Introducing our new Director, Mark Simmonds

We’re pleased to announce, during trustees Week, that experienced co-operator Mark Simmonds, founder of Co-op Culture, has joined our Board of Directors.

We spoke to Mark recently about his co-operative journey, and why he’s joined us.

“While I’m involved in a number of organisations, at the moment, I mainly deliver my work through Co-op Culture. 

My co-op story started back in the 1980s. After completing a PhD in chemistry, I decided to become a chef in a worker co-op vegan café in Nottingham*. I did that for a few years, then moved into teaching for a while.

When I moved up to Yorkshire, I thought I’d return to the co-operative movement and applied for a job at Suma Wholefoods – the largest equal-pay worker co-op in Europe. I spent five years there before moving on to work for Co-operatives UK, where I spent six years around co-operative enterprises in the local food system – community agriculture, farmers’ markets, that sort of thing.

When that came to an end, I realised there were parts of the work I really enjoyed, so I carried on as a freelance co-operative development worker. Along the way I’ve joined two worker co-ops delivering that – first Co-op Business Consultants, and then Co-op Culture, which I founded many years ago now.

I’m also involved in a number of community initiatives where I live. I helped create Heptonstall Community Assets to take on our village shop and post office, and I’m secretary and treasurer there. I also set up Heptonstall Allotment Society, where I’m secretary and treasurer too. And I’ve recently gone back on the board of the Fox and Goose, our local co-operative pub which I helped found eleven years ago.

I’ve worked with CCF and ICOF over the years, and they’ve always felt part of my co-op family. I know people on the board, and even years ago, when I was on the Co-operatives UK board, I went to their strategy away day to give a state-of-the-sector overview.

So when I heard they were looking for new board members – and I was standing down from a few other boards – I thought, now’s the time. I also do a lot of work around co-op finance, so it feels like a natural fit.

One thing I’m particularly interested in exploring is whether CCF could play a role in community share and bond offers. At the moment, there are several actors in that space, but they’re often designed for traditional charity fundraising or high net worth investors. I’d like to see if we can create something more co-op friendly.

I also want to encourage groups I work with to think differently about loan finance. People often shy away from it, but in my experience it can be really useful and enabling.

The thing I really like about CCF, and co-operative finance in general, is that I can just pick up the phone and have a chat without starting something formal. The groups I work with can do the same. They’re approachable and human, and you can have a sensible conversation.”

We’re delighted that Mark feels that way and are looking forward to hearing more from him as his tenure progresses,

*Interesting fact! Mark was part of both Out to Munch and Salamander in Nottingham, and Salamander shared premises with Haziki – where Ian Rothwell used to work