICO team.

Lecturer

Sarah graduated from the Maidstone College of Osteopathy in 1995. She continued to work in the college clinic and was then involved in the setting up of the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy at NESCOT, in Surrey. Having a keen interest in obstetrics and the treatment of children, she went on to develop her teaching in the postgraduate courses run by The Institute of Classical Osteopathy and The John Wernham College, as well as running a busy clinic.

She now has three children, so she works part-time, but maintains her keen involvement in the Institute. Studying to be a breastfeeding counsellor and being involved in the NCT has consolidated her knowledge and interest in treating during pregnancy and treating babies and children.

Guest Lecturer

Chris Campbell graduated from the Maidstone College of Osteopathy in 1988 and continued to study under John Wernham up to the early part of this century. During that time, he served for a number of years as Vice Principal under Wernham and as Chairperson of the Institute of Classical Osteopathy.

On returning to Ireland for family reasons in 1988, he set up practice in Dublin and commuted to Maidstone to fulfil his duties as Vice Principal, a position he had to relinquish as his practice and family responsibilities grew.

Chris Campbell currently practises from the Littlejohn Centre in Dublin and continues to teach osteopathic principles, technique and the treatment of children, mostly at postgraduate level.

Lecturer and AIOC Director

Paul has a background of degree in motor sciences, a degree in physiotherapy, diploma in osteopathy. He met J Wernham in 2001 in Italy, at a conference and decided to study classical osteopathy at the JWCCO. Later, with some friends, he founded the Italian Association of Classical Osteopathy in 2006, following J Wernham's will to spread classical osteopathy in Italy. He is passionate about Osteopathy of the origins, the traditional approach, the classical principles, philosophy and mechanics applied to osteopathy.

Lecturer + SFOW Director

With 24 years of hands-on experience, Sandy has evolved her professional career from Shiatsu therapy into Osteopathy. As well as running her own successful practice and serving as a highly respected Anatomy teacher in Toronto, she is now an international lecturer for the Institute of Classical Osteopathy.

Graduating from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy & Holistic Health Sciences with a Diploma in Osteopathic Manipulative Theory and Practice in 2008, she went on to complete her Master's Osteopathic Manipulative Science education in 2010. Sandy is a member of the Registry of Osteopaths, the Ontario Osteopathic Association and the Institute of Classical Osteopathy. 

Sandy is a director and volunteer for the Society for Osteopathic Wellness, and is constantly learning and improving her skills. She is also a guest speaker for the Running Room, community centres and special interest groups.

Lecturer + IEOC Director

Diego lives and works in Spain, where he runs a busy osteopathic clinic in Pamplona. He runs courses and the Postgraduate Diploma in Classical Osteopathy in Barcelona.

Lecturer

Louise graduated from BCOM in 2018 winning the iO Rising Star Award. During her first year of practice, Louise began to feel that the approach she had graduated with was not enabling her to apply the principles of Osteopathy in clinic. This led her to enrol in the ICO’s diploma course in 2019, and she has since joined the lecturing team in 2024.

Louise runs a team of five Osteopaths in North Hertfordshire and is currently studying a postgraduate diploma in Women's Health.