Building community connection through nature
With funding from both the Cockburnspath & Cove Community Fund and the Scottish Building Society Foundation, Wee Wildings set out to build a beach hut to provide better access to nature and the outdoors for their community.
Background
Wee Wildlings is a constituted community group established in 2020 in Coldingham, in the Scottish Borders. The group was founded to help combat the isolation experienced by families, particularly parents with young children, by facilitating access to wild swimming and other nature connection activities in Coldingham Bay.
The Challenge
Many parents and carers found it daunting to spend long periods outdoors with young children, especially without somewhere to shelter, feed babies, or provide a safe space for little ones to rest. The practicalities were challenging too – families struggled with storing equipment like wetsuits and toys, whilst unpredictable weather often meant cancelled plans. For some families, the cost of outdoor gear created an additional hurdle. There were also understandable concerns about keeping children safe in natural environments. All of these factors could make the prospect of outdoor adventures feel overwhelming.
The Solution
Wee Wildlings successfully applied to lease a beach hut plot at Coldingham Bay from the Scottish Borders Council. The project involved constructing a purpose-built facility to serve as a base for activities including wild swimming and nature connection programmes. The hut provides secure storage for equipment, toys, safety gear, and spare clothing, alongside shelter and facilities for feeding babies, changing, and providing a safe napping space. Additionally, the facility functions as a community hub for hosting events, yoga sessions, and beach clean-ups, whilst offering a welcoming space for families who may be cautious about outdoor activities.
Funding The Solution
The total cost of the project was just over £6,000. Wee Wildings applied for funding through Foundation Scotland, to both the Cockburnspath & Cove Community Fund and the Scottish Building Society Foundation, and was awarded just under £5,500 through both funds. Foundation Scotland also awarded an additional £500 through our Response Fund. To raise the remaining project costs, the group launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign through which it secured a further £500.
Outcomes and Impact
The project held a launch celebration in June 2025 and the beach hut has become a true community asset, with 60 families now registered as members. The facility has made outdoor activities much more accessible, particularly for families with young children or additional needs who previously felt outdoor adventures were too challenging.
Having a warm, dry space means activities can run year-round, and families feel more confident knowing there's somewhere safe to change and rest. The hut has also opened up new possibilities, hosting welcome events and yoga sessions, which help draw in new members and strengthen community connections.
Small Scale Projects don’t mean Small Impact
The Wee Wildlings beach hut project demonstrates how small-scale, community-led initiatives can enhance local wellbeing and environmental connection. The project's success stemmed from identifying barriers to outdoor participation and creating practical solutions through collaborative effort and sustainable practices. They have successfully created a sustainable project for the people of Coldingham and the surrounding communities.
Rebecca Hill from Wee Wildings noted:
" The build of the hut has been a journey, and we have been lucky to have donations from local timber yards and have a very talented boatbuilder building it for us. He has designed a beautiful door to the hut, and we are all so happy with how it’s turned out. We thought long and hard to make sure our hut is inclusive to local families and carers. The launch was such a special moment for us as a community, as it means being out in nature is so much more accessible, especially for parents/carers of young children... our members can feel confident and comfortable bringing their wee wildlings to Coldingham Bay."