For many people another way of living starts with this book...

So you’re fed up with living in a little box. Maybe just by yourself. Maybe with your family. Just being a docile consumer alongside the billions of other docile consumers. And the combined outcome of it all is a wrecked planet.

Isn’t there something more to life than this? Couldn’t we have access to many of the best things in life without doing such harm if we were prepared to share more with our neighbours? Perhaps in an intentional community – that’s a community that has come together by intention rather than by chance.

Believe it or not, many people have been living in intentional communities like this for decades. And it’s not all hippy crash pads where nobody does the washing up! This website will open your eyes to the multifarious ways in which communal living happens in the 21st century.

It’s your way into the future!

Diggers & Dreamers first appeared in printed form in 1989 and – in its various incarnations – has now been an invaluable resource over many decades The name came from the recognition that there are two classic types of people living in intentional communities. The Dreamers: who spend a lot of time imagining different ways of doing things; and the Diggers: who do the day-to-day work of making it actually happen. A successful community blends both of those ways of  being together.

The 12th edition of our legendary book is available from the D&D Shop

196 pages packed with articles, photo-essays, ruminations and a directory of intentional communities in Britain

“… successfully treads the path between scholarly and general interest… richly illustrated and enlivened with humour and deep insights. Their books… should be on the shelf of anyone seriously interested in intentional community.”

Dr Bill Metcalf, University of Queensland

We now have a new book in our series of “reviews”. Following on from our Cohousing Review and our Low Impact Living Communities Review we’ve now added an Urban Communal Living Review. So if you want to get away from it all without getting away from it all then this is the book for you!

Just look at the contents list – there’s something of relevance to just about every kind of urban communal living:

  • Student Co-op Homes
  • Community Led Housing in the UK
  • The Co-operative Principles
  • Radical Hospitality
  • Urban Rented Communities
  • The Growth of Urban Cohousing in the UK 
  • How to Set Up a Cohousing Community
  • What is this Coliving Thing, Anyway?
  • The Meaning of Community at L’Arche
  • London Street Commune
  • Still an Option: Squatting in 2023
  • Cults Happen

So many people loved our Utopia Island tea towel that we’ve now sold out. So now there’s a new model… and this time it takes the form of a board game.

If you live in a community you’ll already know about mug amnesties and meetings failing to reach consensus. If you don’t then – after you’ve dried the dishes – grab a dice and play away. Hopefully you won’t be put off the idea of communal living for good!

One thing that we really want you to know:

There are many different ways to live communally

Cohousing Community

Living fairly separately but with the possibility of sharing a lot of facilities. The best of both worlds perhaps!

Big House Commune

This is the classic idea of the commune in a big mansion in the country. Here are some places that fit that mould.

Here's an example of a big house commune:

Canon Frome Court

We are an intentional community focused around a farming cooperative in rural Herefordshire. We are made up of a main…

Read more about Canon Frome Court »

Urban Communal

These housing co-ops and big shared houses in built up areas show that not every commune has to be rural!

Spiritual Community

Having a focus often helps. These places all have some spiritual or religious belief that underlies their existence.

Take a look at this spiritual community:

Lothlorien Community

Lothlorien is a therapeutic community for people with mental health problems. It has been run since 1989 by the Rokpa…

Read more about Lothlorien Community »

Low Impact Community

Many aspire to low impact living but these places go all the way with off-grid, low consumption lifestyles.

Want more Detail?

The D&D Reviews are more specialised books about particular types of community

Want more Detail?

The D&D Reviews shown above are more specialised books about particular types of community

Currently seeking... communards

Check out these noticeboards for communities that like to host volunteers as well as those that are currently looking for people to join.

Volunteering and WWOOFing are amongst the best ways to to try communal living out for yourself. Once you’ve decided that you really want to go for it then Places needing Members is the next stop.

Old Hall Community

Latest update: February 2024. We are open to host volunteers for a maximum two week period from the beginning of…

See more Places that need Volunteers »

Brambles Housing Co-op

Brambles Housing Co-op is looking for new members: 3 Rooms Available! Rent: Bills: £65 / month plus Rent £220-420 /…

See more Places that need Members »

So you want to start or join a forming community?

Don't underestimate the scale of the task! Maybe follow up some of these links...

Freeriver

As of yet we are not living together, but we are working on it! Our intention is to offer a…

See more Developing Communities »

This noticeboard is for Developing Groups that are fairly well established – they may even have a building or a site lined up.

Eden Project: River, Mountain, Sea - Northern Portugal

Looking to start a community in Northern Portugal. Identified large area of land with multiple properties (developed and undeveloped). Most finance…

See more notices like this »

People Forming a Group is our noticeboard for those at the very early stages whereas Developing Groups are usually quite a bit further down the road.

Large Stone Barn with planning (Q) + 1-2 acres in S.Devon

Hello all, We are selling our Large barn in South Devon near Modbury. It has Class Q planning, which lasts…

See more notices like this »

Properties might suit Communities is where people who are trying to sell or make people aware of a particular vacant property can place a message.

And don't forget our other Noticeboards...

Looking for a community that allows pets?

Hi I’m looking for a community that allows pets. I have one very friendly housecat (although can be flexible about…

See more notices like this »

Off-Grid Power Set Up

Fully integrated off-grid power system perfect for a household or small business. The system includes: 4 x EVE48100T - Discharge…

See more notices like this »

Ghosts of Communes Past

What was that about people who haven't learned from history being doomed to repeat it?

Ghosts of Communes Past

What was that about people who haven't learned from history being doomed to repeat it?

And finally... are you up-to-date with Chris's Blog?