In a windswept field on the edge of Alness, something remarkable is happening.

There are no white coats, no waiting rooms, and no prescriptions being handed out. Instead, there are cups of tea, paintbrushes, journal pages, stories shared over the sound of birdsong, and laughter rising from flower beds. This is Flip of the Coin, a grassroots health project quietly changing lives—and what it means to heal.

And now, the woman behind it all, Lucy Campbell, is asking for support. With demand growing and transformation spreading, she’s launched a campaign to raise £100,000 to create a permanent Creative Wellbeing Centre—a space where healing, connection, and creativity can thrive year-round.

What Is Flip of the Coin?

Founded by Campbell after leaving a community education role, Flip of the Coin began as an experiment: Could health be reimagined outside of hospitals and clinics? What if we created spaces where people could simply come, be, and breathe?

What began as a few outdoor art sessions has grown into a flourishing programme of community hubs, women’s groups, gardening circles, journaling workshops, and more—drawing in everyone from local residents to NHS referrals.

“We don’t ask anything of people whatsoever. It is a space where people can just come down and be themselves and grow into themselves.” — Lucy Campbell, Founder

Healing Without Pills: A New Kind of Medicine

Doctors are now referring patients directly to Flip of the Coin. Dr. Katharine Jones, a local GP, calls it a shift from clinical dependency to self-regulated healing—what many are calling “green healing.”

"Finding new ways to connect to ourselves, to our community and to nature, creates a sense of belonging and reduces social isolation that so often affects people with long term conditions."

She continues:

“What I like about this model is that it’s not trying to hold on to people… Success is when someone is not dependent on the group, and they’re actually making their own communities.”

Participant Ann Hudson shared her story:

“Before, I couldn’t see colours… It was really noticeable. I couldn’t hear things. I couldn’t hear birds. I couldn’t hear the sea lapping. It’s like a muffler’s been taken off.” — Ann Hudson

She added:

“I was in quite a dark place before… Now I feel like I’ve got the tools to help me. My home life is better. I can’t recommend it enough.”

A Broken System—and a Bold Response

Flip of the Coin was born not just from vision, but from frustration with a broken system.

“The current health service is just abysmal. It’s in an absolute state of disrepair through years of underfunding. Prescribing people pills, is a plaster over a bullet wound.” — Lucy Campbell

Instead of “firefighting” illness once it arrives, Flip of the Coin meets people earlier on their journey, supporting them in ways that the NHS currently can’t.

“We’re hoping that people come to us actually at any stage on their journey and then you don’t get to the stage where you need the NHS.” — Lucy Campbell

“This isn’t something that our National Health Service offers… We have to go and externally get funding to provide a service that the statutory services cannot.” — Lucy Campbell

The Vision: A Creative Wellbeing Centre for All

Right now, Flip of the Coin runs sessions out of The Field, run by The Place Youth Club. But the dream is bigger: a dedicated Creative Wellbeing Centre in Alness that will be open five days a week, offering daily access to creativity and everything from digital skills and employability training to holistic therapies.

To make that dream real, she needs £100,000.

“We need a space that’s ours… that we can shelter. The short-term plan is the Art Shack. The long-term plan is a Centre for Creative Wellbeing in Alness. That’s going to be a centre where anyone can come in at any point, sit down, do some art with us, drink some coffee, have cups of tea…” — Lucy Campbell

How You Can Help

Flip of the Coin has launched a GoFundMe campaign to bring the centre to life. The community it will serve is already here—growing, healing, thriving. What’s needed now is a permanent home.

If you’ve ever believed in the power of creativity, nature, or human connection to change lives, this is your moment to be part of something extraordinary.

💛 Donate. Share. Spread the word.

🟢 Visit: https://flipofthecoin.scot