One Year of Edge Woods
Rooted in Community, Built Together
Somehow, just like that, Edge Woods is one.
It is genuinely difficult to believe that a full year has passed since we first stepped into an entirely unused patch of woodland at Eskmills and started imagining what it could become.
Back then, there were plenty of trees, roots, slopes and mud - not to mention brambles that seemed to go on forever. There were also a lot of ideas.
Twelve months later, Edge Woods has become a working outdoor learning environment used across our programmes; somewhere to grow food, build, create, learn practical skills, explore nature, problem-solve and work as a team.
There are now raised growing areas, steps, shelters, benches, wildlife habitats, bird feeders, our rather magnificent Bug Hotel (the resort has already expanded to include a pretty snazzy Bee House!), a hedgehog shelter, Edge-Vedge and, of course, The Bothy.
But the biggest story of Edge Woods is not really about what has been built.
It is about the people who helped build it.
Where it all began
From the very beginning, Edge Woods relied on somebody believing in the idea.
Eskmills gave Edge Group Scotland exclusive use of this unique piece of woodland, giving us the opportunity to turn an underused outdoor space into something with real purpose.
That trust meant a huge amount to us.
We wanted Edge Woods to become a place where the young adults we support could develop practical skills, confidence, independence and a stronger connection with the natural environment through meaningful, real-world activity.
One year later, we hope the transformation shows just how much we have valued that opportunity.
Built with the help of our community
What we perhaps did not expect was just how quickly a wider community would grow around the project.
Over the past year, people have donated timber, tools, plants, building materials, roofing, pipes, compost bins and all manner of useful items that have gone on to find a second life in Edge Woods.
Businesses have donated surplus materials. Individuals have shared their time, knowledge and expertise. People have answered our appeals by checking garages, gardens and sheds and asking: “Could you use this?” More often than not, the answer has been a very enthusiastic yes.
That spirit of reuse and repurposing has become part of Edge Woods itself. Sustainability here is not just about growing food or supporting wildlife; it is also about making good use of what already exists.
A little help can make a huge difference
People have also donated something just as valuable: their time.
Most recently, teams from Centrica joined us for two days of serious graft, helping to develop growing areas, build raised planters and create accessibility steps.
Their work moved that part of Edge Woods forward by several months.
It was a brilliant example of what can happen when people turn up, get stuck in and work together.
Built by our programme groups
At the heart of Edge Woods are the young adults who use it.
They have not simply arrived to use a finished space created for them. They have helped shape it from the ground up.
Across the year, our programme groups have cleared ground, shifted materials, planted, watered, measured, sawed, dug, built, researched and problem-solved.
They have created wildlife habitats, grown food and developed practical skills while learning about sustainability, biodiversity and the changing seasons.
They have also dealt with rain, mud, awkward slopes and jobs that turned out to be considerably bigger than expected.
That is part of what makes Edge Woods so valuable.
There is something incredibly powerful about being able to look around and say:
“I helped make that.”
The graft behind the scenes
Our staff team also deserves an enormous thank you.
Edge Woods does not conveniently stop needing attention when a programme session ends.
Across the past year, Team Edge have planned projects, sourced and collected materials, researched solutions, fixed things, built things and found ways around countless problems along the way.
Some projects have required extra hours and a serious amount of determination.
The Bothy is a perfect example. Our programme groups have contributed throughout the build, while members of the team have put in significant effort behind the scenes to keep things moving.
We were also incredibly fortunate to have professional support with the design and structural build, bringing specialist knowledge and experience to help turn the idea into something safe, practical and built to last.
Gareth, in particular, went well above and beyond, putting in additional hours alongside that professional support to help get the structure to where it is today.
It is another great example of what Edge Woods has become over the past year: programme groups, staff and people from outside Edge all bringing different skills together to make something happen.
Look what one year can do
Looking back at photographs from October 2025 is perhaps the clearest reminder of just how much has happened.
The potential was always there, but much of what now makes Edge Woods feel like Edge Woods simply did not exist yet. Today, things are growing. Wildlife has new places to shelter. Programme groups are learning and developing skills. Ideas are becoming permanent parts of the landscape. And alongside all of that, a community has grown too.
So, for Edge Woods’ first birthday, we simply want to say thank you.
Thank you to Eskmills for giving the idea somewhere to take root.
Thank you to every organisation, business and individual who has donated materials, equipment, expertise or time.
Thank you to our programme groups, whose work and ideas are now part of the landscape.
And thank you to Team Edge for the energy, graft and belief they continue to pour into this project.
Edge Woods has been shaped by a community.
And if this is what that community can achieve in just one year, we cannot wait to see what Year Two brings.
Happy first birthday, Edge Woods 🥳