The Coast-R Network and the Resilient UK Coastal Communities and Seas programme have announced the first eight projects to receive support through the Coast-R Small Grants Fund.
This inaugural round of the small grants fund has focused on Early Career Researchers (ECRs) leading innovative, community engaged research to address the challenges facing coastal communities across the UK, and has awarded £156,930.
Prof. Briony McDonagh, Project Lead for the Coast-R Network, welcomed the new awards, noting that “These new projects represent an exciting expansion of the Coast-R Network’s mission, bringing new ideas and new voices into the national conversation about coastal resilience.” She added that the projects will “generate practical insights with real potential to shape policy, empower communities and support more resilient coastal futures.”
The funded projects are:
Fishfingers and Fresh Ideas – University of Plymouth, Project Lead Dr. Louise Hunt: Co-creating a visual ‘good practice blueprint’ to share learning from The Plymouth Fish Finger, enabling other coastal communities to replicate successful social innovation.
Engaging with the Coast – Swansea University, Project Lead Dr. Matt Howell: Investigating how increased use of coastal outdoor spaces in Wales may create barriers for some groups, and facilitating community dialogue to support more inclusive access.
Co-creating Coastal Resilience – Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Project Lead Dr. Melanie Biausque: Engaging citizens in monitoring coastal change at Tyrella and Minerstown ASSI, combining community science, education, and outreach.
Shifting Shores – University of Hull, Project Lead Dr. Steven Forrest : Developing a serious gaming toolkit to support dialogue between communities and authorities at Robin Hood’s Bay and Whitby, helping translate local experiences into policy relevant insights.
SEAS: Shrimp Environment Assessment Study – University of Salford, Project Lead Dr. Jajati Mandal: Addressing the crisis in shrimp stock health in Morecambe Bay by combining ecological monitoring, contaminant analysis, and local knowledge to co-develop sustainable fisheries strategies.
Planning for Uncertainty – London South Bank University, Project Lead Dr. Malachy Buck: Exploring how planners in England and Northern Ireland interpret and manage uncertainty in coastal change and flooding policy, generating shared learning for adaptive planning.
Archive to Action – Museum of London Archaeology (MoLA), Project Lead Dr. Claire Harris: Evaluating how effectively the new Coasts in Mind Community Archive supports knowledge exchange between coastal communities and policymakers.
Listening to North Sea Coastal Communities in Transition – University of Aberdeen, Project Lead Dr. Rebecca Macklin: Examining how environmental and energy transitions are reshaping ecocultural heritage in Yell (Shetland) and Torry (Aberdeen), and how communities can navigate the arising opportunities and pressures.
