News Archive
Celebrating ICOF 50th birthday – looking back at our early loans – JD Fabrications
We’re back to the 80’s again with this image from Wolverhampton in 1984 – was the photographer inspired by Flashdance? Would that PPE pass muster today? JD Fabrications took out a loan to help them buy equipment and kit. They are still running today, providing services as Structural Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminium Fabricators, and Welding […]
Fifty years of friendship and finance – meet David Dickman
In our series of conversations with friends from our fifty years so far, today we meet David Dickman. David was a trustee for ICOF from 2001 to 2007. David was, and remains, an investor in ICOF, too. ‘I was a regional general manager for The Co-operative Bank and I looked after a lot of the […]
Local pub thrives as residents prepare for next stage of community development
Residents of East Budleigh aim to attract more visitors and secure the long-term future of their community pub with a plan to refurbish the upstairs apartment as self-catering tourist accommodation. The Sir Walter Raleigh pub has quickly become a favourite in the region after being purchased by residents as a community pub with the help […]
Celebrating ICOF 50th birthday – looking back at our early loans – KER Plant Hire
There’s something very tangible about lending a business money to buy a whacking great piece of machinery. Ever wondered why businesses that rent our machinery are called ‘plant hire’? Apparently it comes from the verb ‘to plant’ in the sense that we ‘plant our feet’ on the ground and the heavy objects are also planted […]
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – our progress so far
In April 2022, we signed The Diversity Forum’s Manifesto. When we wrote about this at the time, we said ‘We are sharing this with you not just to demonstrate our commitment to equity, equality, diversity and inclusion but also to ask you to hold us accountable and support us on our journey to get there. […]
Fifty years of friendship and finance – meet Cath Muller
Today in our series of interviews looking back over 50 years of friendship and finance, we meet Cath Muller of Radical Routes, a mutual aid network of co-ops committed to working for radical social change. One of the things we do at Radical Routes is make loans to our Members using money invested by the public. Many […]
Celebrating ICOF 50th birthday – looking back at our early loans – Hastings Furniture
The sign on the van proudly proclaims Hastings Furniture Service to be ‘your community business’. We think that this photo dates from 1998 when we lent to them to refinance their property. Was this one of the earliest uses of the term? HFS is still trading, as a charity now. Their website says that they […]
Manchester in May – it’s the Stir To Action Playground for the New Economy
We’re incredibly proud to be sponsoring the STIR Magazine 10th Anniversary Lecture Demanding Democracy: Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century, as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations this year Taking place on the Thursday 18th May, this lecture will mark ten inspiring years of the Stir to Action magazine. It will be delivered by Carne […]
50 years of friendship and finance – meet Charlie Cattell
Today in our 50th anniversary stroll down memory lane, we meet Charlie Cattell, a former Director and Chair of ICOF, who was involved in ICOF in various ways for almost twenty years between 1986 and 2004 I’d worked full time for ICOM from 1986 to 1996. Part of my role at ICOM was liaising with […]
Celebrating ICOF 50th birthday – looking back at our early loans – Retro Housing Action Zone
This photo from the archive is a real mystery – we think this was 1985 but that’s about all we know! Retro Housing Action – a housing co-operative – wanted to buy a property and we were glad to help them. Who’s this little person? Where are they now? Were the chickens part of the […]