June 2022

Lending and Relationship Manager Kevin Lloyd-Evans attended Co-ops Congress for the first time this year. Here, he reflects on the event.

Congress 22 was held in Birmingham, at the East Side Rooms a new venue recently opened as part of the redevelopment of Birmingham’s central East Side, which will be the home of HS2.

As conferences go, Congress 22 was a great event – good venue & food, speakers, workshops, enthusiastic delegates and well organised by Cooperatives UK. The recurring theme addressed by various speakers was the gap between the number of people starting coops and socially minded people identifying strongly with cooperative principles and values. Rose Marley, CEO of Cooperatives UK, spoke about research which had been done in 2021 showing young people connect very strongly with coop principles and ways of working. So why are so few coops being started particularly in comparison to social enterprises?

There were several reasons offered as to why cooperative structures were not being adopted by people when starting social businesses. Speakers touched on a lack of awareness about the work of cooperatives, a lack of political support (more support for social enterprise development), and sometimes too much focus on structure and theory as opposed to action and implementation.

The challenge for the movement is the perception it is insular, narrow in focus and lacking diversity. Lord Victor Adebowale suggested the movement had a lot to offer and being more outward looking would bring benefits. Speakers including The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, MP Jess Philips, and Scott Darraugh (CEO Social Adventures) all echoed a similar theme.

On a further optimistic note, despite the lack of formal cooperatives established in recent years people were adopting cooperative values and ways of working. This provides a platform for inclusion, growth, and development. The challenge facing the movement seems not one of trying to convert people to cooperative values and principles but to find inclusion routes for the converted. Like HS2, the cooperative movement could be leaving Birmingham super charged and reaching new audiences in record time.

This year, Co-op Fortnight wants to celebrate the diversity of co‑ops. 

Between Monday 20th June and Sunday 3rd July, hundreds of co‑ops and organisations across the UK will be working together to celebrate and promote co‑ops. The theme this year is #UnwrapCoops and we are excited to see behind the scenes of all the fantastic co-ops out there!

We know that a huge range of people are involved in co-ops here in the UK and globally – according to the International Cooperative Alliance, at least 12% of people on earth are members of any of the 3 million cooperatives that exist. We are proud to be a co-op ourselves, and we are incredibly proud to support new and developing co-ops here in the UK. In recent months, we’ve worked with two fantastic organisations and the coops behind them.

Paul Smith, Vice Chairman of the Sir Walter Raleigh in Devon said: “Securing the future of the pub is a great achievement for our village. The support from Co-operative and Community Finance has been fantastic, they were helpful, responsive, supportive and very professional in all our dealings. The loan application process was straightforward and the terms of the loan very fair. Opening a current account was a tortuous process, by comparison securing our loan couldn’t have been easier.”

Andy Bagshaw, Chairman of North Derbyshire Youth Football League says, “We came across Co-operative and Community Finance (CCF) and they changed our whole perspective on what was achievable. Kevin Lloyd-Evans and Tim Coomer were immediately supportive and guided us on taking advice from Co-operatives UK as well as helping us secure the finance we needed to complete the project. At all times we felt that C&CF ‘were on our side’ and could see the aims and importance of having our own facilities to provide youth football for hundreds of local children.”

There are some great events happening through the fortnight – new members of Co-operatives UK can meet and mingle online on the 24th June, and a real life gathering is taking place in Hebden Bridge on the 2nd July. Join Calderdale Co-operative Association for ‘Co-ops Work!’ to celebrate the UN International Day of Co-operatives.

Whatever you do this co-op fortnight, we hope you can shout about the co-operatives you are involved in. These are businesses that operate for people and planet as well as profit – imagine if all businesses did?

Today, 20th June 2022, is World Refugee Day

This day, first marked in 2001, is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees wherever they are. It recognises and celebrates the strength and courage of all those who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. It is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Each year the day has a theme and this year that theme is the right to seek safety. Under Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

Co-operatives have often been at the forefront of supporting those seeking safety. Last year, the Co-op Foundation awarded a £250,000 grant to Refugee Action, and laid the foundations for Co-op members, Co-op Academies and Member Pioneers to get involved in providing further support. In Ukraine, co-op workers have been taking refugees displaced from occupied areas into their homes. And in Poland, credit unions have been at the forefront of providing humanitarian relief, and welcoming Ukrainian refugees. This document on the International Labour Organisation website highlights further examples of co-ops supporting refugees in recent decades.

Today, and through Refugee Week, (check out the full range of events running here) we hope you will join us in celebrating the innovative creativity and resilience of refugees and other people seeking sanctuary. When even the history of that ‘British’ classic fish and chips can be traced back to the kitchens of Jewish immigrants, it is clear that their contribution is so vast as to have become woven into the fabric of our society.

Book your place now to join us on the 30th June for the ICOF and associated companies AGMs.

Our AGM this year will again be held online. Please view the information and respective AGM packs here and if you are a LTD Member, PLC or ICC shareholder and wish to attend, please contact Alain now

The biggest event of the UK Co-operatives Year is back, in person. And we’re going to be there. Are you?

After two years away, we are so pleased that Congress will be happening in person (with an online element) on Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th June in Birmingham, with a networking dinner on the evening between the two days.

The programme is packed with workshops, discussions, advice and keynotes. Alongside traditional support sessions, advice for those new to the movement, and exploration of the democratic economy, some sessions have jumped out at us.

On Friday, Joining the dots: How can tech enable a stronger co-operative economy? will explore the part tech could play a huge role in transforming and strengthening the co-operative movement.

Later that day, a panel will discuss the role of co-ops in creative industries and how co-operatives can address unfairness in the music industry

On Saturday, two sessions will explore Community Shares, and Women’s voice through co-operative history. And there is much, much more besides.

We’ll be there as an exhibitor – come along and say hi to Business Development Manager Tim and Lending and Relationship Manager Kevin, and ask any questions you may have about your finance needs. We look forward to meeting you!