Elaine Collins

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Describe the kind of work the individual has done in the community.

Elaine Collins from Cardenden, Fife, is a volunteer with a keen interest in maintaining and upgrading paths, developing routes and addressing access issues. She took early retirement in 2009, intending to do the Munro circuit but tragically her mother became very ill in 2010 and as an only child she provided essential care and support till her mother passed away in 2013. Thereafter, Elaine joined Ramblers Scotland where she started to become aware of Scottish access rights and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Shortly after, Elaine then started the Cardenden Walking Club to provide an all-inclusive free walking club with up to  60 members who share her passion for access, path work, saving greenspace and creating a positive environment.

In 2017 Elaine joined the Fife Access Forum as a representative for the Ramblers where she learnt more about local access issues, assisting in cases resolving access problems with local landowners to improve access for all. However recently Elaine took a decision to retire from the Forum as Elaine and her Husband also maintain almost 4 miles of paths of paths in  Pitcairn woods, Cardenden, by mowing and strimming plus general maintenance of benches that they installed. On top of all the maintenance works involved in that project, maintaining Bowhill woodland plus other projects in the pipeline, Elaine took a decision that her time was best spent on these types of projects plus maintaining her Ramblers involvement.

Over the years Elaine has also built-up positive relationships with local businesses which includes some of the larger corporate companies in the area, such as RWE, Purvis and SP Energy. All of which has resulted in support for community engagement days, grants and corporate volunteer support with path restoration works. Last year over 30 business participants joined the Walking Club for volunteers' day and there are around 10 to 12 club members who assist the group on a regular basis with litter picks and vegetation clearance. There is also a local resident who is a major in the Army who is looking to work in partnership with the Walking Club to support future Bowhill woodland and paths restoration projects which is at the early stages of negotiation.

In 2023, Elaine produced a booklet highlighting local walks, including some routes that she has upgraded with her Walking Club volunteers so that locals and visitors to the area can have a better idea of what is on offer in the area. Although much of Elaine’s work is concentrated in and around the Cardenden area, because of her Ramblers role, she does on occasion get asked to provide help and support in other areas and the following are examples of projects that Elaine and her network of volunteers have been involved in, all of which involved a lot of volunteer hours, are a really interesting read, with at times really funny stories to tell:

• Bowhill Woodland

Bowhill Community Woodland is an urban woodland containing a variety of waymarked routes and three core paths. It is of historical interest and features in mining-landscapes.org (route 39) as it was created on the site of a former colliery. Sadly, the woodland not been maintained for over 20 years. Elaine undertook an inspection in January 2024 and was appalled as most routes were blocked by significant tree fall, routes were badly flooded with way markers and other signage engulfed in vegetation and fly tipping was evident in several areas with litter permeated over the whole area. Trees had also not been coppiced for almost 20 years, so young saplings had narrowed routes. Elaine contacted the link person in grounds maintenance in Fife Council in February to inform him about the state of the woodland and suggest that this could be tackled through a whole community volunteer approach in partnership with Fife Council and that was how the transformation started. Maintenance works continue driven by Elaine and her team of volunteers.
In Elaines own words “This project has been huge but very enjoyable, we produced a full report in November 2024, but we have progressed much further from then, although the January 2025 storm almost put us back to square one! We rolled our sleeves up though and four volunteers from the Walking club cleared almost 150 trees. We rebuilt structures and in March 2025 we replanted 150 trees with 8000 daffodil bulbs planted last November plus wildflower seeds, fruit trees and grass seed in some bare areas. Way markers have been repainted, new signage installed, and new routes created with new signage.  More natural benches and log seats have also been placed throughout the route and a leaflet promoting the woodland has been placed in key buildings across the village. Two new pedestrian gates were also installed to ensure all ability access. Future plans to include the Community Payback Team coming out in April to repair five areas of the path network and in June a local company, Purves are providing a digger and roller to finish the main access road repair. However, there is still some work to do in the woodland …..I always said it was a marathon not a sprint however what has been achieved in 5 months is amazing (albeit I acknowledge I have a short-term fairy godfather!). In all the volunteer path work projects I have undertaken, this has been one of the most rewarding. The footfall in the area has increased so so much.  People in the village are just delighted and visitors to the area following the mining-landscapes.org walks can now do so much more easily.”

• Pitcairn Path Network (Cardenden)

Elaine with her group of volunteers created and upgraded several routes to make a 4-mile network of paths, linked to existing core paths and rights of way. The network was completed in 2018 with support from a Tesco Bags of Help award and the Forestry Commission. Work involved path clearing, cutting new paths, upgrading surfaces with aggregate, sculpting switchbacks and installing handrails and benches. At one point in this project one of the paths needed aggregate coverage. However, as there was no vehicle access, Elaine and her volunteers took on the momentous task of carrying carrier bags of type 1 aggregate multiple times over 400m every night for a week to complete the path coverage. These paths are now cut, strimmed and maintained by Elaine and her husband Chris with support from a local resident. 

• Fife Core Path 516, Jamphlars to Viaduct, Cardenden 

This core path provides an essential link from the centre of Cardenden to outlying core paths and other routes. The last 400m of this path skirts the RWE plant and recycling plant. Elaine and her volunteers worked with two different landowners to put in a fenced and surfaced path. This was done with funding from RWE and the local housing association, with advice from Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, support from a local farmer and volunteers from RWE. Funders were acknowledged by engraving their names into the gates at either end.

• The Wallace Stane (situated on Core path 519 in Cardenden)

During Covid a 2-mile section of a core path became very popular with local walkers. As such, Elaine’s group was approached by residents about installing a bench at the top of the steep hill on this route. They were able to install a temporary bridge from pallets which was well used, but Forestry & Land Scotland later asked for it to be removed as they wanted them to use a standard bench (£550+VAT) and required high standards for insurance, installation and maintenance. Instead, a local farmer sourced a large boulder with a flat top and used his tractor to put it in place as a stone seat and hey presto a ready-made, maintenance free seat, which is called ‘the Wallace Stane’ named after the farmer, with the stone blending beautifully into the countryside.

• Westerton Bridge (Lochgelly)

This is a very old wooden bridge over a burn at the end of a right of way that connects two core paths. It had become dilapidated over the years, but a metal replacement was estimated to cost at least £11,000. While the process of getting a new bridge is ongoing, Elaine’s group has carried out substantial repairs to enable continued use of the bridge. Volunteer works involved strengthening the struts, replacing the boards, adding anti-slip materials and single use signage. This was completed with £1,000 funding from local Housing Associations.

• Old North Road Bridges (situated in countryside between Cowdenbeath to Auchtertool)

These bridges are situated on a route in a remote piece of woodland near Cowdenbeath and Auchtertool. Elaine was approached by a member of Burntisland Community Council back in 2022 for advice on how these two bridges could be replaced. They were originally installed by Mossmorran in the late 80s but were now in a state of disrepair and were located on a core path/ROW route. Initially Elaine pointed them in the direction of Fife Coast and Countryside Trust for assistance, but they could not help as it was not accessible to them. Thus, in May 2024, representing Cardenden Community Council at a Mossmorran Exxon Mobile liaison group meeting, Elaine enquired whether they would consider replacing these. To her surprise they were very interested, and true to their word this was done in late summer by a site visit by several engineers where an agreed plan of action was formulated. The new bridges were installed in October 2024 by a team of corporate volunteers from ExxonMobil and linked companies. They worked relentlessly from 7am till 4pm and the results were outstanding. Two new bridges of composite anti-slip material were used in the build. The Forum and Walking Club are also hopeful that there may be a Phase 2 to the project which would include installing some more route markers and tidying up of the Right of Way (ROW). 

However, to ensure full access Elaine’s involvement included visiting the three landowners involved to work out access. The best of which was down a very bumpy track and across a field, but this had to be done after crops were harvested. Elaine then had to arrange somewhere for people to park for the duration of the task as access was from a single track Puddledub road. Elaine took a chance and knocked on a house door on this road and the owner agreed to parking on her drive. Elaine then liaised with the Mossmoran team, to visit the site to scope it out in early summer, measurements were taken, materials ordered, and   bridges built in sections. Then after harvesting, the bridges were installed at a cost of almost £10,000 thus ensuring access for all to this ancient right of way again. There is also an ancient Standing Stane on this route recognised by Historic Scotland, so it was really important this route was accessible again.

• Fordell Estate gate

Fordell Estate is a beautiful area situated near Crossgates and Dalgety Bay. On the Dalgety Bay side of the estate is the site of a large ancient metal gate to a strip of land that links two key areas within the estate for walking. It had long been a mystery as to who locked the gate, thereby denying access. From her work on the Fife Access Forum, Elaine ascertained it was owned by a Barry Trenton who lived in a large house on the Fordell Estate. She arranged to meet him onsite and explained that the route was a crucial link. His concern was that opening the gate would cause illegal access by bikes. The compromise he made was to build a wooden panel at the side with a hidden hinged door with hidden latch. This ensured the link was available to walkers but safe from illegal usage.

• Hill of Beath hill access

Often Elaine is approached by walkers from other areas of Fife who are looking for access advice. One of these was a query from the Hill of Beath Community Council (CC) who wanted to improve the walking access route to the Hill of Beath hill. Elaine met a CC representative on site, assessed the issue and suggested that the Fife Council’s Community Payback team would be a good source to work on vegetation clearance to open up the route. Elaine then contacted the team and undertook a site visit with the team and a work plan was agreed and duly undertaken. The result was a lovely clear path for users and Elaine also negotiated any maintenance, to be undertaken by the Community Payback team for future years.

What impact has this person had on the local community

From the summary and testimonials provided detailing the huge amount of organisation, volunteer hours (which is hard to quantify) and on-the-ground work, it is quite clear that the impact, not just on the local surrounding communities, has been huge. Elaine and her band of volunteers from all walks of life, has worked tirelessly, often lobbying the local Council, to bring back into community use, neglected woodlands and core path historical routes, planting trees and native plants and installing signage and rest points. Thus, encouraging a sense of local pride, community cohesion and easier access into the countryside. 
However, Elaine would say she is not a one-man-band and couldn't have done this without all the support and encouragement she has been given along the way. As such, Elaine I know, would want to acknowledge all the volunteers in the surrounding villages who are community champions in their own right plus the support given from other organisations, which has been immense:

•        Cardenden Walking Group
•        Cardenden Community Council
•        Cardenden History Group
•        Cardenden Community Development Forum
•        Local schools and scouts' group
•        Ramblers Assocation
•        Fife Council Officers and Elected Members
•        Fife Council Community Payback Team
•        Fife Coast and Countryside Trust
•        Purvis Group
•        RWE
•        SP Energy
•        Local Housing Associations

And last but not least Elaine’s Husband, Chris Brain who has worked tirelessly alongside Elaine on all these amazing projects and is equally a true community champion. However, we shouldn't forget the hundreds and hundreds of knitted hats and neck warmers Elaine also makes to raise funds for the Cardenden Walking Club, which is their main source of income. Elaine truly is an inspiration.

Why should this person win a Scottish Civic Trust My Place Community Champion Award?

The following are testimonials from people who have worked closely with Elaine and her volunteer group working tirelessly to ensure local communities have access to local historic walking routes in the area.

•        Dave Roy, Chair – Cardenden Community Development Forum
Elaine has been an active member of the Cardenden Community Development Forum for a number of years. Elaine represents the Cardenden Walking Group on the Forum. She works tirelessly, and along with her band of volunteers has helped to transform the local woodlands around Cardenden and make the walks a pleasurable experience. This improvement work includes new paths, repairs to existing paths, tree planting, fruit tree planting, a nice leaflet which includes a map of the walks, walking routes and local information etc. Elaine is an active collaborator and works closely and in partnership with Fife Council, Safer Communities Fife, Community Payback Team and local companies. This collaboration helps when resources such as wood, gravel etc are required for the paths. She also enlists manual help from some of those people where required. She is currently co-ordinating a project that will see a state-of-the-art CCTV camera installed across from Wallsgreen Park. This camera will provide improved community safety and crime prevention within the village. 

Elaine is also currently arranging for a dog exercise area to be built within Wallsgreen Park in Cardenden. This will allow dog owners to let their dogs off the leash and keep them in a controlled area and away from the public, children etc. I think Elaine deserves an award for all of the wonderful work she has done around Cardenden. As mentioned above, she works tirelessly to help to improve the open spaces and woodlands around Cardenden. This in turn is good for people's health and wellbeing.  

•        Cllr Rosemary Liewald (Ward 8 Cowdenbeath Area)
For several years, Elaine has had a keen interest in recreational walking, which led her to become a member of the Fife Access Forum. This, in turn, inspired the formation of the Cardenden Walking Club, which has grown incredibly over the years and now boasts a membership of up to 60 keen walkers. Elaine’s commitment to the community has since extended further, as she now plays an active role in both the Cardenden Community Council and the Cardenden Community Development Forum.

Several years ago, Elaine became involved with the Minto Woodland Project, and we are near the stage of securing full funding to upgrade the paths throughout the woodland to a high, accessible standard. This progress is a direct result of Elaine’s genuine commitment and passion. She truly recognises the significant benefits that outdoor walking and accessible green spaces bring to the entire community.

Another significant and impactful project Elaine took on several months ago is the Bowhill Woodland Restoration. Led by Elaine Collins of the Cardenden Walking Group, this initiative is breathing new life into a long-overlooked area and bringing the community together in meaningful and lasting ways. The project focuses on reforestation, the removal of invasive species, and the reintroduction of native plants and wildlife to foster biodiversity and support a healthy ecosystem.

The Bowhill Woodland was originally laid out in the late 1960s on land reclaimed from the spoil heaps—or "bings"—of the former Bowhill Pit, which was essentially composed of coal dust. At that time, Fife Council planted a good mix of native trees and laid out a network of tracks. However, the area had not been coppiced in over 15 years prior to this restoration effort. Under Elaine’s leadership, the project has brought together volunteers, local authorities, Fife Council’s grounds maintenance team, local businesses such as RWE and Purvis, and conservationists from Fife Coast and Countryside Trust. Looking ahead, the project aims to involve local schools and youth groups, helping to instil a sense of environmental responsibility in younger generations.

By participating in activities like tree planting, path maintenance, and educational nature walks, young people gain hands-on experience and a deeper appreciation for conservation. The recent completion of a Bug Hotel is just the beginning of many initiatives aimed at supporting the local ecosystem. Restoration work undertaken by Elaine and her team of volunteers has also included upgraded paths, installation of gates, waymarked posts, and extensive bulb planting, all of which contribute to making the woodland more accessible, engaging, and beneficial to the community. These enhancements improve air and water quality, support local wildlife, and provide valuable health and well-being benefits through opportunities for walking, exercise, and relaxation. This initiative not only preserves Bowhill’s natural heritage but also strengthens the community’s connection to nature, empowering future generations to embrace sustainability, stewardship, and well-being. 

•        Cllr Linda Erskine (Ward 8, Cowdenbeath Area)
Elaine would describe herself as a facilitator and coordinator who is solution focused to achieve project outcomes but I have known Elaine Collins for several years, she taught at Lochgelly High Schools when I worked there in the 1980’s. Elaine is a true community champion who has never sought recognition for the work she has undertaken. Her passion is ensuring that communities have access to the local core paths and not just in the Cardenden Area. Her phenomenal knowledge of the access paths in Fife has meant that she is the go-to person for many officers in Fife Council. Locally Elaine is known for her work with the Cardenden Walking Group organising weekly walks across Fife and beyond. Under her leadership this group has grown to almost 60 members.

Both Elaine and her husband Chris take an active role in ensuring that our heritage and historic paths are fit to walk on, not only regularly cutting the routes with equipment that they purchased themselves but also more latterly undertaking training in chainsaws, to ensure that they can keep the local Bowhill Woodland cleared of falling trees. Also taking part in planting thousands of bulbs across the community.

In terms of local activities, she is a member of the Cardenden Community Council, Cardenden Community Development Forum and also the Cardenden History Group. She uses all the opportunities to raise awareness of the benefits to health and wellbeing to participate in local walking. As above, Elaine also recently designed a booklet for local walks, the first print of the booklet was so popular they sold out and she is going to develop another booklet, this project was supported by the Cardenden Community Development Forum.

Elaine uses her influence to enhance the local community and works with the local windfarm owners who are developing a local accessible path around the Westfield site. She also works with other local businesses to benefit the community for example the RWE plant and Purvis Group. Both businesses have supported several projects Elaine has undertaken. As such, a recent project was the reclaiming back of the very, very overgrown path around Lochgelly Loch. This has been held up as an excellent volunteer project reviving a beautiful walk around the Loch, which was unusable, cutting and reinstating the path, installing benches and building styles.

Elaines most recent project is the Minto Woodland Paths Project which is a large development of new paths which opens up an accessible corridor from Dundonald to Lochgelly, meaning that people can walk a safe route without having to walk at the side of busy roads and will allow a safe route for students at the local high school. To enable this project, Elaine has been very active and successful in attracting and securing funding from multiple funders for this project which will cost around £120,000. 

There are also several historic areas in the village where Elaine lives. Carden Tower was once the hunting lodge of King James the 5th and was a substantial ruin until the late 1980’s when it completely collapsed. Recently Elaine replaced the memorial plaque to ensure that this historic landmark is not forgotten. A similar project will be undertaken to replace the plaque at the site of the last duel in Scotland. These are only a few of the things that I am aware of that she has been involved in, I know there are others.

Elaine is passionate about the local environment, committed to bringing healthy and manageable outdoor pursuits to many. She is one of those people who doesn’t just talk about things, she rolls her sleeves up and gets stuck in, she leads by example. It would be wonderful if Elaine Collins was recognised as the true local champion she is, an outstanding volunteer who seeks no plaudits, but quietly gets on with the to do list.

•        Ann Marie Vance (Community Manager, Cowdenbeath Area)
I am delighted to nominate Elaine for the Civic Trust Community Champion award. Elaine is a tireless, dedicated, and passionate force within our community, and her impact cannot be overstated. Elaine consistently goes above and beyond to support those around her, whether it’s organising local events, helping vulnerable neighbours, or championing improvements that benefit everyone. She brings people together, inspires others to get involved, and always leads with compassion and integrity. Her efforts have created a stronger, more connected community. From volunteering her time and energy to advocating for local initiatives, Elaine’s contributions are both meaningful and lasting. She never seeks recognition, yet she fully deserves it. Elaine truly embodies the spirit of community, and I can think of no one more deserving of this award.

•        Patricia Galfskiy (Policy Officer, Cowdenbeath Area)
There are so many achievements with Elaine and her Walking Group at the heart of them. We have just skimmed the surface in this application, highlighting but a few, all of which have made amazing improvements, improving access routes in and around villages, linking to the surrounding countryside and leaving a lasting legacy, not just for local communities and visitors to the area to enjoy today, but for generations to come. 

In Elaines’ own words “I very quickly became aware that local people tend to stick to paths that are obvious. These are paths that have reasonable surfaces, are vegetation and obstacle free and that have clear links to other routes. This was emphasised during the Covid restrictions when I noticed many more people using local paths. I started to look at ways to improve local routes that were less used because of their poor state. My aim was to encourage people to expand their use of paths but also to preserve these paths, as often paths can be totally lost through lack of use. I also aimed to create links between existing paths”.

I am delighted and honoured to nominate Elaine who truly deserves recognition as she is a true community champion, working tirelessly with camaraderie and a great sense of humour to ensure local communities continue to have access to historical walking routes in and around towns and villages and to the wider countryside. As requested and in support of this application I have also forwarded a version with images to Erin Burke who has been very supportive.