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:

Earthworm Housing Co-op

Earthworm is a fully mutual housing Co-op in north west Herefordshire. We are a member of Radical Routes, and have…

Read more about Earthworm Housing Co-op »

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:

Holy Rood House

A place of peace and tranquility, overlooking the Hambleton Hills, the Centre for Health and Pastoral Care offers therapeutic and…

Read more about Holy Rood House »

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.

Tan-y-Fron Housing Co-operative

Updated Dec 2023 We are looking for seasonal volunteers. By application only, please! In the first instance, please fill in…

See more Places that need Volunteers »

Four Seas

We are actively seeking new members. We would love to hear from anyone who wants to help us nurture and…

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...

Coastal Community

We are a small group of Vegans looking to form a Co housing eco community in South Devon England. We…

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.

Hastings building project requires starting members

Hello all! This idea has been gestating for some time, and we're now in a position to take the next…

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...

Communities with co-parenting

Hello everyone, I'm interested to learn about existing communities or co-housing projects that include an aspect of co-parenting, or of…

See more notices like this »

6 Month Internship on 160 acre restoration project in Derbyshire

In 2024 we are offering a 6 month internship at a 160 acre restoration project in Derbyshire. Get experience of…

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?