A social enterprise in Oxfordshire aims to increase the amount of wood being reused and recycled rather than being sent to landfill sites, following a loan for equipment purchases and working capital from Co-operative & Community Finance. Oxford Wood Recycling operates a waste wood collection service from an industrial unit in Didcot, collecting timber from […]

A community shop opened in brand new premises in Wiltshire in December following a loan from Co-operative & Community Finance. The Ashton Keynes Village Shop, which is run by a community co-operative, was developed after a privately owned store faced closure when the owner wished to retire. Following a survey from 1600 local residents 85% […]

The Renewable Energy Co-operative (R-ECO) is helping to a major regeneration project in Cornwall to become carbon neutral by installing a range of sustainable energy technologies including solar photovoltaics. The project called Heartlands is a £35m transformation of 19 acres of old tin mine land into a cultural space for community and visitors. On completion, […]

A loan from Co-operative & Community Finance to a determined Somerset community benefit society has helped save the only shop and Post Office in a rural village. The Hinton St George & Locality Rural Community Services (HRCS)) and its 335 members took over the management of the shop in Hinton St George on 30 July […]

We are helping one of the pioneers of solar power systems to take on larger contracts. The Renewable Energy Co-operative (R-ECO) in Cornwall installs renewable energy systems for domestic, commercial and community clients. It specialises in ground and roof mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. R-ECO is currently working on its biggest contract to date; at […]

One of the longest running co-operative enterprise centres in the UK is going to be rehoused in premises constructed from recycled shipping containers bought with a loan we provided. The Hendon Co-op Centre in Sunderland is being relocated a short distance into new, larger, innovative and environmental premises. For over 25 years the centre has […]

We have made a second loan to a training provider, this time to assist its delivery of a major government contract to help people from ethnic minorities find work. The Twist Partnership (Twist) is a social enterprise that delivers learning and training programmes to individuals, groups and organisations. Twist’s aim is to empower its participants […]

A unique service that helps providers of social housing to reduce costs and improve energy efficiency is able to continue and expand thanks to a loan from Co-operative & Community Finance. Greater London Energy Efficiency Network (GLEEN) has worked with a range of social landlords to develop a web-based management system to issue Energy Performance […]

A loan from us along with the hard work of a Cheshire community has produced over £100,000 to ensure their one precious shop doesn’t close. The only shop in the village of Gawsworth, Cheshire, will re-opened at 11am on 10 March, placing it happily in community hands. The community bought the property and refurbished the […]