The Church of Ubuntu began not as an institution, but as a movement.

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In 2010, our founders BJ Futter and Nikki Frreeburn opened their first herbal apothecary on the Central Coast of New South Wales in response to a growing need for alternatives to pharmaceutical-only models of care. What began as a community-driven space for natural healing soon evolved into something far greater.

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As more people came through our doors struggling with chronic pain, degenerative illness, and emotional exhaustion, it became clear that we weren’t just offering remedies. We were offering hope. And that hope needed a voice.

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By 2012, we were already developing and manufacturing full-spectrum, whole-plant cannabis medicines; well before medical cannabis was formally legalised in Australia. With every carefully prepared formula, we saw lives change: children with epilepsy finding relief, cancer patients managing pain, individuals with autoimmune diseases finally feeling heard.

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In 2014, we took a bold step and founded Australia’s first dedicated Plant Medicine Clinic, creating a professional clinical consultation model to ensure safety, efficacy, and compassionate care. This was a time when plant medicine was still widely misunderstood. What we were doing was not just healing work. It was advocating for every Australian to have access to the healing potential of plant-medicine.

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We helped set the standard for care in this emerging field. We created practitioner training programs to ensure integrity, skill, and accountability. We stood with families navigating complex diagnoses and limited options. And we challenged outdated systems by offering something different: natural, affordable, individualised care rooted in ancient wisdom and the groundbreaking science of a new era.

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We chose the name Ubuntu because it reminds us that our wellbeing is interconnected. 

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We are more than a clinic, we are a health-based community rooted in compassion, respect, and collective healing. The Church of Ubuntu was formally established to honour that deeper purpose: to be a sanctuary for those seeking healing of the mind, body, and spirit; outside the limitations of conventional systems.

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Through our clinic and community, we continue to support individuals facing serious conditions such as cancer, leukemia, epilepsy, MS, PTSD, and chronic pain; offering not only plant medicine, but also emotional support, education, and empowerment.​