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Co-operatives North West - Newsletter July 2009

by jo bird nw | Fri, 17/07/2009 - 09:00

 

Community Hydro Electricity Workshops  
July 28th, Sept 29th, Oct 29th and Nov 24th at Manchester Knowledge Capital, Oxford Rd.
Water Power Enterprises are running a series of free workshops for community groups wanting to set up community owned small-scale hydro schemes. The workshops are practical sessions and show the various stages needed including technical aspects, finance, permissions and legal aspects. Attendees will be expected to do some ‘homework’ on their site before the workshop. www.h2ope.org.uk. To attend, contact steve.welsh[at]h2ope.co.uk or 07964 106037.

Water Power Enterprises were responsible for the UK's first community-funded hydro in New Mills. The Co-operative Group has backed Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) with a £48,000 grant to develop three community-led renewable energy projects, including the Settle Hydro project. This funding will enable cooperatives for the benefit of the community to be set up. Hydro already produces 17% of the world’s electricity and 40% of the UK’s renewable electricity production. h2oPE want to develop and re-use thousands of river weirs which once powered the industrial revolution. For Settle co-op case study see www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/sep/13/energy.householdbills 

 
CUK Job Vacancy: Greener Together Project Manager 
£28,000 pa. Manchester 
Co-operatives UK is delivering a two year national project Greener Together – The Co-operative Way funded by Defra’s Greener Living Fund. The programme aims to achieve a measurable change in pro-environmental behaviours and provide information on sustainable behaviour. This is a beacon project for Co-operativesUK and places co-operatives firmly at the heart of the fight to mitigate the affects of climate change. To apply, call 0161 246 2960, e-mail petra.morris@cooperatives-uk.coop or visit: www.cooperatives-uk.coop/greenertogether. Closing date: 4pm 03/08/09. Interviews: 13/08/09.

Co-operative Development Information & Training Day
24 September, 10 for 10.30am to 4pm, Holyoake House, Manchester M60 0AS
Co-operatives UK has organised a training day for co-operative development workers and those who have shown an interest in engaging with the Co-operative Development Network. The event will cover a wide range of legal topics including the impact of the Companies Act 2006, changes to industrial & provident legislation and the revised Co-operatives UK model rules and is an ideal opportunity for networking and information sharing. The day will be a great chance for development workers to get up-to-speed with all of the new developments and to meet with the members of the Legal Team. CDB and Federal members of Co-operativesUK - £65 + VAT. Non-members of Co-operatives UK - £150 + VAT. Contact emma.laycock@cooperatives-uk.coop. Full programme and booking form is on-line at www.events.uk.coop/cdbnetworkevent. 
 
CNW members event
Afternoon of Tuesday 20 October, in Liverpool.
There will be a special trading and networking event for members of Co-operatives NW. More details to follow. CNW membership is free, and benefits include: tendering opportunities; regular newsletter; discounts on events and services; and a vote at General Meetings. To join, please complete the membership form at www.cooperatives-nw.coop/documents/cnw-ltd-membership-form.
 
Co-operatives NW extends a warm welcome to new members - HHH Credit Union Ltd, Carlisle and District Credit Union, Manchester Building Society, Whileaway Laidlaw Bank, and South Manchester Credit Union have all become members of Co-operatives North West recently. 
Transitional Economies conference 
Friday 6th November, Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
This conference is organised by the Co-operative Group (North Region), Co-operatives YH, Transition Towns Network, Making Local Food Work (Co-operatives UK), Marsden & Slaithwaite Transition Town and other partners. Keynote speakers include Rob Hoskins and Ben Brangwyn the co founders of transition towns. More details will follow.

UK co-operative sector nudges £29 billion
Co-operative businesses have pushed up their turnover to almost £29 billion it was revealed last week. In another good year for the sector, which comes at a time of declining trust in PLCs and other models of business since the credit crunch. The UK’s 4,820 jointly owned, democratically controlled co-operative businesses reported a combined performance of £28.9 billion, over 5% up on the previous year. Profit before tax improved marginally at £540 million and the number of co-operative members (ie owners) surged by 4.5% to 11.3 million people (one in five of the population). Co-operatives now sustain over 200,000 jobs.
 
These numbers include not only the consumer owned high street “Co-operative” shops but also employee owned co-operatives, co-operative consortia, agricultural co-operatives, housing co-operatives, fishing co-operatives, credit unions and community owned co‑operatives and mutuals. www.cooperatives-uk.coop/performancereview

 
Ed Mayo, currently Chief Executive of Consumer Focus, has been named as Chief Executive designate for Co-operatives UK.
Ed helped to found the Fairtrade Mark and has been described by The Independent as "the most authoritative voice in the country speaking up for consumers".

Busy Bee toy shop: Toys ‘R’ Ours!
Residents in Chorlton, Manchester have raised over £32,000, enabling the community to set up a co-operative to buy out a much-loved local toyshop. When the previous owner decided to retire from running Busy Bee Toyshop after 25 years, there was a real question about its future. Rachel Muter and James Hillon organised a meeting to gauge support for a co-operative to take over ownership of Busy Bee Toyshop. Around 20 people attended, and subsequent meetings established that there was an appetite for the venture. “I think there’s been such support for the idea because, with so much negative news about the economy, people want something positive,” says Rachel. The co-operative issued shares, and within five weeks raised £32,250 from 103 investors, which would enable the co‑operative to buy the name and stock of Busy Bee, take on the lease for the premises, and secure further loans. Members invested anywhere between £250 and £2,000. Each member has one vote regardless of the level of money they put in, and after the first two years member investors will receive a return on their investment.

Community Shares: Alston Cybermoor and FC United

Congratulations to Alston Cybermoor and FC United of Manchester for being selected to participate in an Office of the Third Sector funded action learning research project into community shares and bonds. The research programme is being delivered by the Development Trusts Association and Co-operatives UK, in conjunction with the UK Social Return on Investment network (SROI). The five selected ventures demonstrated that they intend to raise finance through community investment ie the sale of more than £10,000 of shares or bonds to communities of at least twenty people, to finance ventures serving a community purpose. The remaining 5 out of 10 awards will be made available in September.www.communityshares.org.uk 

FC United and the Co-operative Farms win Co-operative Excellence Award
North West based co-operative enterprises - FC United of Manchester and the Co-operative Farms - are two of five outstanding co‑operative enterprises to win the Co-operative Excellence Awards. The awards have been made to celebrate the important contribution made by pioneering co-operatives to the success and dynamism of today’s co‑operative movement. Over 40 nominations were received and awards were made in five categories. 

FC United of Manchester (www.fc-united.co.uk) was presented with the Promotion of Co‑operative Values and Principles award for significant attempts to further understanding of the co-operative model through the promotion of co‑operative values and principles. The Co-operative Farms (www.co‑operative.coop/farms), the UK’s largest farmer, received the Innovation in Co-operative Business award for their ‘Grown by Us’ range. All five award winners will now go forward to the Global Awards for Co‑operative Excellence, to be awarded at the ICA General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland in November. www.cooperatives-uk.coop/Co-operativeExcellence.
 
The Shepherds Inn pub re-opens as a co-operative
The Shepherds Inn at Melmerby, Cumbria, was re-opened as a co-operative enterprise on 17 June. The return of Melmerby’s only pub after six months of closure will help to revitalize the village, and provide a much needed asset for a popular part of the Eden Valley. The pub was re-opened with the help of another successful co-operatives - Hesket Newmarket Brewery. Sir Chris Bonington, who lives near Hesket Newmarket and is a shareholder of the Brewery, performed the opening ceremony. The aim is for the Shepherds to become a destination eating place whilst also catering for the needs of locals and tourists. Hesket Newmarket Brewery is one of Cumbria’s longest established microbreweries, and is jointly owned by a cooperative of ninety-four shareholders from Hesket Newmarket and beyond. Nine real ales are permanently available, in addition to seasonal and special brews. The Brewery supplies cask ales to around forty pubs across Cumbria, and also sells bottled beers to an increasing number of specialist outlets across the county. www.shepherdsmelmerby.co.uk .
 
Healthy co-operative caterers
Eighth Day Co-operative Cafe, based in Manchester, offers a large range of local, fresh, vegan and vegetarian food for any occasion. For meetings, weddings and parties they can provide cold finger buffets that can be prepared, delivered and set up for you! Visit www.eighth-day.co.uk for menu's and prices or contact 0161 273 1850.