For people dealing with serious, chronic or terminal illnesses, contact with nature has many benefits, promoting healing and reducing pain and stress. Caring for people in such situations is also stressful, and many carers need a relaxing break every now and again.

The Hut of Wellbeing for Fife (HOWFF) is a woodland hut in Fife, available for short stays to those in need of respite due to health or other problems. It was dreamt up by a Reforesting Scotland member who had to give up his own plans to build a hut after a cancer diagnosis, but wanted to make the stress-relieving experience of a stay in a simple shelter close to nature available to others in difficult situations.

A group of hutters, potential users, architects and builders have worked together and produced a hut design tailored to the needs of the site and its users. Money to build the hut was raised from RS core funds, a crowdfunding campaign, a National Lottery grant and donations from local trusts and businesses. Donations are still needed to cover the costs of running the hut. If you would like to donate you can use the button below.

Referrals for the hut are made by organisations in Fife working with eligible people, such as the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, Fife Carers, Maggies and Respitality. If your organisation would like to become a referrer, please contact Reforesting Scotland.

WE ARE CURRENTLY looking for two new people to join volunteer Andrew Johnson in welcoming people to the hut. Welcomers meet new guests and show them the ropes and also get the hut ready for the next guest. Andrew says that it is a fulfilling job and guests say that it is a key part of making their stay an enjoyable one. We can pay any expenses and Andrew will train up new volunteers. If you live in or near Falkland and you are interested, please contact heartwood@reforestingscotland.org.