From Ground to Growth

Follow the journey of Edge Woods as it grows from the ground up. From first clears to thriving spaces, each month captures the progress, the people and the purpose behind it all.

Use the links below to navigate through each stage of the Edge Woods’ journey — simply click a month to jump straight there.

Dive in and see how ideas, effort and a lot of teamwork are transforming this space into something special.

The very beginning of Edge Woods - October 2025

View of a forested hillside with tall trees, green leaves, and a ground covered in fallen autumn leaves.

A narrow outdoor area with a brick wall on the right, overgrown with grass and fallen leaves, surrounded by trees with green and some yellowing leaves.

Construction workers loading wooden materials onto a truck in an urban area with a large, historic-style building in the background.

Two men in a wooded area, one holding a rake and smiling at the camera, the other standing with hands in pockets, near a pile of debris and a large white bag, surrounded by trees and greenery.

Group of people working on constructing a wooden staircase on a hillside surrounded by trees.

People working outdoors in a forest, digging and clearing soil along a trail in autumn, with trees and fallen leaves around them.

Clearing, clearing and more … clearing - November 2025

Wooden staircase under construction with gravel fill and surrounding dirt and leaves.

A man wearing a blue safety vest and holding a drill stands on a staircase under construction, explaining the ongoing work on a wooden handrail, next to a black metal container on a hillside surrounded by trees with autumn leaves.

A young man wearing a yellow safety vest and gloves is installing wooden beams on a construction site outdoors, with a sloped metal roof and leafless trees in the background.

Three young men wearing high-visibility yellow safety vests and pants, standing outside on a paved area, smiling and giving thumbs-up signs, with trees and black storage containers in the background.

A person wearing a high-visibility yellow safety vest and pants is cutting a wooden plank on a black portable workbench outdoors. There are black construction containers and a yellow filled with wooden scraps in the background. The ground is paved w

Group of people wearing yellow safety vests working together to bag up mulch or wood chips outdoors during daytime.

Two people clearing a path along a brick wall in a wooded area with autumn foliage.

Three young adults working on a gardening project outdoors in a wooded area during autumn, with trees and fallen leaves, using tools like a rake, near a stone wall.

A person wearing a black glove is holding a small, dirty, toy-like car with silver wheels over bare soil with dead leaves and small plants.

Steps completed and space for Santa to park his sleigh - December 2025

A group of five people dressed in high-visibility yellow safety clothing working together outdoors, planting or maintaining plants along a concrete wall beside a wooded area.

Workers in high-visibility vests walking down a set of stairs at a construction site, with large shipping containers and a brick building in the background.

Workers wearing high-visibility vests and red gloves planting or maintaining plants along a concrete ledge with tools and a wheelbarrow nearby.

A snowy outdoor scene during Christmas featuring a vintage sleigh filled with wrapped presents, pulled by six reindeer, on a snow-covered path. The path is decorated with lanterns and Christmas garlands with red bows, and string lights are hanging in

New year, new donations and new tasks in Edge Woods - January 2026

A man standing on top of a van holding a strap, with several pieces of lumber on the roof. The van is parked outdoors next to other vehicles and a building with trees in the background. The second image shows a large collection of wooden planks leani

A large pile of wood chips or mulch in an outdoor area with black containers in the background. There are trees and a hillside with trees in the background.

Person in safety gear removing dead plant material near a wire fence.

Man wearing a yellow safety vest, gray and blue jacket, red gloves, and a gray cap with a yellow emblem, standing outdoors on a dirt and leaf-covered hill with trees and a black fence in the background. He is smiling and making a shaka sign with his

A person in a safety vest and gloves working on a wooden compost bin outdoors in a wooded area.

Two people working outdoors on a wooden structure, one holding a power drill and the other assisting, both wearing hooded jackets and gloves, in a wooded area during cool weather.

Spring is trying to peek through the snow - February 2026

Group of volunteers working outdoors to assemble metal frames, wearing high-visibility vests and gloves, with a wooded area and brick wall in the background.

A brick retaining wall at the bottom of a hill with trees and blooming white flowers in the foreground.

Three young men standing outdoors near a large white storage container, with one person partially seen behind the container. They are dressed in warm clothing, and the background features a brick and wooded area with a gravel or concrete ground.

Close-up view of a wooden fence post secured with wire, with additional fence posts in the background on a hillside wooded area.

A snowy trail through a leafless forest with chopped logs and branches on the sides.

Close-up of snowdrop flowers blooming among fallen leaves with blurred trees and sky in the background.

A woman standing on a pile of dried leaves and branches, with arms outstretched, in front of a beige building with large windows.

Workers in high visibility clothing working outside on a construction site, carrying materials down a set of wooden stairs, with shipping containers and a brick building in the background.

Yellow daffodil flowers in focus in a natural outdoor setting with trees and brown leaves, with two workers in bright yellow jackets and orange safety pants blurred in the background.

Spring has sprung! Dead hedges and bird boxes - March 2026

A woman in a pink jacket, yellow safety vest, and pink knit hat using a wheelbarrow to clear a trail of branches and logs in a wooded area during daytime.

A person dressed in bright yellow safety gear holding a hammer and working outdoors in a wooded area, next to a pile of sticks and branches.

A hillside with various plants, surrounding a newly started dead-hedge, with a bright blue sky and leafless trees in the background, labeled 'Before...'.

A hillside with various plants, surrounding a well established dead-hedge, with a bright blue sky and leafless trees in the background, labeled 'After.

Two young men smiling, one with an arm around the other, holding a small wooden birdhouse.

Two young men indoors, one standing with his back to the camera, and the other lying on top of a plank of wood, on a table, being a human weight on the plank of wood to steady it while it is being cut.

A woman smiling inside a small metal structure on a wooden platform, holding a hammer, wearing safety glasses, a high-visibility vest, black gloves, and black outdoor boots, standing on a construction site.

Yellow and white daffodils growing in a grassy area with trees in the background.

Pathways, (more) dead hedges, gates and storage - April 2026

People wearing yellow reflective vests working in a wooded area, chopping and collecting branches and wood for a community project or park maintenance.

Person wearing a yellow safety vest and red gloves digging in the soil with a shovel in a wooded area.

Person planting small plants in soil with gardening tools.

Two people wearing work gloves and safety vests are cutting a tree branch outdoors with a hand saw, near a brick wall and a hillside.

A woman in a yellow safety vest and bright yellow pants with reflective stripes is collecting twigs and branches in a wooded outdoor area. She is holding a branch with her gloved hands and standing next to a white bag for collecting debris.

Person using a hand saw to cut a wooden plank on a workbench outdoors, wearing a yellow safety vest and red gloves.

Two people working on a construction project, wearing high-visibility vests, with one woman sawing a wooden plank and the man holding it, outdoors on a paved area with storage containers and trees in the background.

People in yellow safety vests planting a tree in a forested area.

Planting wild flowers and veggies, moving a shed, plus the bug hotel build! - May 2026

Three people working outdoors, all wearing yellow safety vests and gloves. One woman in the foreground is planting a seed in the soil, while two men in the background observe. The area is surrounded by trees and a brick wall.

A young man in a red shirt is conducting a scientific experiment outdoors, using a dropper in a small container with soil, next to plastic bins filled with soil, on a concrete ledge amidst green trees and sunny weather.

Group of people wearing yellow safety vests working together to install or repair a metal fence in a wooded area during daylight.

People working outdoors on a metal roof, wearing yellow safety vests, one person screwing a panel, others assisting, surrounded by trees and greenery.

Young green seedlings in black plastic trays, placed on a wooden surface.

Potted plant with green leaves near a window, showing a parking lot with cars outside and a white van on the left.

Unfinished wooden garden planter frame leaning against a rock wall outdoors, with greenery and trees in the background.

A wood insect hotel made from a wooden pallet with various compartments filled with natural materials like sticks, bark, logs, and twigs, some metal rings and clay pots, and a wire mesh section, set outdoors surrounded by green foliage.

Building bird feeders, honing survival skills and celebrating a national award shortlist! – June 2026

Two people in high visibility jackets making bird feeders from plastic bottles on a ledge with vegetation in the background.

Person wearing a high-visibility safety vest and jeans sitting on a concrete surface, engaged in an outdoor activity involving making bird feeders, and a drawing of a bird feeder on paper, surrounded by markers and other materials.

Person hanging a bird feeder on a tree branch in a garden.

Two people working together outdoors on a woodworking project in a forested area, with one person wearing a yellow safety vest and the other in a dark hoodie, using a saw on a green wooden pallet.

A small green wooden planter box with young plants and soil, placed outside near a larger plant protection structure made from a wooden frame and recycled fabric.

Two wooden outdoor structures, one is a bench with a flat top and angled support beams, the other is a small shelter with a corrugated metal roof and open sides, both are on outdoor ground.

A wooden planter box with the word "EDGE" spelled out on it, containing a leafless bush or small tree, situated on a stone-paved area in front of a window.

Two men and one woman in a wooded area, with the women reaching into a backpack on the ground and the men looking on, all wearing high visibility safety vests.

Four young people wearing yellow safety vests holding an orange tent outdoors, smiling and laughing. They are standing on a dirt path along a brick wall with a wooded hillside in the background.

Collage of images from the 2026 National Youth Work Awards event, showing a large group photo outdoors, two people receiving an award indoors, a crowded conference room with a stage and presentation screen, a smiling woman in front of the stage, an a

Tomatoes, teamwork and more growth than you can shake a rake at! – July 2026

Rooted in Community - Growing Together

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Rooted in Community - Growing Together 🌱

Edge Woods exists thanks to the trust and belief of our partners.

Their backing allows us to create a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative resource that will benefit young adults who have learning disabilities, are autistic, and/or have other additional support needs (ASN) — and our community — for years to come.

Edge Woods exists thanks to the generosity and vision of Eskmills, who have granted us exclusive use of this unique woodland space.
Their support has allowed us to reimagine an unused area of land as an inclusive, nature-based learning environment — one that nurtures skills, wellbeing, and opportunity.
We’re proud to call Eskmills our home, and deeply appreciative of their ongoing encouragement as we continue to grow, learn, and evolve within the estate.evolve within the estate.

A graphic with the phrase "no one left behind" above two logos: one for East Lothian Works with black text and a stylized rainbow circle, and another for East Lothian Council showing a blue bird with outstretched wings and blue text.

Edge Woods has been developed with support from No One Left Behind funding via East Lothian Council, as part of East Lothian Works involvement with the East Lothian Local Employability Partnership.
This funding enables us to deliver meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that help young adults build confidence, develop practical skills, and move closer to independent living and employment.
Together, we’re creating pathways that ensure no one is left behind — and every learner has the chance to thrive.

Illustration of a forest with trees, animals, and garden beds with plants.

Edge Woods has been shaped not only by our partners but by the generosity of our local community across the Lothians.
From garden tools and materials to equipment and supplies, every donation has helped us bring this space to life — turning an empty woodland into a place for growth, learning, and opportunity.
Your contributions are helping us create something truly lasting — a woodland that will change lives and open up new possibilities for the young adults learning within it.

Collage of outdoor community gardening and environmental conservation activities, including planting, digging, supporting trees, and observing nature in the Edge Woods, with a central text circle reading 'Edge Woods, Rooted in community - Growing together'.

Join our community

Join our dedicated Facebook group to keep up with progress, share ideas, and see how the space is growing week by week. It’s also where we’ll shout about volunteering opportunities, community days, and updates from Edge Woods.

Join Our Facebook Group