Worms at Work: BrewCycle’s Underground Heroes

Something exciting is wriggling its way into the BrewCycle project. We’re turning big old waste bins into continuous-flow worm farms to transform spent grain, used mushroom substrate and garden waste into rich, living compost for the community gardens at Forever Fields in Manchester. It’s all part of our circular mission — where nothing goes to waste, and even the tiniest creatures play a big role in rebuilding healthy soil and healthy communities.

Our new worm farms will be home to special composting worms that thrive on the leftovers from our mushroom production. These hungry little heroes break everything down into nutrient-packed fertiliser that helps local gardens flourish. It’s the final loop in the BrewCycle cycle: brewery grain becomes mushrooms, mushrooms become compost, and compost grows the next generation of food.

Even better, BrewCycle volunteers will be sharing the know-how by working with people on Community Payback to build the worm farms themselves. With just an old waste bin, some piping and a bit of teamwork, we’ll create self-sustaining compost systems that keep giving back to the earth. It’s simple, green and deeply satisfying — a perfect example of how small, creative ideas can have big community impact.