News Archive
Community Shops – a letter for you to send
Plunkett Foundation Chief Executive James Alcock has written an open letter to the groceries industry highlighting the threat to supply for community shops, and calling for support for both these shops and the vulnerable residents they serve, during the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, the letter calls for reduced minimum orders, priority deliveries to rural and more […]
Community pubs in a time of COVID-19
The Government announcement on Friday 20th March that all pubs, cafes and restaurants were to close as part of the coronavirus response was unsurprising and a necessary step in these unusual times. It’s imperative that we all work together, that we co-operate, for the greater good of our communities right now. We are glad to […]
Running meetings online
As the COVID-19 situation unfolds, many organisations and businesses are trialling online services such as live streaming for events, and platforms for holding meetings online. Parts of The British Library collection are accessible online, musicians are live streaming and even book launches are being moved online. The creativity and ingenuity on display, as well as […]
COVID-19 – our current position
With the Bank of England emergency interest announcement today, and reports of stockpiling, we know that many organisations are keeping a close eye on their financial position. If you are a customer and are facing any financial difficulties as result of the current situation then please get in touch so that we may help. Co-operative […]
SURVEY – Understanding a Maturing Community Shares Market
The Community Shares Unit (CSU), along with a number of partners, is carrying out research to improve understanding of community shares. This is the first in-depth study of the community shares market since 2014. The Survey, ‘Understanding a Maturing Community Shares Market‘ is now live and the CSU are looking to hear from representatives from […]
New year, new kitchen, new supportive finance
Significant building work to improve the facilities of a community-owned pub in rural Staffordshire is well underway, with support from Co-operative & Community Finance, Co-op Loan Fund, the Reach Fund and local grant providers. The Royal Oak in Rushton Spencer, near Leek, which had closed after a period of neglect, was bought and re-opened by […]
Old Ship to relaunch in 2020
Co-operative & Community Finance is helping the enterprising community in the Rame Peninsular of south east Cornwall with the next stage of the rebuilding of a derelict former pub. Work is about to start on the building and equipping of a commercial kitchen at the back of the large site. The aim is for the […]
All we want for Christmas
The carols are in the air, the sprouts are on the grocery shelves – it can only mean one thing. Christmas. In these uncertain times it can feel hard to think too far ahead, but we spoke to the team and asked what they’d be asking Santa for. Can you spot the theme running through […]
Apply to the Co-op Foundation by 31 December for interest-free loans
Last chance for a little while for UK based Community Spaces to apply for a loan of up to £50,000 to grow their trading activities and become more sustainable. Over the past two years, the Co-op Foundation has awarded more than £2.1 million in interest-free loans and grants to help community spaces all over the UK build their trading activities and become […]
Happy Human Rights Day!
Today, 10th December, is Human Rights Day, a United Nations designated Day. The date was chosen to honour the UN’s adoption and proclamation, shortly after World War II, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This was the first global articulation of human rights. Many women were involved in its […]