Celebrating the Year of Co-ops, together

It’s hard to believe that two years ago, we were celebrating our fiftieth birthday. 

That milestone felt momentous, and yet here we are, with time still rolling, at the ripe old age of almost 52.

The Rochdale Pioneers seeded the co-operative movement and 181 years later the International Co-operative Alliance reports that 12% of the global population are members of co-ops.

In 1973 we became the first dedicated co-operative lender in the UK and rooted ourselves in the sector and continue that dedication, doing our bit to see a thriving, diverse and sustainable co-operative economy and build a better world. In the last 52 years we have lent over £25M, supporting hundreds of co-ops and community businesses to start and grow.

This year, we’re continuing our work of supporting co-ops of all shapes and sizes as they strive to make their workplaces, communities and the planet a better place. In a world that can often feel uncertain, it’s heartening to know that co-operatives continue to offer a steady, people-first path forward. And this year – 2025 — is the Year of Co-ops, a global celebration of the cooperative model and everything it stands for: shared ownership, community resilience, and long-term sustainability, right now, that feels like something to really hold onto.

We’re proud to have been at the forefront of co-operative investment and finance in the UK, and we hope that the much discussed ‘doubling the size of the sector’ both comes off, and has the social impact we know it can. To help us achieve that growth, this Summer 2025, we are planning to relaunch our ICOF Community Capital Community Shares investment fund, a chance for you to invest directly in the sector. More details will follow but if you want to be kept up-to-date with the investment opportunity please join our mailing list. 

Tim Coomer, CCF’s Business Development Manager said “It’s been said before, but this year really feels like a real opportunity for the co-op sector to lead the charge in creating real change in a broken extractive financial system. Co-ops can become the beacon in the darkness and we must harness support both domestically and internationally to galvanise the movement, create new co-ops, help the sector grow and be the fairer solution for communities everywhere.”

Here’s to the Year of Co-ops, and to every member, partner, and supporter , around the world, who believes in better.