Growing an organisation the way fungi grow
Small groups, shared tools, decisions made together - a non-profit built like the networks fungi have run for a billion years.
A network, not a hierarchy
Fungi build networks: many small nodes, connected, sharing resources, no headquarters. Urban Mushrooms London is being built the same way - a growing local network of small groups who share knowledge, tools and space, and make decisions together rather than waiting for instructions from the top.
Shared lab, culture library and library of things
The infrastructure we are building is shared by design: a community mycology lab, a culture library, and a library of things - the pressure cookers and equipment a grower needs but should not have to buy alone. So far, 11,000 pounds has been reinvested toward the lab, supporting local growers and artists working with mycelium.
Decisions made together
The core group practises making decisions by consent - talking in rounds, agreeing together, building the method step by step. I will not pretend this is a finished structure: it is a direction of travel, genuinely underway, learned as we go. That honesty is part of the method.
A non-profit with an asset lock
Urban Mushrooms London Ltd is a company limited by guarantee with an asset lock: no profit is distributed, ever. Surplus from walks, workshops and products funds free community sessions, food-growing work and the South London Mushroom Club.
Circular by practice, not by slogan
The gourmet mushrooms are grown on recycled coffee grounds and straw; spent substrate goes back to compost and gardens. When we run a circular-economy session for a company, we are describing our own production - not a concept.
Where this is going next
More groups, the lab open, the libraries stocked, and a network that outgrows any one person - including me. If that direction speaks to you, there are three ways in below.
Support this work
Join the South London Mushroom Club (free), partner with us as an organisation, or simply buy the products and experiences that fund the whole thing. Donations and volunteering are always welcome - get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a charity?
It is a non-profit company limited by guarantee with an asset lock - no profit is distributed, and surplus funds community work. Not a registered charity, but bound by its objects.
Can I get involved without buying anything?
Yes - the Mushroom Club is free, and volunteers are part of how everything runs.
What is a community mycology lab?
A shared, properly equipped space where members can work with cultures and materials that home kitchens cannot handle safely - being built step by step as funds allow.
Grow it with us
The club is free, the direction is real, and the network gets stronger with every person in it.
Join the club Partner or volunteer