Cooperatives NorthWest

2012 – The UN Year of Co-operatives – It's Ours To Shape!

Events
Resources
Seasonal Purchases
Debate

1 Events

OpenSpace networking event 6pm December 15 - Network with other social enterprises, co-operatives and creative people working in Manchester. Book your place here

2012 UN Year of the Co-operatives - see how your co-operative can make the most of it: www.uk.coop/2012 Let us know your plans of how you intend to join the millions of people across the globe. Celebrate and spread the message of co-operation!!

Key 2012 dates:
January 12 is the launch date and we are hoping that co-operatives can celebrate either individually or by collaborating with other co-ops.
June 23 - July 7 Co-operatives Fortnight
June 29 -  Co-operatives North West Quiz Night
July 7 - International Co-operatives Day
October 29 - November 2 World Co-operative Festival - 10,000 co-operators come to Manchester

"Community rights made real: getting to grips with the Localism Bill” region-wide free events http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/events/our-events/

Corrie's Hayley Cropper supports FC United's Big Coat Day - December 26
One to send to your work colleagues and friends. Click here

Making Local Food Work Simply Governance training workshop February 1 Liverpool. For more info

Co-ops UK National Retail Consumer Conference 24 – 26 February. Brings together Directors and Employees from our consumer co-operatives to look at challenges facing retailers in the current economic climate: www.uk.coop/NRCC

2 Resources

The Co-operative Business Assistance Programme - Free No Nonsense , Tailored Training, Advice & Consultancy Business Support for North West Co-operatives. To apply

Join Co-operatives North West for “Co-operation among co-operatives” Apply at

Co-operatives North West Directory hard copies now available - A handy A5 directory of 360 known co-operatives in the North West. The fascinating 40 page listing is the place to find a wide range of quality products and services supplied by co-ops – from agriculture to transport, and from the cradle to the grave. The Sixth Principle of co-ops is “Co-operation among co-operatives” – the principle that inspired this directory. The more that people and organisations trade with co-ops, the stronger the sector becomes.

Co-operatives North West’s on-line directory - searchable, and most up to date directory is at www.cooperatives-nw.coop/directory. Hard copies available from CNW Board members, or at CNW events, or by sending a large stamped (58p), self-addressed envelope to Andrew Jessop, CNW Secretary, 29 Mizzy Road, Rochdale OL12 6HW.

Simply Governance: A comprehensive guide to understanding the systems and processes concerned with the running of a sustainable community enterprise. http://www.uk.coop/simplygovernance

New fund from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (England and Wales only)
The £10 million Local Energy Assessment Fund will resource work by community groups to understand their potential for improvements in energy efficiency and local deployment of renewable energy, alongside demonstrations of solid wall insulation. Deadlines approaching. Monies must be spent by end March 2012. For more

3 Seasonal Purchases

One Planet, the co-operatively owned shop, sells a huge range of fairtrade and local Christmas gifts, hampers, cards, wrapping paper and advent calendars. We also offer a free gift wrapping service! www.oneplanet.coop info@oneplanet.coop Tel: (01254) 383604 or visit One Planet, 54 Abbey Street, Accrington, BB5 1EE

FC United of Manchester has relaunched its ground-breaking Community Shares scheme, making a great Xmas present, now the plan to develop its new stadium in Moston has been appproved by Manchester City Council. Find out more information

4 Debate

In the first November Newsletter, we carried the below item on a new film regarding the history of co-operation, and raising some issues -

New Pioneers Film- a new 4 ½ minutes film using a combination of animated characters and archive images to trace the story of co-operation, starting with the Rochdale Pioneers. An excellent introduction to co-operativism, worth drawing to the attention of your local schools. To watch the film click here

The Editor added: “However, one word of warning, former Co-op Congress President, Alan Middleton, has recently produced a book, reviewed in Co-operative News, disputing the claim, repeated in the film, that “the co-operative movement as we know it today” began with the Rochdale Pioneers. He has a point. In 1844 the movement was already 100 years old and successful co-operatives had already developed in other parts of the globe.”

Gillian Lonergan, Head of Heritage Resources at the Co-operative College has written to the Newsletter to clarify the point: “The Rochdale Pioneers never claimed to have invented co-operation, they - and the Rochdale Pioneers Museum of today - make full acknowledgement of the
importance of earlier co-operatives. What made the Pioneers different was in the formation of a business model that could be (and was) replicated widely, the development of the Co-operative Principles and in their encouragement of individual co-operative societies to come together to exchange ideas and good practice. The activities of organisations like Co-operatives North West are just the sort of thing that the Rochdale Pioneers would have applauded.

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Co-operatives North West is funded by trading income, the Co-operative Enterprise Hub and Social Enterprise North West.