Mycelial Commons Hedge School

A course to rekindle love for learning about the rest of life.

In trying times, we can find strength and meaning in our relationships with the more-than-human world. For queer and trans people, this is as much about seeing that other ways of living are possible. What does ecology offer us in this moment, what models of relating and persisting can we learn from other lives? What responsibilities does it invite us into?

This course is a bit different from anything we've done before. We want to give queer and trans people the opportunity to explore big ideas through collaborative and creative learning, with the science of ecology as a gateway. We'll investigate things like:

• shapeshifting, 
• cooperation and evolution, 
• learning in collaboration with nature
• diversity and resilience.

We're calling it a Hedge School in reference to the Irish history of decolonial learning, committing to a bottom-up model of learning that seeks to undo the shame and fear and lack of critical thought in the education system. 

Who is it for?

The course is designed for people who identify as queer and/or trans and we trust people to respect that when booking.

The course is also designed for people who have found it hard to access learning in the past. Whether that's because of neurodivergence or an additional need, or because you've not been able to afford higher education. Or even if you have, but the experience of school and testing has made learning feel stressful and shame-inducing.

We are able to offer this course for free thanks to grant funding by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, as part of a bigger project called Mycelial Commons. We're excited to be collaborating with Dr Mo Moulton, a historian who studies queer and trans history, environmental history, and co-operatives. He is a professor of Modern British and Irish History at the university of Birmingham.

Booking info

When you book your place, you are signing up for the full six sessions with the same group of participants. Please make sure you can attend all six dates before booking, as places are limited and designed to be shared by the same group throughout.

Separate tickets are available for each cohort - one ticket covers all 6 sessions so please only order one. When you sign up you'll receive more info about the sessions so please keep an eye on your inbox!

We completely understand that plans change and that 6 sessions may feel like a big commitment. This is to give space for a collaborative learning cohort to develop. However if you do have to skip a session that is completely fine as long as you let us know as soon as possible, so that we can offer it up to someone on the waitlist. 

Locations & timing

All sessions for Cohort 1 will take place at the Myco learning space at Platt Fields Market Garden. We may need to move some sessions online in case of extreme weather or unforeseen circumstance.

We may, as a cohort, decide to take a short trip around the park or to another location close-by, but this would be lead by a conversation about access beforehand.

We are going to use Cohort 1 as an opportunity to refine the course. So we will confirm the locations for Cohort 2 closer to the time. We may explore a hybrid model, with online sessions and optional in-person meetups, to improve accessibility.

Cohort 1 (Jul-Aug):

Saturday 4th July, 4/7/2026 - 11:00 - 13:30
Thursday 9th July, 9/7/2026 - 17:30 - 20:00
Thursday 16th July, 16/7/2027 - 17:30 - 20:00
Thursday 23rd July, 23/7/2026 - 17:30 - 20:00
Saturday 1st August, 1/8/2026 - 11:00 - 13:30
Thu 6th Aug, 6/8/2026 -  17:30 - 20:00

Cohort 2 (Aug-Oct)

Saturday 29th August, 29/8/2026 - 11:00 - 13:30
Thursday 3rd September, 3/9/2026 - 17:30 - 19:00
Saturday 12th September, 12/9/2026 - 11:00 - 13:00
Thursday 17th September, 17/9/2026 - 17:30 - 19:30
Saturday 26th September, 26/9/2026- 11:00 - 13:00
Thursday 1st October, 1/10/2026 - 17:30 - 19:30

Access

The aim of the course is for participants to finish with a more empowered relationship with learning. Access is central to that. We will send out an access needs form prior to the course. We'll also send out a timetable that gives participants an idea of what we'll do and speak about in each session. 

Part of the course involves thinking about our collective relationship with learning and co-developing a learning environment that reflects our diverse needs. We have designed in flexibility from the start for people to explore their own learning needs within the framework of the course. If you have any questions or worries please get in touch!

Brews & biscuits will be provided for indoor sessions but please bring your own lunch.

Platt Fields Market Garden has a mixture of grass, bricked paths, and gravel paths. There are toilets on site, including disabled toilets accessible by a ramp that you'll need to ask a member of staff to bring out. 

However, the site is not 100% accessible for wheelchair or powerchair users. The Myco learning area is weatherproof but not heated, so the temperature will vary depending on the weather.

We are in the process of re-fitting our insulated shipping container to be used as a learning space which will include a wide (1.1m) door for chair access.

If you have any questions please email hello@mycomanchester.com

More info at www.mycomanchester.com/access