Fungus on the Fourth Plinth

Dear mycologists,

I’ve been studying fungi for the past 6 years, first as an undergraduate student, and more recently I completed my PhD with Prof Lynne Boddy (currently president of the British Mycological
Society) at Cardiff University, investigating the ecology of rare fungi in the UK. Throughout this time I’ve been amazed at how little the general public know about fungi.

I’m taking part in an event in London through which I am hoping to send a message to people around the world about the positive impacts that fungi have on our daily life and life as we know it on this planet.

From Monday 6th July 2009 there will be a different member of the British public standing on an 8 m high plinth in Trafalgar Square in central London every hour of every day for 100 days. This project is the brain child of UK  sculptor Anthony Gormley, and allows 2,400 members of the public one hour each in the public eye; while on the plinth there are no rules, you can do anything you want as long as it’s not illegal. The entire project will be continuously streamed on the internet, so people around the world can watch it live (www.oneandother.co.uk).

Having been lucky enough to secure a place on the plinth I have decided to use my hour of fame to shout about fungi! With the help of friends and family, I will explain in simple terms how fungi provide us with food, drugs and plants (through mycorrhizae) and so much more. There will be fungal fancy dress, stickers and sweets for passers by and banners on the plinth. I am trying to get as much support behind this project as possible, so that through media coverage I can get this message to as many people as possible. So far I have also been on BBC’s local radio station.

This is where you come in. I’m hoping that if I have the support of mycology groups from around the world, this will be an interesting angle to what I’m doing, that will increase the chance of getting press coverage. While on the plinth I will have a megaphone, and I would very much like to be able to read out messages, interesting fungal facts, poems, anything, from other mycology groups around the world.

My spot on the plinth is Sunday 12th July, 3-4am. This is a rather awkward time for people in the UK, but maybe for some of you in other time zones you may be able to watch my spot on the plinth, and hear / see your messages being read out.

If you’d like to get in touch please email me crockattme@cardiff.acuk or join my facebook group:
Fungus on the Fourth Plinth.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Martha Crockatt