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Have you considered a co-op for your business? Would you like to know more about this inclusive and resilient business model and hear from those already working this way? Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS) in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise is hosting a free two-day learning journey 12- 13 November to visit and hear from co-operatives in the Highlands and Islands. 

The programme includes a workshop on how the co-operative model can create and sustain a successful, values-based business; the steps needed to start one and the support available to do so. This will be followed by presentations and visits to successful growing co-operative businesses including:

• Argyll and Isles Tourism Co-operative, strategic destination management organisation for the Argyll and Isles region 
• Highland Wholefoods, a worker co-operative based in Inverness who supply vegetarian, vegan, organic, ethical and environmentally friendly food, drinks and household products
• Loch Ness Hub and Travel, a community benefit society operating as a co-operative offering baggage and shuttle transfers for the Great Glen Way, e-bike hire and visitor information services
• Great Glen Energy Co-op, an Industrial and Provident Society established to own a stake in the Millenium Wind Farm

Who is it for?

This event is open to: 

• Anyone considering a new business who wants to do things differently and adopt a fair, inclusive and democratic business model.
• Existing businesses who are looking for an alternative approach and are considering adopting a different business model.
• Community groups with an idea for a community owned business venture.
• Business advisors who would like to know more about co-ops to help support their clients. 
• Please note this event is aimed at those working or living in Highlands and Islands.

They will share their learning and experience, giving helpful pointers of what has worked for them as well as exploring the challenges they have faced along the way.  

Why should you attend?

Attendees will:

• Increase their knowledge and awareness of what co-ops are and the potential they have to create successful, fair and inclusive businesses.
• Be able to share knowledge and ideas to benefit co-ops, or clients they may be advising.
• Build relationships with others in the co-op sector.
• Find out more about the support available to start or grow co-ops.   

Book here!

Today, the 7th of  September 2024, is the UN International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, part of the UN Environment Programme.

Marked annually since 2019, this year’s observance emphasises ‘the urgent need for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and shared responsibility’ to combat air pollution.

Staggeringly, air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death, causing around 8.1 million premature deaths every year. These may come in the forms of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and/or acute respiratory infections.

The official campaign page tells us that 99% of us breathe in air pollution and the World Health Organization goes further, sharing that ‘99% breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures.’

Those of us who live near busy roads or in flight paths may not be surprised but perhaps those of us in more rural areas are? The thing about air pollution is that it doesn’t stop at a human made boundary or marker. It knows no borders. It’s in the air around us, swirling, in every breath most of us take. Perhaps we’ve forgotten what clean air looks, feels and tastes like.

We’ve been supporting community energy for years. For us, this means projects that seek to put control of clean and renewable energy production, and any benefits generated by that production, into local hands.

We recently heard from the Bristol Energy Co-operative, at the Stir To Action Festival. They spoke about their turbine – currently the highest in England – and their broader work developing renewable energy and efficiency projects with and for their community. The numbers tell a brilliant story – 1600 members, £15million raised to invest in clean power projects, 13.4MW installed energy generation capacity and a huge £400,000 in community benefit payments has been distributed to a wide range of local organisations.

Through Community Shares ICOF (CSI) we’ve recently supported Grimsby Community Energy a co-op and Community Benefit Society. They have raised £444,732 of investment to deliver renewable energy across Grimsby, Cleethorpes and North East Lincolnshire, installed 534kW of solar PV (photovoltaic) panels for community organisations and generated 157MWh of clean electricity, saving 184t of CO2,in the last eight years.

Through the Energy Resilience Fund, we are helping co-operatives, community businesses and social enterprises to reduce their heat, light and power needs. We do this by supporting them to retrofit energy generating/saving technology on buildings that they own or manage.

Can we help your co-op or community owned venture to make the skies cleaner tomorrow than today? Find out more about the kinds of projects we help here and get in touch if you’d like to discuss how we might support your work .

#WORLDCLEANAIRDAY / #CLEANAIRNOW

The 2024 ICOF and associated companies AGM was held on 20th June 2024.

Thank you to everyone who attended and particular thanks to Sukhdev Johal of Queen Mary University of London‬ for being our guest speaker. Sukhdev gave a fantastic presentation on member owned Clapton Community Football Club who we have been very proud to support.

Watch the presentation on YouTube here!

We’re counting down now until the Stir to Action Festival next month – have you booked your place yet?

As mentioned in our previous article, we’re thrilled to be sponsoring this important event which will bring together change makers and challengers to participate in practical workshops, inspirational panels, and ideas surgeries – as well as network, connect and have fun.

On Wednesday 10th July, the first day of the two day event, our own Business Development Manager Tim Coomer will host the ‘We’re good for it’: social investment stories session with Keith Cowling from Stokes Croft Community Land Trust (SCCLT) and Margaret Trotter of Four Corners. We can’t wait to share stories from our incredible borrowers with you – join us and get inspired.

Stokes Croft is one of the most independent and iconic areas of Bristol. The Community Land Trust was set up to retain that independence and creativity in the face of increasing gentrification. We were delighted to support SCCLT to make their first purchase of two freehold titles making up one building in the heart of Stokes Croft’s cultural quarter, in November 2023.

Based in London, Four Corners recognises that access to the arts is not equal. Their training projects enable underrepresented people to gain skills in creative media and work with local communities and broader audiences through their cultural programme. We were thrilled to present Four Corners with the Diversity Award at our 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, back in October.

Book here to join us in Bristol

To mark Co-op Fortnight 2024 – an annual campaign from 24th June to 7th July that celebrates co‑operatives as an altogether different way to do business – our friends at Stir to Action and Co-operatives UK are inviting people to get involved and come along to visit and learn from an exciting range of co-operatives across West Yorkshire. 

The study visit programme is part of the Business for Good West Yorkshire partnership – an 18-month programme of accelerators, business coaching, and other training free specialist support to help people start or grow organisations that help make communities in West Yorkshire into better places to live and work.

There’s something inspiring for everyone in the programme – from bakeries and town halls to major wholefood sellers.

Head along to these workplaces and local sites to meet the founders and workers, to find out about how they got started, their growth model, where they get business support, how they make decisions as a democratic business, their routes to finance, and how they connect their business model to social purpose.

If you’re a new business looking for inspiration, an existing co-op looking to grow, or perhaps you work for local government or a community infrastructure body and are keen to know more about local community and democratically run businesses, explore the study visit programme options below and register your place.

*All visits are 11am to 1pm and come with a free lunch.

Where:

•Suma Wholefoods, Elland HX5 9DB – Monday 24th June

•Headingley Development Trust, Leeds LS6 3HN – Wednesday 26th June

•Horton Community Farm, Bradford BD7 3BW – Thursday 27th June

•Leeds Bread Co-op, Leeds LS7 2AW – Monday 1st July

•Hebden Bridge Town Hall, Hebden Bridge HX7 7BY – Tuesday 2nd July

•Holmfirth Tech, Holmfirth HD9 3AR  – Friday 5th July

Register here

Will you be at Co-operatives Congress? Got questions about finance for co-ops and community owned businesses? Come and talk to us!

It’s that time of year again, when co-operators gather for Co-operatives UK Flagship annual event, Congress. Taking place this year at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on Friday 14 June and Saturday 15 June, there is a packed programme of main-room sessions and fringe events, kicking off with a keynote on Climate Action from Ecotricity founder Dale Vince OBE.