MYCOLOGIST NEWS 1st Edition March 2018

Newsletter

Contents Special issue and 1. UKFD 2017 reports 2017 Introduction 2. Fungi Photo Corner

3. Reports on UKFD Dear Members, 2017 activities It gives me great pleasure to write a few words of Thanks in advance of our celebration of the fantastic efforts by 4. Field Meetings and so many in making UK Day 2017 and resounding Workshops success. Reading through your reports and feedback 5. Membership renewal forms, we can see that yet again you have encouraged 2018 more public involvement than ever with the bonus of increasing group and society membership. The BMS’s UK 6. Contact details Fungus Day 2017 (UKFD17) kick started this year’s Royal Society of Biology’s ‘Biology week’ activities for the fifth year running with over 65 events nationwide over the th weekend of 7-8 October 2017. Activities included fungus BMS Autumn Open walks, academic talks, school’s competitions, artistic Meeting and Annual workshops and large scale public engagement events. We were able to support academic outreach in schools and a General Meeting social enterprise project run by a school in Manchester, th teaching year 4 children about the recycling capability of 17 November 2018 the oyster by recycling spent coffee grounds from local coffee shops. The FEO worked alongside our Lady Lisa Sainsbury Lecture BMS recording group network to produce a set of Theatre, Jodrell Laboratories information sheets for use at UK Fungus Day outreach Royal Botanic Gardens events and local forays which were made available to Kew download from the UK Fungus Day website and were welcomed by the field community. The Fungal Education and Outreach Committee are continuing to develop our social media platforms raising awareness of fungi and initiatives. BMS UK Fungus Day currently has over 3,800 followers on Twitter. Our UK Fungus Day celebratory weekend marks the start of a new year of outreach programmes, raising awareness of

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in the public arena and we were delighted to team up with Fun Palaces this year, who also celebrated a weekend of activities on 7-8th October. The UK Fungus Day outreach arm provides support year-round to all who wish to promote fungi in the public arena and we are beginning to reach a very wide audience. Engagement with our academic members was enhanced this year by the support of Elsevier who marked UK Fungus Day with an article describing the aims of UK Fungus Day along with articles cherry picked from Elsevier Journals last year and representing the breadth and quality of fungal science research, which were all posted online on the JHPs of Fungal Biology and Fungal Biology Reviews. Our secondary school’s competition was well supported, and our finalists will be listed on the BMS and UK Fungus Day websites. Next year we will sponsor the MiSAC secondary school’s competition entitled ‘Commercial uses of Fungi’. Please do feel free to share details with those that you know in education (http://www.misac.org.uk/competition.html ) We have also launched a Blog space ‘UKFD BLOG’ which provides a platform for communicating fungal articles that can be shared with fungus enthusiasts; whether academic or amateur, scientist or artist, teacher or lecturer. We hope to develop this platform fully in 2018. Please remember that you can never start planning your event too early which will give us time to ensure that you have all the resources that you will need on 6th October 2018. Please e-mail: [email protected] with any queries for this year’s event. We will be on standby to help in any way that we can. Keep up to date with events on the website www.ukfungusday.co.uk , on facebook https://www.facebook.com/ukfd17 , on twitter @ukfungusday and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ukfungusday/

Dr Eleanor Landy (Chair BMS Fungal Education and Outreach committee)

Photo Corner

Have you taken a stunning image of fungi that you want to share? Big or small, laboratory or field you could be the next to appear in ‘Fungi Photo Corner’. Send your high-resolution images to [email protected] not forgetting to include as much information as possible about what, where and when it was taken. Please note, that in sending your photographs to us you are allowing the British Mycological Society to include the image on our UK Fungus Day photo gallery (Images on the gallery are covered under a license for Creative Commons Attribution (Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0.) and to reproduce the image to appear in its printed and online versions of Mycologist News’.

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Ackworth School Natural History Society

On UKFD, Francis Hickenbottom organised a foray for a few members of the Ackworth School Natural History Society and members of Wakefield Naturalists' Society at Newmiller Dam, West Yorkshire.

Clyde and Argyll Fungus Group Jamboree Roy Watling

In order to celebrate the British Mycological; Society’s Fungus weekend the Clyde and Argyll Group did not hold it’s meeting in the usual format but instead was moulded around a fungus demonstration in the South Wing of the internationally known Kibble Palace at the Botanic Garden, Glasgow, thanks to the Garden Director, Ewen Donaldson; the foray led by ‘El Presidente’ took place later centred on the grounds of the Botanic Garden. We were very fortunate to have several hand-outs made available to us by the British Mycological Society and Plantlife Scotland. These were all eagerly sought by those attracted to the exhibits and, so we were able to spread the message, especially as it was also National Biology Week. Smaller sorties whilst the public were examining the exhibits were made to the banks of the River Kelvin. Although rather dry in 2 hours the public and members of the group were able to see a wide range of larger fungi and as many parasites on trees and shrubs. The public were amazed at the fungi which could be founds so close to the centre of Glasgow! The visitors were told by a team of volunteers from the Clyde and Argyll group how important fungi are to the well-being of our planet and how we are dependent on them for food & drink and pharmaceuticals and much more. The forays were left to explain the importance of symbiotic fungi and the effects of plant parasites. Upwards of 300 people attended during some part of the day with many young people who were particularly grateful for the BMS handouts, so they could read further. welcome. In the distant past the Glasgow Botanic Garden was situated at a site only a short walk away from the present Garden, at Sandiford and it produced some fungi which turned out to be new to science, so Glasgow is scientifically a well-documented city. Unfortunately, we were not lucky not even finding something rare but on the foray to the Pineapple and Dunmore Estate on the actual National Fungus Day some collections were found to be of interest and have been taken away for further examination. The demonstration showed materials dyed using fungus dyes, some ornaments and utensils made from fungi, some paper made from fungi and various exotic fungal items. Fresh specimens were brought in from around Glasgow to swell the interest. These were on show from 11.00 until 16.15 on what turned out weather-wise to be a beautiful day which all added up to an equally successful day.

Thanks to Glasgow Botanic Garden, British Mycological Society and Plantlife.

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Buckinghamshire Fungus Group: Mushroom Magic Penny Cullington

This annual event was held at the County Museum, Aylesbury on October 7th 2017 for the third time and was our most successful if judged by the numbers of the public who attended. Collecting fresh specimens to make a good showing proved hard work this year: though the fungal fruiting season got off to an amazing start early in August in our area things seem to be slowing down quite rapidly now, particularly the showier mycorrhizal mushroom genera – the ones which tend to be especially admired in such displays. However, everyone had rallied round and once we started setting things out it soon became clear that there was going to be plenty to cover the large central table for people to admire. Once the A4 genus sheet information stands (newly designed by the BMS) were in place and all of the 100 or so set out and labelled, we could focus on the finishing touches: information posters, leaflets and mushroom-growing kits ready for people to help themselves, a table set aside for identifying specimens brought in by the public, a good selection of books, the children’s’ corner with play-do for modelling and colouring sheets to add to the huge mushroom collage covering the end wall, also badge-making. Finally, Derek’s microscope and print corner, always a popular attraction, was ready with scopes linked up to a monitor and a large TV screen showing an ever-changing loop of fungi found in the county – photos all supplied by BFG members. We just managed to find time for a photo of all our helpers before the doors opened at 11.00.

It appeared from the constant stream of interested people that our efforts over advertising the event had been worthwhile. There was a lull at lunchtime (for which we were all very grateful) but things soon picked up again and the flow of questions, admiring oohs and aahs, specimens to add to the display, etc continued until 4.00 when it was time to pack up. Many visitors spent a good long time looking round and all the BFG membership forms quickly disappeared (though it remains to be seen whether the enthusiasm felt on the day produces lasting new members). The press visited and took a good number of photos, promising coverage in two local papers. The Museum’s curator spent considerable time with us and afterwards told us that over 500 people had gone through the gates specifically for our event - a figure far more than the

Page | 4 numbers normally experienced on an October weekend. So, all in all we were well pleased with how the day had gone and though we were worn out once everything was cleared up, the success of the occasion made it all worthwhile.

My thanks to the County Museum for hosting and supporting the event once again, and especially to Mike Palmer from the museum for designing and organising much of our publicity, also for manning the children’s corner throughout the day. Thanks, are also due to the BMS for supplying leaflets, booklets, mushroom spawn, our UK Fungus Day T shirts, also the funding for our A4 and A6 information stands which added so much to the finishing touches of the display table. Finally, and perhaps most importantly I must thank our valiant team of BFG helpers, without whom an event of this sort would not be possible. There follows a selection of photos to give a flavour of the day and the various activities.

Edinburgh City Council Cameron Diekonigin

On Wednesday 13 September I along with a small team put on a fungi display for Edinburgh City Council. It all started in the days following a February foray with the grounds of Craigmillar Castle, by the Fungus Group of South East Scotland. After the list of species was sent to the landowner (Edinburgh City Council) Susan Falconer (the council’s biodiversity officer) asked for advice on how best to manage the site for fungi. This created an exchange of emails in which I was asked if the group could put on an event as part of UK Fungus Day. She wanted us to provide something that would engage the council workers into the world of fungi. As many of us had already committed ourselves to other UK fungus day events, we opted to plan a separate one-day event a few weeks before the main one.

As part of the planning, we chose two aims:

 Promote general biodiversity and to draw attention that fungi in the UK are just as diverse, interesting and exotic looking as anything you might see abroad. Page | 5

 Promote the up & coming main National Fungus Day by promoting the specific events being held in Linlithgow and Edinburgh Botanic gardens.

Our event was held within the city centre offices (next to Waverely station) and our audience were the approx. 800 office workers. Susan organised the tables and transport and the event area was in the main hallway, between the café and restaurant, thereby giving us a high footfall as people came past.

Our main challenge Our usual fungi events pull in people who have chosen to come and therefore already have a level of interest (no matter how small). For our council event, our audience would be the unsuspecting, with possibly little or no previous interest in fungi. We had agreed that we had to be attention grabbing as people walked past on their way to meetings, tea break etc. What was needed was something large and possibly dramatic on the tables. Providing fresh specimens of the larger fungi would do the trick but of course this was very dependent on availability: Would there be enough large fungi in the local woods for us to collect?

How the event worked We focused our efforts on three approaches:

1. Susan produced promotional communications to send out in days running up to the event.

2. The creation of large scale models of distinctive or interesting fungi along with supporting information.

3. We would run forays onto the council roof.

The models Ten species were chosen, and the reasons were varied:  They had a history or interesting set of facts that would generate conversation (e.g. semilanceata & Claviceps purpurea).  They would they be visually eye catching (e.g. Phallus impudicus & Geastrum striatum).  They were well known and therefore familiar (chanterelles) .

These models and their reasons for inclusion tie in with the first aim; that fungi are interesting and worthy of closer attention. The models were made from a mix of recycled materials, wire, and papier mache and approximately 30 cm tall. Each was accompanied by an easily read information card for those who didn’t have too much time to stop and chat. Where available, each would also be accompanied by fresh specimens. As a ‘take away’ we also had the selection of UK Fungus Day leaflets sent up from the BMS.

Foray onto the council roof - the 5Fs A most surprising aspect of the building was the variety of fungi found on the roof! The offices have roof lawns, with in built irrigation, along with containerised trees and shrub on the hard-standing areas. A reconnaissance prior to the day identified enough fungi to run the the 5 Fs – a five-minute foray to find five fungi. Because of the proximity of the Page | 6 display to the to the roof gardens, the forays could be impromptu with the interested people taken at a moment’s notice and therefore giving a dynamic opportunity to engage people. The species found on the roof were:

conica – Blackening waxcap  Calocybe carnea  Trochila ilicina – Holly speckle  fusca – dandelion  Puccinia lagenophorae - groundsel rust  Claviceps purpurea - ergot

Not bad for the roof of a city centre office.

The team There were five key people involved. Susan and I were involved in the planning with support of Dr. Ali Ashby (and her team at the BMS). On the day itself along with Susan and I, we also had the enthusiastic support of both Professor Roy Watling and his vast mycological knowledge and Amanda Jones, a long-standing member of the local fungus group.

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www.isham2018.org/en/Home_10_6_12.html

The Mycological Society of America (MSA), the International Mycological Association, the Latin American Mycological Association (ALM), the Puerto Rican Mycological Society (SPM), Universidad del Turabo and Meet Puerto Rico are proud to sponsor the 11th International Mycological Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This will be the first time IMC is celebrated in Latin America and the Caribbean region, one of the circa 30 biodiversity hotspots of the world. Puerto Rico is an ideal setting for a mycological congress because our long history in mycology and our location in the subtropical region offering a diversity of ecosystems (from dry to rain forests) harboring many tropical fungi. San Juan, the capital city, possesses a state of the art convention center, excellent hotels, excellent cultural activities and an amazing culinary experience. The Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport is a main hub for different airlines receiving direct flights from major airports in the USA, Europe, Central and South America. Come and enjoy IMC 11 in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2018. http://imc11.com/

Fungus Walk on the Malvern Hills Sheila Spence

Our walk this year started at Black Hill in Herefordshire but ended up crossing the county boundary and returning via Worcestershire. Despite a rather dry period we still found enough different species of fungi to keep the participants happy. As previously the Malvern Hills Trust organised and advertised the event which was fully booked once again. Participants marveled at dried up puffballs which obediently expelled their on the wind, a part ring of Clouded and some fresh-looking Birch Polypores on a fallen Birch branch which gave rise to some stories to tell. A couple of rather dried up Parasols were seen on the Worcestershire side of the hills together with some brightly coloured waxcaps which got the usual wow’s but as always it was the background stories, old fashioned remedies and traditional uses for some of the species that seemed to get the most interest - and what a good job as there were not that many fruitbodies around that day to show them.

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Cotswold Fungus Group -Woodland Fungi Course

Experienced tutor Dr Lee Heyward of Cotswold Fungus Group (assisted by Ellen Winter) introduced 21 participants to the fascinating world of fungi. This friendly and informative course covered fungal lifestyles, identifying and recording this bizarre kingdom. Held at a GWT nature reserve with an indoor venue for the classroom session.

Herefordshire Fungus Survey Group (HFSG) Queenswood Country Park and Arboretum

The Day was from 10.00 am - 3.30 pm and included:

 A programme of 'fungus walks' throughout the day o A display of named fungi o Display boards with around 70 still photographs, etc. o Continuous power point projection on “What are fungi?”

We also encouraged members of the public to bring in their own specimens of fungi for identification.

As in the previous (four) years, we held our event at Queenswood Arboretum, in conjunction with the Queenswood & Bodenham Lakes management and it was our best UK Fungus Day so far. The main factor for this was an increase in the number of people attracted to the site through the good publicity arranged by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust - the new owners. These visitors include those who are especially interested in wildlife matters, as well as those who came for a recreational day out with their families.

The weather was kind: a pleasant, warm day, enticing nature lovers and walkers with their children and dogs to take to the woods and linger by the display of fungi, fascinated as always by the sheer variety of species on the table. These had been collected in the County at the last possible moment and included those found by people who went on the forays, arranged on a rolling basis throughout the day.

Given the exceptionally dry ground conditions, it was amazing any fungi had been found (see list at the end) - a tribute to Group members and the enthusiasm of visitors!

Ciboria batschiana, which only occurs on rotting acorns, was locally abundant on the day.

Page | 9 ariety of substrates, on this occasion at the base of a frond of male fern. It is only occasionally recorded in Britain.

Whilst UK Fungus Day is certainly quite hard work to put on, we all felt that our event had made, at least a small difference, in increasing a general awareness of fungi. * new site record

Leucoagaricus serenus (previously recorded as Lepiota serena) occurs on a wide variety of substrates, on this occasion at the base of a frond of male fern. It is only occasionally

Agaricus silvicola Datronia mollis Marasmius rotula recorded Asterophora parasitica Ganoderma australe Mollisia cinerea in Britain. Auricularia auricula-judae crispa arcangeliana Whilst UK citrina * Mycoacia uda Heterobasidion annosum Panellus stipticus Fungus Calocera cornea * Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca Pholiotina arrhenii Day is

Ciboria batschiana * Hyphodontia sambuci butyracea certainly quite Clavulina cinerea Hypholoma fasciculare Schizopora paradoxa hard Clitocybe nebularis Hypomyces rosellus Skeletocutis nivea work to Coleosporium tussilaginis put on, Coprinellus disseminatus Lepiota echinacea * caerulea we all felt Coprinopsis picacea Lepista inversa rancida that our Coprinus micaceus Lepista nuda Trichia varia event had Cystolepiota seminuda Leucoagaricus serenus * rutilans made, at Dacrymyces stillatus Lycoperdon excipuliforme Xerocomus least a Lycoperdon perlatum subtomentosus small difference, in increasing a general awareness of fungi. * new site record

Llandegfedd Reservoir Visitor Centre Roger Evans

We organised a demonstration of previously collected fungi and display stands showing a wide range of species, plus information about the Gwent Fungus Group. We also had available a range of BMS literature. We were located near the entrance to the café so had lots of interest from those who happened to be passing. Approximately 20 people, including some children (10-15yrs), were taken on a 2 hour walk through mixed woodland where a good range of species were collected and discussed.

Glamorgan Fungus Group – The Wonderful World of Fungi

Glamorgan Fungus Group held and event called ‘The Wonderful World of Fungi’ which ran mini forays for 25 participants on 7th October 2017. Creating new interest in their group membership!

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Leicestershire Fungi Study Group Richard Iliffe

Our event was once more held in the foyer of Knoll House, one of the large mansion

blocks in Leicester University Botanic Gardens. We mounted a very varied table display of fresh fungi which reflected what we had been finding during a very productive autumn season. We also had tables holding literature and reference books, including relevant BMS leaflets and other publications. As usual we had two display boards of beautiful photographs, all provided by Peter Sykes. We did our best to publicise the event among local natural history societies, and Leicester University circulated an excellent poster advertising the display. However, we found that once again national publicity just did not seem to get through to the local public, and our own efforts to advertise the day were clearly inadequate as we had a poor response and almost all our visitors were those making casual visits to the Botanic Gardens. Although the weather was good the numbers attending were the lowest ever achieved and a generous estimate was around 60 adults, plus a few small children. A few stayed to chat about fungi for some time, so it was difficult to estimate total numbers attending. We had good support from several of our members who attended all day to talk to visitors, but there were long periods when our helpers were left to talk among themselves. We thank the Botanic Gardens management for permission to hold the event and for the use of Knoll House. Whether we return to this venue again is in question. The many days of advance preparation and amount of work involved in setting up a display cannot not be justified if we have a low attendance. For the future if we continue to support this event it may be more rewarding to organise one or two public walks, though we have few competent leaders and there is a limit to how many individuals each leader can handle, so we may not be achieving the primary objective which is to bring fungi to the attention of the wider public. (Photo: Peter Sykes)

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Nottinghamshire Fungi Group Di Mears

Our event was held at Sherwood Forest National Nature reserve on 8th October 2017. We put up display boards about our group and information and leaflets about fungi. We had a display table with named specimens as well as some activities for children. Three forays were done during the day and the public signed up to join us on these. A member of NFG stayed at the display area to answer any questions from the public during the forays. Our main outcomes were:  There was interest in the specimens we displayed.  Those on the foray enjoyed it and were interested and surprised by the range of fungi that we saw.  We did some activities for children (colouring/word search/how did the fungus get its spots) and children were keen to take things home to do.  The oyster mushroom spawn was again very popular and most were surprised that we were giving it away.  Made public aware of rarities and unusual species e.g. Oak Polypore/ New Zealand Truffle  Provided a list of species present at the reserve for Notts County council/RSPB who are taking over the site in 2018

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Pembrokeshire Fungus Recording Network

This year's event was held the the National Trust woodland site at Colby. The event, led

by Mike Karpaty, was well supported and attracted 12 newcomers in addition to a strong turnout of regulars from the Pembrokeshire Fungus Recording Network. Pat O'Reilly and Nigel Stringer provided valuable and much appreciated input throughout the event.

Fungus collections were taken back to an indoor assembly area to supplement previously collected material. Adam Pollard set up a microscope to show spore images, and an array of posters, booklets and reference material completed the display. The adjacent tea room was well placed for providing sustenance.

Thanks are due to the BMS and National Trust for supporting the day, and the Field Studies Council for printing a set of BMS genus posters for display

at this and future events. Display items were used again the following month as we were invited back to Orielton Field Centre for a fungal Bioblitz.

Parkhall Foray Report Chris Voisey

As it was National Fungus Weekend, it was decided to have one of the most popular Public Forays at Parkhall Country Park. The foray had been well advertised in advance and in total 25 people turned up. With 5 SFG members and one of the Park Rangers it made quite a large group.

Fortunately, conditions had been ideal over the previous week for fungal growth, so

Page | 13 expectations were high. As usual our route took us through the canyon where we found quite a few of the usual fungi such as Fly Agarics, , Deceivers, Laccaria bicolour and laccata and various Milk caps, usually associated with sandy soil and Birch, and Larch / Spruce trees. Some types were not found like Moor Clubs, Clavaria argillacea, and Plums and Custard, Tricholomopsis rutilans, although one of the latter was found later in another location. Unfortunately, the rarely found Snaketongue Truffle Club, Cordyceps ophioglossoides, was not found where it appeared last year. A few Heralds of the Winter, hypothejus, were found which was unusual as we have had no recent frosts. From the canyon we headed for the meadow where after a short talk on what we may find, 31 pairs of eyes went looking for wax caps. The Golden Waxcaps were very abundant this year and Meadow, Parrot, Slimy, Scarlet, Vermillion and Snowy versions were also found. The Pink Waxcap, Hygrocybe calyptriformis, was also discovered and admired by all. Yellow Fieldcaps, vitellinus, were quite abundant and a slime mould, Dog Vomit, Mucilago crustacea was found as well. Moving into the pine woods many Ochre Brittlegills, Russula ochroleuca, were evident. In past years the Spotted Toughshanks, Rhodocollybia maculata, covered large areas, but curiously, this year they were found only in one small clump! Due to the Park Rangers cutting back much of the undergrowth around the edge of the Skinners canyon, many of the fungi had failed to show in the usual places. However, the small Beech wood at the end revealed many groups of Jelly Babies, Leotia lubrica, This is the first time that we have seen these at Parkhall. A couple of Purple Jellydiscs , sarcoides, were found growing on a Birch stump.

Taking a slight detour on the way back to the start of the foray, we found many examples of the Saffron Milk cap, Lactarius deliciosus, Purple Russula, Russula atropurpurea, and a Brown Birch Bolete, Leccinium scabrum. A Primrose Brittlegill, Russula sardonia, was also found. Back at the start, all the fungi were laid out for further classification, study and discussion. Several passing members of the public stopped by the table to admire the afternoons collection. I believe that the Fungus Group has had a few new members join as a result of this successful annual foray.

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Rust Fungi Workshop, Conwy RSPB Debbie Evans

A one-day workshop on rust fungi was attended by an interested group of people to learn about this important yet often overlooked group of fungi. The workshop started with a presentation to introduce the rust fungi, including their history and importance

and to show examples of rust fungi both rare and common. A large display of rust infected plants and leaves collected over the previous few days was available to be looked at and discussed. Preparation of a slide to look at the spores under a microscope was demonstrated. Other plant pathogenic fungi including smuts, downy mildews and powdery mildews were briefly discussed and how they differ from the rusts. The second half of the workshop was a foray on to the reserve to look for rust fungi and participants quickly learnt how to spot the signs of an infection. We recorded 15 different rusts, some on more than 1 host making 19 records in total. This included Pucciniastrum agrimoniae on Common Agrimony, Agrimonia eupatoria, a Welsh RDL species. The reserve manager Julian Hughes wrote a blog about the event for the Conwy RSPB website https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/conwy/b/conwy- blog/archive/2017/09/17/turning-over-an-old-leaf.aspx

Thanks to the RSPB for providing the venue and hosting the event.

www.asm.org/index.php/asm-microbe-2018 Page | 15

Fantastic Fungi at the University of Aberdeen Dr Alex Brand

The Aberdeen Fungal Group (AFG) ran a stand from 10.00 – 17.00 at the annual

Explorathon event, which is run by the University of Aberdeen and Aberdeen City

Council to highlight the work of local scientists. The ‘Fantastic Fungi’ stand was in the main pedestrian thoroughfare at the St Nicholas shopping centre. The 5 AFG members were joined by Ann Miller from Ann Miller’s Speciality to inform the public of the role of fungi in the production food, agricultural crops and pharmaceuticals. We also explained the importance of fungi in the biotechnology industry and in research that helps us to understand how the cells in our bodies work. Most visitors were unaware of the involvement of fungi in food production and pharmaceuticals. Some knew that fungi (mycorrhizae) help plants to grow, but did not know that experiments show that crop yields can be boosted by ~ 20 %. Others had heard of the Nobel Prize winners (e.g., Sir Paul Nurse) but did not realise that so many had made their discoveries through fungi. Ann Miller displayed many field fungi and warned of the general dangers of picking them.

WWW.IMC11.com

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Grassland Fungi Walk at Chirk Castle

A group of over 15 adults and children joined Debbie and Eilir Evans and Head Ranger Carl Green for a 3 hour talk and walk to learn about grassland fungi and especially the waxcaps which can be found in the Chirk Castle grounds. (For visitors there is now an excellent interpretation board about the Castle’s grassland fungi in the Rangers’ hut). Following an introduction by Debbie and looking at a few examples of waxcaps, we walked over to the car park area and admired the assortment of fungi growing on the old tree stumps, including impressive groups of Honey Fungus, Giant Polypore and various brackets, before the 20-minute walk down to Baddy’s Park. This is a large, sheep-grazed field to the south of the Castle and was designated as a SSSI in 2012 for a combination of its grassland fungi, ancient trees and associated invertebrates. 19 species of waxcap have been recorded on the field including 2 extra species added following survey work in 2016 and the field could now qualify as a SSSI for its waxcaps alone. Participants were soon happily searching the field for the colourful waxcaps, fairy clubs and other fungi and bringing them to be discussed and named. The various textures of the waxcaps were easily demonstrated with glutinous species like the Slimy Waxcap Gliophorus irrigatus and the beautiful Parrot Waxcap contrasting well with dry capped species like Meadow Waxcap pratensis. Other features including gill attachment and different smells were demonstrated. Notable species found which are common at Chirk included the Ivory Coral, Ramariopsis kunzei, Orange Waxcap Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens and Bitter Waxcap Hygrocybe mucronella. In a short time, we had amassed an impressive collection with 12 waxcap species and 4 different fairy clubs amongst others. All participants were given a BMS goodie bag and were sent a list of the fungi recorded along with links to various on-line resources and suggestions of books and fungus groups should they wish to further their fungal interest. Feedback both on the day and afterwards was very positive. Thanks to the National Trust at Chirk Castle for hosting the walk.

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National Trust Longshaw Estate in the Peak District

“It was great to see so many young people engaged with Fungi Day and to welcome a diverse range of people. The Moorland Discovery Centre worked well as a base for walks and talks and we’re privileged to have such a beautiful and bountiful site for fungi at Longshaw - I think people saw this already special place in a new way. The walk-and- talk format worked well and kept everyone engaged, from young families to experts. Fungi is so important to our ecosystem and to get a varied range of visitors enthused about it’s amazing qualities was a treat, as well as giving us a chance to spread our conservation message of ‘click, don’t pick!’.” (Megan Carroll, Visitor Experience Officer for Longshaw Estate)

Megan sums up the ethos of our UK Fungi Day event at Longshaw – famously known as the People’s Estate after it was bought by Sheffield citizens in 1928 to save it from becoming a golf course and private housing development. It was shortly afterwards handed to the National Trust to become their first property in the Britain’s first National Park.

Since late 2013 a dedicated team of volunteers has been surveying the fungi and larger lichens of Longshaw, ever conscious of the pressure on wildlife from the estimated 500,000 visitors per year, and the threat of development of the site. Network Rail’s recent scheme to destroy most of one of Longshaw’s oldest and least disturbed woodlands to improve the Sheffield to Manchester railway service was stopped on environmental grounds by a determined campaign by nature-lovers at Longshaw.

UK Fungi Day was presented by Jenny Gerrans, Visitor Experience Manager at Longshaw, who voiced our central message morning and afternoon, at the eco-friendly, ground- heated Moorland Discovery Centre: “Please don’t pick the fungi you find, as we like to make sure they keep flowering year after year, and want as many people as possible to have the chance to see and appreciate their weird and wonderful forms”. And that is just how we see our fungi – the flowers of autumn which we all want to enjoy – to simply look at, to photograph - and not just to pick.” Our day celebrated the beauty of fungi large and small, with a focus on photography,

Page | 18 exemplified by John Leach’s stunning photographs which bedecked the display boards. We began with a short video produced by Steve Clements and Dave Cowley on “Life on Fungi”. This was composed of short video clips of the abundant and varied microarthropods and other invertebrates which we have noted chiefly on crust fungi during our local fungi surveys. It illustrated the vital importance of both fungi and invertebrates in the complex web of life. This was followed by a presentation on Longshaw’s Fantastic Fungi based on field and studio photos from our survey. The morning was completed by a fungi walk onto woodland pasture led by three members of the Longshaw Survey Team (John Leach, Sally Chadwick and John Leach). Using mirrors and mobile phone cameras we were able to name most of the larger grassland and veteran tree fungi with sufficient accuracy for the event - John Leach with a lump of microfungus-rich dung in his hand was a notable moment of fun for the attendees!

John Leach using a smart phone camera on “selfie” mode Pluteus thompsonii – Wrinkled Shield

The afternoon began with two more short talks by Steve Clements – one on the Sheffield Museums Collection of freeze-dried fungi from Longshaw collected in the 1960’s and still looking good. The other was on Poisonous/Inedible Fungi – which at Longshaw far outnumber in diversity and abundance the meagre remnants of edible species which are left by food-for-free pickers. A walk through a woodland area with large amounts of dead wood completed the day, with a nice find of Pluteus thompsonii – Veined Shield, by Sally Chadwick. The few specimens which we picked to show were carefully replaced. Whilst we were out in the field Jenny and her colleagues were busy doing fungi-based crafts with younger attendees in the Moorland District Centre. “The Trust’s focus on Land, Outdoors and Nature complements the aims of Fungi Day perfectly” Megan adds. “Engaging young visitors is key to the conservation of fungi in the Peak District”.

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Jenny’s drawing of Honey fungus was impressive. Our UK Fungi Day saw no baskets of fungi, and no tables piled with specimens ready to be dumped at the end of the day. Instead we enjoyed a sense of the beautiful fragility of wildlife which was a privilege to observe and leave unspoilt.

Steve Clements (Longshaw Fungi and Lichen Survey: Sally Chadwick, Steve Clements, Rob Foster, John Leach and Brian Mitchell).

Grasslands Fungi Workshop

A group of 15 had booked for this half-day workshop to learn about grassland fungi with emphasis on the waxcaps and fairy clubs. This was an indoor event with specimens on display collected by Debbie during the 2 preceding days. These provided a wide range of species to be examined closely and talked about. The afternoon started with a PP presentation to introduce the grassland fungi including what they are, their ecology and their conservation value. This was followed by detailed examination of the collected material. Participants sat round the table and specimens were handed round to be looked at closely, smelled etc. Emphasis was given to the macroscopic features of the different species and how to use these to help name a fungus. Various keys, resources and books were shown and discussed. All participants received a handout with information about grassland fungi including a list of references, along with a BMS

goodie bag. Thanks to the RSPB for the venue and for hosting both events.

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RSPB, Conwy – Fun with Fungi Morning

A group of children and parents joined Debbie and Eilir Evans and RSPB Visitor Experience Manager Helen Jowett for a 2 hour mainly indoor event hosted by RSPB Conwy. It was designed to introduce children to fungi and their importance in everyday life. We started with a short PP presentation about fungi. There were various displays to look at and interact with including lots of different forms of fungi from moulds to brackets, spore prints, foods containing or using fungi and lots more. There were demonstrations of ‘How the mushroom got its spots’, and how to make spore prints and things to make, draw or colour in and everyone got involved. All participants had a goodie bag to take away including the BMS resources and more. Finally, we all went out in to the reserve for a 20-minute walk along the boardwalk and children were soon finding the tiniest of fungi. The parents seemed to enjoy the event as much as the children and feedback was very positive.

www.ukfungusday.co.uk/

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Field meetings and workshops 2018

Professor Bruce Ing will be our guest mycologist Spring Study Week and local guide for our week in Scotland. Bruce Venue: Kindrogan Field Studies has been involved in field mycology with the Centre BMS for over fifty years both in foray Venue website: www.field- committees and organising events in the field. studiescouncil.org/centres/scotland/ His specialist subject is Myxomycetes, but he kindrogan.aspx has a wealth of knowledge in all fungal groups. Tutor: Bruce Ing He was the first Centre Director of Kindrogan Dates: 4th to 11th May 2018 when it opened in 1964, and he tutors a course Accommodation: Mostly sharing on Ascomycetes each year at Kindrogan and our Cost: £321 event will run directly after his 2018 course. This all means he will have current firsthand knowledge of the best areas to visit. Within the UK Scotland has a unique mycological flora having many species not found in England or Wales, and a higher than average rainfall often making conditions preferable to fungi. In ancient times Kindrogan Estate was the property of the Robertson and Reid Families and parts of the main house date back to the medieval period including the spiral staircase which once would have been part of this fortified manor house. The Field Studies Council began operating at Kindrogan in 2002 and were gifted the centre in 2010 Increasingly the amateur mycologist is having to DNA Analysis Workshop work with DNA if their taxonomic work and Venue: Tankerley Manor Hotel, publications are to be taken seriously or be Barnsley published in recognised journals. To date most Venue website: individuals in UK have relied on the good will of https://www.qhotels.co.uk/ academics to have the processing and Tutors: Tuula Niskanen & Kate interpretation of Data done. This training Liimatainen workshop is specifically geared to developing those missing skills to enable the amateur to Dates: 6th to 8th July 2018 familiarise themselves with the tools needed for Cost: £130 pp (two nights full this work. board)

The workshop will be run as a small group of 10 with two tutors using individuals laptops and accessible programmes, and will cover:

 Basic use of blast search (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi - available to be used online)  How to use UNITE database (https://unite.ut.ee/, available to be used online)  Comparing similar sequences (MUSCLE, https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/msa/muscle/ available to be used online)  Aligning sequences (MAFFT, https://mafft.cbrc.jp/alignment/server/available to be used online)

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 Viewing and editing sequence alignments (Seaview, the programme can be downloaded for free to a computer from http://doua.prabi.fr/software/seaview )  Performing a preliminary phylogenetic analysis (RaXML, the programme can be downloaded for free to a computer from https://sites.google.com/site/raxmlgui/ )  Viewing the phylogenetic trees (FigTree, the programme can be downloaded for free to a computer from http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/software/figtree/ )  General editing of the sequence files is easiest to do in NotePad++ (the programme can be downloaded for free to a computer from https://notepad-plus- plus.org/ ) This workshop is therefore suitable for anyone who is already delving into DNA work or likely to do so in the future. Having two tutors will ensure plenty of personal help and I am assured it will not be too difficult, an individual with a positive attitude, despite the scary list of odd names and programmes above, should be able to learn the basics comfortably within 2 days.

We anticipate this will be popular so make sure you book immediately so that you are not disappointed.

Participants are expected to use their own laptop computers. The accommodation is in 4 Star Tankersley Manor Hotel, Church Ln, Tankersley, Barnsley, S75 3DQ. This is 20 mins from Sheffield and close to the M1 motorway with easy access from main trunk roads. Their conference accommodation includes free and fast broadband a requirement for this workshop.

For our Autumn event we are staying at the Autumn Study Week Waterside holiday village in Cornwall. Situated Venue: Waterside Holiday Village near Bodmin and being central it is ideally Venue website: situated to reach a good variety of sites. Pauline www.watersidecornwall.com Penna is our local organiser. Guest Mycologist - to be confirmed. Tutor: Jens Petersen The Cornwall group has recently recorded Dates: 8th to 15th Oct 2018 several fungi new to Britain. The warm oceanic Accommodation: climate of Cornwall will no doubt have plenty Cost: From £350 sharing more undiscovered new species of fungi just sitting waiting for our visit. Although we are staying in holiday lodges, we are not going to be self cater-ing. Our accommodation will be ‘Full Board’ therefore they will be providing all meals including breakfast. The lodges have twin and double rooms, all the rooms are either en-suite or have an exclusive-use bathroom adjacent. The workroom is apparently very large so they can accommodate a large group. If people book early and there is extra demand it may be possible to book extra lodges, however if left too late ay extra lodges might get snapped up by holiday makers, therefore please book early.

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BRITISH MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY FIELD MEETINGS 2018 - PLEASE READ THE SEPARATE DETAILS OF EVENTS BEFORE BOOKING All costs include the BMS member discount. (Non members + £30) Couples = one form only. Partners of members classed as members

Event: Spring Fungal Recording & Study Week Kindrogan Field Study Centre, Perthshire, Scotland, PH10 7PG th th Friday 4 May to Friday 11 May 2018 Please book me onto this event: I enclose the £20 per person booking fee; non refundable unless a room is unavailable Accommodation - Tick one box only I will only accept a single occupancy room, (cancel if unavailable) @ £406 per week full board I prefer single occupancy (cost as above) but am prepared to share if single room unavailable To keep down the cost, I prefer to share a twin bedded room @ £321 per week full board We are a couple and prefer a twin room or a double room @ £321 per week full board Note: There are only a couple of en-suite rooms available. These will be allocated on a first come firsts served basis. Limited numbers. Please book ASAP Event: DNA Analysis Workshop Tankersly Manor Hotel, Barnsley S75 3DQ Friday 6th July to Sunday 8th July 2018 Please book me onto this event: I enclose the £130 per person booking fee; non-refundable unless a room is unavailable Event: Autumn Fungal Recording & Study Week Waterside Centre, Old Coach Road, Lanivet, Cornwall, PL30 5JJ Monday 8th October to Monday 15th October 2018

Please book me onto this event: I enclose the £20 per person booking fee; non refundable unless a room is unavailable Accommodation - Tick one box only I will only accept a single occupancy room, (cancel if unavailable) @ £455 per week full board I prefer single occupancy (cost as above) but am prepared to share if single room unavailable To keep down the cost, I prefer to share a twin bedded room @ £350 per week full board We are a couple and prefer a twin room or a double room @ £350 per week full board

Of the pre-booked rooms, sixteen rooms are en-suite and twelve rooms are not en-suite but they have an adjacent bathroom. The en -suite rooms will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If the demand is high, it may be possible to book extra lodges providing they are still available. Therefore early booking will help everyone.

Name(s) BMS Member

Address:

Home Phone: Mobile (emergency only)

Email:

Diet: Regular Vegetarian Pescetarian Other Please State:

I enclose deposits (£20 per person per event) making a total of £ and I understand that full payment is due when requested by the Field Events Manager. Deposits are non-refundable and final payments can only be refunded if a replacement is found, therefore travel insurance should be considered. I have read the 'Risk Assessment' (on p. 3) and agree to follow all the recommendations as far as is practicable. Registered Charity: 276503 Signed......

Please make cheques payable to: 'The British Mycological Society' Post to: Peter R Smith, BMS Field Events Manager, 16 White Street, Derby, DE22 1HA Email: [email protected]

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BOOKING PROCEDURE AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON EVENTS

The programme of events arranged by the Field EventsManager and approved by the Field Mycology Committee appear on the Society’s web site www.britmycolsoc.org.uk along with a booking form and further details, these can be downloaded from the website, There is a non-refundable booking fee of £20.00 per person, per event which should be sent to the Foray Manager with a completed booking form for each participant. For some events it is possible to attend on a part time basis or to be non resident (please enquire) a fee for workroom space, administration and tutoring costs will then be applicable.

The Society welcomes non-members to its events but they are required to pay an extra £30 per event attended. However for a similar cost, membership of the Society can be obtained and you will then qualify for membership benefits and receive the newsletter.

The Field Events Manager will remind you for payment of the balance owing at the appropriate time, usually no later than six weeks before the event. Please pay this promptly to maintain your place on the event. Participants should consider travel insurance to cover late cancellation. Final payment refunds may be possible, but only if a substitute person is found.

Bookings will be acknowledged by email. If you do not have an email please enclose a stamped, addressed envelope if you require acknowledgement. Early booking is recommended to ensure a place on an event.

The booking form also allows you to indicate your preferences for accommodation in more detail. The available accommodation varies with the venue and, whilst we would like to try to meet everyone's individual needs, this may not always be possible. Additional charges will usually apply for single rooms or en suite facilities depending on venue prices. All rooms will be booked on a 'First Come, First Served' basis so to ensure your choice of room book early. If you are not able to attend due to there being no rooms left that are suitable for your stated requirements your cheque will be returned or a refund granted.

NOTES ON EVENTS Workshops are usually held over a weekend, (Friday pm to Sunday pm) and are mainly indoors and combine lectures and practical work. On fungal identification workshops a microscope is essential. The BMS has a couple of microscope for use at workshops however; please ask the Foray Manager if a microscope will be available before making a booking. Fungal identification workshops may use both fresh and dried fungal specimens as appropriate. In some cases, some outdoor foray activity may be part of the workshop. Numbers are usually limited, and the courses are generally booked up very quickly.

Residential Study Weeks; have a long tradition extending back to the 19th Century. They provide an opportunity for participants to study the fungi of a particular area. Each day there are field visits to record and collect material which are then studied Page | 25 after returning to the workroom. . They provide an excellent opportunity for exchange of knowledge on current developments in and conservation within an informal learning environment. . There is a general exchange of information, especially during individual discussions around the 'Display Table' and sometimes in the bar, this gives an opportunity for the less experienced mycologist to learn from their more experiences colleagues.

At some events there may be an invited guest mycologist, and occasionally there will also be a lecture or presentation. Usually at autumn events either the guest mycologist or other experienced mycologist will discuss the outstanding finds of the day around the display table. The records of fungi made during BMS forays are added to the Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland, which is then made accessible through the online NBN gateway. As part of this recording activity, our study weeks also provide an opportunity to add herbarium specimens to the National collections.

First time participants to a BMS event - The Society is keen to encourage new participants with an interest in fungi to extend their expertise by participating in its study weeks and workshops. Our events are suitable for mycologists at all levels of ability,. However, anyone new to our 'BMS Events' should also be aware that our 'Recording & Study Weeks' differ from 'Local Forays' in that our members tend to collect and work on their material individually rather than as a single group. Therefore, those with some knowledge of using microscopes and fungi keys will benefit the most. One of the most rewarding aspects of participating in our 'Recording & Study Weeks' is having the opportunity to spend all your waking hours studying fungi with a very sociable and helpful group of like-minded people, and without feeling guilty or being distracted by your normal commitments to home and family. After a recent BMS 'Recording & Study Week' a member new to these events sent us the following feedback: “The highlight of the Foray for me was, without a doubt, the welcome and help that I received from other participants. I was rather worried that I might not fit into a week with no formal teaching but I actually had a fantastic time".

At some events BMS books may be available for use. Also if new members have not yet purchased a microscope there may be an opportunity to use a society owned microscope. If you would like to do so please contact the Field Events Manager

All participants are encouraged to bring any relevant literature and their own microscopes. However, whilst the organisers will endeavour to keep forayer's equipment as safe as is practicable, the society cannot be held accountable for any loss or damage; therefore it is advised that participants ensure that all equipment they bring is adequately insured.

Hope to see you on a BMS event soon: Peter R Smith, BMS Field Events Manager. email: [email protected]

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GENERIC RISK ASSESSMENT FOR BMS FIELD EVENTS

Hazard How Most Likely Recommendations to minimise the risk Likely Injury

Tripping or slipping High Minor Wear strong boots and walk carefully. Avoid holes, tree roots and fallen branches Hit by a falling tree V. Low Major Keep out of woods during high winds. Be aware of leaning or hung-up trees and branches Walking into low Medium Minor Be observant for low branches branches Getting stuck in mud Low Poss. Fatal Keep away from pond sides and bogs & carry a mobile

Drowning Low Fatal Keep well away from all open water

Hit by a vehicle Medium Poss. Fatal Keep clear of all vehicles especially if reversing on the road Avoid dog faeces. Keep hands away from mouth and wash hands Contracting Medium Major before Toxicariasis eating Avoid contact with open water or where rats may have been Keep Contracting Low Major hands Leptospirosis away from mouth and wash hands before eating Contracting Low Major Immunisation - (see GP). Avoid injury. Keep any wounds covered, , Tetanus Wash hands.

Avoid areas where ticks may be present. Keep legs covered and check Contracting Low Major for Lymes disease ticks after trip. If you are bitten by a tick followed by flu-like symptoms contact your doctor Hypodermic needle Low Poss. Fatal Be observant, Keep hands away from anywhere that you cannot see. If stick Injury you suspect you have received a needle-stick injury; Make the wound bleed, clean it. Then get a message to the leader and go straight to A&E

Getting Lost Low None Stay in groups, Carry a mobile phone, If you leave early please get a message to the leader so we know you are safe and don't need to search for you. Make a note of the Leaders mobile number. Attacked by a person V. Low Major Stay in groups, Carry a mobile phone or a dog Cut by a pen-knife Medium Minor Always cut away from body parts. Carry plasters: Only carry a legal size pen-knife BMS Field Events are for the recording and study of fungi only. Please Poisoned by fungi Low Poss. Fatal do not collect any fungi for consumption on any BMS event.

Ingesting bacteria Medium Minor Avoid handling any rotting fungi or any other putrid material. Keep causing stomach hands away from the mouth and wash hands before eating or smoking pains or diarrhoea Tripping over in the Low Minor Keep walkways clear and be observant workroom Treat all chemicals with respect and handle carefully. Clean up any Caustic or toxic reactions Low Minor spills from chemical reagents straight away and if skin gets contaminated wash of skin immediately

While it is recognised that some members prefer to search is specialist habitats on their own, they must accept the increased risks involved and should always carry a mobile phone with the Field Events Manager and/or Local Organisers numbers, in case they get lost, encounter any difficulties or have an accident.

Page | 27 www.gileadgiving.co.uk

Gilead UK & Ireland Fellowship Programme Invasive fungal disease grant applications are now open

Gilead UK and Ireland is proud to support initiatives to improve patient care in the fields of HIV, viral hepatitis, invasive fungal disease (IFD), cystic fibrosis and oncology/haematology. The Gilead UK and Ireland Fellowship Programme aims to encourage the development, exploration and dissemination of new ideas which generate and promote best practice in the delivery of patient-centred care through innovative and reproducible models.

The IFD Fellowship will be open to applications that meet the following criteria: Antifungal stewardship and/or audit projects which aim to improve patient care quality and safety by investigating one or more of the following factors: • Antifungal resistance • Breakthrough fungal infections including incidence, risk factors, populations at risk and management strategies • Optimisation of antifungal use and prevention of unnecessary exposure (potentially through implementation or use of appropriate diagnostics and/or stringent protocol management) • Development of start and stop criteria for antifungal therapy • Appropriate sequencing of antifungals

Projects which fall outside of this scope but which will add clinical value or which investigate an area of unmet need within mycology can also be submitted and will be reviewed for their merit. For further details and to apply for a grant please go to: www.gileadgiving.co.uk

Job bag number: 000/UK/16-11/MM/2074e(1)a Date of preparation: March 2018

Membership renewal 2018

Dear members, a reminder that you should renew your membership for ASAP if you have not already done so. Membership should be renewed online at https://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/profile/subscriptions/

You will be asked to log in with your username (normally your email) and password. If you cannot remember your password, follow the link to reset. Membership and journals can be paid for by debit or credit card through Worldpay. Renewing online automatically updates our membership database. Please also check your personal details and amend and save any changes. BMS Contact Information Registered Charity No 276503Registered Office: Charles Darwin House 12 Roger St, London WC1N 2JU Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1618188630

For Membership/journal Email: [email protected] For UK Fungus Day Email: [email protected] For Newsletter Items Email: [email protected] BMS Facebook group page

URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/18843741618/

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