Our influencers are all real-life ‘do-ers’. Here’s how we became preppers…
Mike (UK Urban Prepper on YouTube):
I was brought up with a prepared mindset, but started prepping seriously after I started to
research more about the Carrington Event (big solar flare) and the statistics around it
happening again.
My main focus is to get the message of preparing to as many people as possible… before it’s
too late.
I’m good at bringing people together and am a passionate speaker.
Brian (Scottish Prepper 73 on Youtube):
My prepping journey started during a bad winter in 2010. Snow had shut the roads and shops,
and I had to trudge through the snow to gather what I could for my wife and kids. At that
point, I swore I’d never be in that position again.
Niche-wise, I tend to concentrate on backup power supplies, solar, and power banks, etc.
Skills: I am a mechanical/ electrical engineer by profession and am comfortable building and
working with 12v to 430v systems, engines, generator sets, etc.
Andy (The Bombardier and Andy H – Shadows & Sightings):
I always had a prepared mindset whilst serving in the British Army. I started prepping when
we were deployed to help with the floods in York back in 2015. My skill sets are all military-
based, from intelligence gathering, military shelters and kit/equipment – things of that nature.
My partner got on board with prepping after the COVID-19 lockdowns.
My second channel – Shadows & Sightings relates to my interest in the paranormal and the
supernatural. I’ve had experiences that started in childhood when I saw something not from
this world! That continued during my military career, which culminated in witnessing a UFO
during a deployment to Afghanistan in 2013!
Barry (BrownCoat Prepper):
I think I’ve always been a prepper, long before the term got into the mainstream media. My
grandparents taught me sewing, ironing, never to let food go to waste, and gardening etc.
Certainly, the last 5+ years have been a wake-up call with events happening all over the
world, not just here in our country. Weather patterns changing, war, the influx of foreign
nationals, both legal and illegal and the ever-increasingly incompetent governments we have to endure.
I searched the internet for answers, and preppers overseas seemed to hold the key to possible
solutions. However, some were very extreme in their views, while a few were more down-to-
earth, practical folk. But something was still missing: the British element. Our country has its own rules, quirks, etc., and at the time, there were very, very few preppers or survivalists. But still, nothing for a total novice just starting out.
That is where the idea for Browncoat Prepper UK was born. The name comes from a love of sci-fi and trying to find a name that was not already in use, which was surprisingly hard. It’s a little rebellious, too.
As a novice, I try to document my journey, no holds barred. The videos might be rough and
few and far between, but if they help just one fellow novice prepper on their journey, then it has been worth it.
Allan (World Survivalist)
For me, survivalism is a mindset; navigating the world without relying on others or a
sanitised society.
It’s about recognising my needs and meeting them through situational awareness and learned
skills. My niche is adapting to wilderness environments through practical skills and
immersion in nature. Prepping, to me, is simply survivalism in a domestic or urban setting,
with the same principles, but different skills and tools, often with a more family or
community aspect in mind.
Miss Worm (Miss Worm on YouTube):
I started prepping in 2014 when a nurse with Ebola was brought back to the UK. Luckily,
nothing happened, but it struck me that even a minor error in containment could have
devastating consequences. My partner got on board at the end of 2019 when I managed to
convince him that something was about to happen – an understatement if ever there was one!
Organisation, research, and brainstorming are probably my key areas. Our income is below
the poverty line, so I know how to prep for pennies, and I’m a great believer in taking one
step at a time and maximising what you already have—be that food, space, or brainpower!
My YouTube channel isn’t related to prepping, so when you need a break from the real
world, you can hear me narrating classic and original ghost stories.
