Funding Our Future

The left must create a sustainable economy by putting all the resources available within society to best use, including those that the market fails to use to best effect.

Robert Owen Day – and the need for a new economic paradigm for the left https://taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2023/05/13/robert-owen-day-and-the-need-for-a-new-economic-paradigm-for-the-left/

Lively and very relevant contribution with £100 billion available if public subsidies used in in different way. In doing so Richard clearly explains why the rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the blame!

Richard blows away the current HM Treasury pre Kenysian playbook and underlines the need for radical tax changes.

Other valuable contributions from First Minister Mark Drakeford MS, Dr. Sarah Longlands  (CLES), Dr. Liz McIvor (Co-op Heritage Trust) Dr Sue Evans (Cwmpass) at our Robert Owen Day event will be placed on our YouTube channel shortly. All supported by two able chairs: Counsel General Mick Antoniw MS, and Professor Cllr. Jackie Jones.

How big things get done! Robert Owen Day

 Saturday 13^th May 2023 10 am -12.30 pm online

Session One 

10.00 – 11.10 am

• Key Note contribution, Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister, Welsh Government
• ‘A new economic narrative for the left’ with Richard M Murphy, Professor of Accounting Practice, Sheffield University
• Chair: Mick Antoniw MS, Welsh Government Counsel General

11.10 – 11.20 Short break

Session Two

• 11.20 – 12.30 am – Driving Community Wealth Building – Owen and Co-operation

• ‘Owen & his theory of community wealth building today?’ – Liz McIvor, Manager, The Co-operative Heritage Trust
• ‘The Power of Community Wealth Building’ – Sarah Longlands, Chief Executive, Centre for Local Economic Strategy
• ‘The trade union role in developing networks & initiatives’ – Cllr Laura Smith, Political Consultant, Communications Workers Union
• ‘Wales’ perspective’ – Sarah Evans, Commercial Director, Cwmpas
• Q&A Panel Chair: Cllr. Jackie Jones with audience contributions

Event Description

Session One:

A New Economic Vision for the Left The aims of this proposal are quite straightforward. One is to make capital a mechanism capable of delivering change for social advantage again. Another is to turn currently wasted tax reliefs …(so) ..used productively once more. Third, the aim is to restore the social purpose of saving….idea as the basis for the revolution that we need to deliver the transformation that the country requires. https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2022/12/30/a-new-economic-narrative-for-the-left-2/

Session Two

Owen & his theory of community wealth building today? – Liz McIvor, Manager, The Co-operative Heritage Trust will use some of Owen’s writings and letters to explore what does that mean today

Community Wealth Building (CWB) is about:

• Who owns wealth, who controls it, who benefits from it, are the defining features of every economy.
• The goal is to create an economy where wealth is broadly held and locally rooted, so financial resources recirculate locally.

Why Community Wealth Building?

• A model and approach that offers a maturing of economic development practice.
• System ethos – working with what is already being done.
• Not new projects /programmes but bending existing spending and practice to catalyse change.
• Traditionally, we have focussed on redistribution of wealth after it is created, CWB is also about pre-distribution during/before wealth is created.

Community wealth building strategies are based on five key principles.

These principles have been developed by CLES and are informed by the work we have done with municipalities and anchor institutions, across the UK and globally, over several decades. The five principles.

Anchor institutions

Anchor institutions are central to the concept of community wealth building as a result of the scale of jobs they provide, the scale of spend through procurement, their land and assets, and the fact they are unlikely to leave that place https://cles.org.uk/publications/community-wealth-building-through-anchor-institutions/

Sut y cyflawnir pethau mawr! Diwrnod Robert Owen

 Dydd Sadwrn 13 Mai 2023: 10 am – 12.30 pm, ar-lein

Sesiwn Un 

10.00 – 11.10 am

• Cyfraniad gyweirnod, Mark Drakeford AS, Prif Weinidog, Llywodraeth Cymru
• ‘Naratif economaidd newydd ar gyfer y chwith’ gyda Richard M Murphy, Athro’r Ymarfer o Gyfrifeg, Prifysgol Sheffield
• Cadeirydd: Mick Antoniw AS, Cwnsler Cyffredinol Llywodraeth Cymru

10 – 11.20 Egwyl

Sesiwn Dau

• – 12.30 pm – Cefnogi Creu Cyfoeth Cymunedol – Owen a Chydweithrediad

• ‘Owen a’i egwyddor o greu cyfoeth cymunedol heddiw’ – Liz McIvor, Rheolwraig, Ymddiriedolaeth Treftadaeth y Co-operative
• ‘Grym Creu Cyfoeth Cymunedol’ – Sarah Longlands, Prif Weithredwr, Canolfan Strategaeth Economaidd Leol
• ‘Swydd yr undebau llafur mewn datblygu rhwydweithiau a mentrau’ – Cyngh. Laura Smith, Ymgynghorydd Gwleidyddol, Undeb y Communications Workers
• ‘Yr olygfa o Gymru’ – Sarah Evans, Cyfarwyddwr Masnachol, Cwmpas
• Panel Hawl i Holi – Cadeirydd: Cyngh. Jackie Jones gyda mewnbwn y gynulleidfa

Manylion cyswllt: David@Cooperatives-Wales.coop

Wedi ei drefnu gan Co-ops & Mutuals Cymru

 Disgrifiad o’r Digwyddiad

Sesiwn Un:

Naratif economaidd newydd ar gyfer y chwith. Mae amcanion y cynnig hwn yn ddigon syml. Un yw i droi cyfalaf i fod yn fecanwaith sydd yn gallu cyflawni newid er mwyn manteision cymdeithasol unwaith eto. Un arall yw i droi cymorth ar drethi sydd yn cael ei wastraffu ar hyn o bryd i fod yn gynhyrchiol unwaith eto. Yn drydydd, y bwriad yw ailsefydlu pwrpas cymdeithasol i gynilo, fel y sylfaen am y chwildro sydd ei angen arnom i gyflawni’r trawsffurfiad angenrheidiol yn y wlad.

Sesiwn Dau

‘Owen a’i egwyddor o greu cyfoeth cymunedol heddiw’ – bydd Liz McIvor, Rheolwraig, Ymddiriedolaeth Treftadaeth y Co-operative, yn defnyddio rhai o gyhoeddiadau a llythyrau Owen i ddarganfod beth mae’n golygu heddiw

Golyga Creu Cyfoeth Cymunedol:

• Mae pwy sydd yn berchen ar ac yn rheoli cyfoeth, pwy sydd yn elwa ohono, yn nodweddion hanfodol o bob economi.
• Y nod yw i greu economi ble mae’r cyfoeth wedi ei ledu yn eang ac wedi ei wreiddio’n lleol, er mwyn i adnoddau ariannol cylchdroi yn lleol.

Pam Creu Cyfoeth Cymunedol?

• Model a dull sydd yn cynnig aeddfedu’r ymarfer o ddatblygiad economaidd.
• Natur y system – gweithio gyda’r hyn sydd yn bodoli eisoes.
• Nid prosiectau/rhaglenni newydd ond addasu gwariant ac ymarfer cyfredol er mwyn catalyddu newid.
• Yn draddodiadol rydym wedi canolbwyntio ar ail-ddosbarthu cyfoeth wedi iddo gael ei greu, ond mae Creu Cyfoeth Cymunedol hefyd yn ymwneud â dosbarthu cyn neu yn ystod creu’r cyfoeth.

Mae strategaethau creu cyfoeth cymunedol wedi eu seilio ar bump o egwyddorion allweddol.

Mae’r egwyddorion hyn wedi eu datblygu gan CLES ac wedi eu lliniaru trwy’r gwaith a wnaethpwyd gyda bwrdeistrefi a sefydliadau angor, ledled y DU a’r byd, dros nifer o ddegawdau. Dyma’r pum egwyddor.

Sefydliadau Angor

Mae sefydliadau angor yn ganolog i’r syniad o greu cyfoeth cymunedol o ganlyniad i’r nifer o swyddi maent yn eu creu, graddfa’r gwario trwy gaffael, eu tir a’u hasedion, a’r ffaith nad ydynt yn debygol o adael y lleoliad. https://cles.org.uk/publications/community-wealth-building-through-anchor-institutions/

We now have a new date. Thanks for your patience.

Why does Owen still offer so much for 21st century co-operators?

Register free here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/robert-owens-impact-learning-lessons-for-co-operation-and-education-tickets-398856910757 

Saturday 12th November 2022 – Zoom

9.55 – 11.00 am: Robert Owen’s Impact: Co-operation & Education – Part 1

Welcome and chair: Mick Antoniw Labour & Co-operative MS for Pontypridd, Counsel General for Wales

Speaker: Professor Chris Williams, University College Cork, Cork http://research.ucc.ie/profiles/A019/chris.williams@ucc.iehttp://research.ucc.ie/profiles/A019/chris.williams@ucc.ie

‘Robert Owen and co-operation’ – Among the many movements and ideas that Robert Owen inspired and influenced, co-operation has a claim to be the longest-lasting and most important. The co-operative movement in Britain pre-dated Owen but, from the 1820s, it was infused with his optimism that a better world could be organised around, as he put it, ‘principles of union and co-operation’. Such principles took many forms: communitarian experiments, producer associations, the ‘labour exchange’ movement, and ultimately, the foundation stone of British co-operation, the co-operative store. Although Owen, in this as in so many other cases, moved on rapidly to other enthusiasms after the mid-1830s, his ideas continued to function as a touchstone for co-operators for generations to come. Owen continues to offer much food for thought for twenty-first century co-operators.

11.00 am Comfort break

11.05 am – 12 noon: Co-operation and Education – Part 2

 11.05 – 12 noon – Co-operation & Education

Chair: Jeremy Miles Labour & Co-operative MS, Minister for Education & Welsh Language

Panellists:

• Gillian Lonergan – former Co-op Librarian and Archivist ‘Owen and Education’ based upon her reading of Owen’s UNESCO acclaimed 3000 letters
• Hazel Remeika – Community & Shared Value team, the Co-op Group, ‘What can we learn from Social Action in Co-op Group supported Academy schools in England?’
• Dan McCallum, co-director, Awel Co-op and Egni Co-op – ‘What has been achieved in Welsh schools in promoting active citizenship and in addressing climate crisis?’

Q&A with teachers, school governors, climate change activists & co-operators

Hosted by Co-ops & Mutuals Wales

Mae Owen yn cynnig cymaint i gydweithredwyr yr 21ain Ganrif o hyd: pam?

Dydd Sadwrn, 12 Tachwedd 2022, o 9.55 a.m. i 12 hanner dydd – ar Zoom

Cofrestrwch am ddim fan hyn: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/robert-owens-impact-learning-lessons-for-co-operation-and-education-tickets-398856910757

9.55 – 11.00 a.m. – ‘Robert Owen & Chydweithrediad’ Siaradwr: Yr Athro Chris Williams, Coleg y Brifysgol, Cork

Cadeirydd: Mick Antoniw AS, Y Cwnsler Cyffredinol

11.05 – 12 hanner dydd – Cydweithrediad & Addysg

Cadeirydd: Jeremy Miles AS Llafur & Chydweithredol, Gweinidog y Gymraeg & Addysg

Panelwyr:

• Gillian Lonergan – cyn-Lyfrgellydd ac Archifydd y Co-op: ‘Owen ac Addysg’, wedi ei seilio ar ddarllen 3000 o lythyrau Owen a ganmolir gan UNESCO
• Hazel Remeika – tîm y Gymuned & Gwerth Cyfunol, Grŵp y Co-op: ‘Beth allwn ddysgu o Weithredu Cymdeithasol yn ysgolion Academi Grŵp y Co-op yn Lloegr?’
• Dan McCallum, cyd-gyfarwyddwr, Co-op Awel a Co-op Egni: ‘Beth a gyflawnwyd eisoes mewn ysgolion Cymru i annog dinasyddiaeth weithredol ac i ymateb i’r argyfwng hinsawdd?’

Hawl i Holi gydag athrawon, llywodraethwyr ysgolion, actifyddion newid hinsawdd & chydweithredwyr

Robert Owen – Neil McInroy

Explore the roots of Community Wealth Building / Foundational Economy a quarter of a millennium after his birth. Free online event ‘Robert Owen’s Impact: Learning lessons for co-operation and education’ with Prof. Chris Williams, University College Cork, Cork. Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pioneer-robert-owens-impact-learning-lessons-for-co-operation-education-tickets-318910819847  A Taster…

 “Among the many movements and ideas that Robert Owen inspired and influenced, co-operation has a claim to be the longest-lasting and most important. The co-operative movement in Britain pre-dated Owen but, from the 1820s, it was infused with his optimism that a better world could be organised around, as he put it, ‘principles of union and co-operation’. Such principles took many forms: communitarian experiments, producer associations, the ‘labour exchange’ movement, and ultimately, the foundation stone of British co-operation, the co-operative store. Although Owen, in this as in so many other cases, moved on rapidly to other enthusiasms after the mid-1830s, his ideas continued to function as a touchstone for co-operators for generations to come. More than a quarter of a millennium after his birth, Owen continues to offer much food for thought for twenty-first century co-operators”

FREE ONLINE EVENT: Saturday, July 2nd, 2022

Download the event programme (English, pdf) | Lawrlwythwch rhaglen y digwyddiad (Cymraeg, pdf)

Register for your FREE ticket on Eventbrite.

Lecture: ‘Robert Owen & co-operation’

by Prof Chris Williams with audience’s contributions to promote his ideals within our national curriculum

International Co-operators Day – online event

Programme

Saturday 2nd July 2022, 9.55  – 11.10 am

Robert Owen’s Impact: Learning lessons for Co-operation and Education

Welcome: Mick Antoniw Labour & Co-operative MS for Pontypridd, Counsel General for Wales https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Mick Antoniw

Speaker: Professor Chris Williams, Head of College, College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, University College Cork, Cork http://research.ucc.ie/profiles/A019/chris.williams@ucc.ie

‘Robert Owen and co-operation’ – Among the many movements and ideas that Robert Owen inspired and influenced, co-operation has a claim to be the longest-lasting and most important. The co-operative movement in Britain pre-dated Owen but, from the 1820s, it was infused with his optimism that a better world could be organised around, as he put it, ‘principles of union and co-operation’. Such principles took many forms: communitarian experiments, producer associations, the ‘labour exchange’ movement, and ultimately, the foundation stone of British co-operation, the co-operative store. Although Owen, in this as in so many other cases, moved on rapidly to other enthusiasms after the mid-1830s, his ideas continued to function as a touchstone for co-operators for generations to come. More than a quarter of a millennium after his birth, Owen continues to offer much food for thought for twenty-first century co-operators.

Chair: Chris Hall, Chairperson Co-ops & Mutuals Wales

Joseph (Joe) Reeves was born on 28 January 1888 in Camberwell, London. His childhood was impoverished and he left school at 13. He was a conscientious objector during World War I.  Joe was Education Secretary of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society (RACS) from 1918-1938. He believed that ‘the dynamic of education must be altered from individual assertiveness to service on behalf of the community’. While Reeves was secretary the Education Committee expanded its activities and provided equipment and premises for classes as well as holding drama groups and orchestras. In 1945 he was elected as a member of parliament for the Greenwich Constituency, until 1955. He also served on the RACS Political Purposes Committee from 1946-1953. https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/1421fc6e-153c-3142-8ae9-ddcaf00e00f3

https://gov.wales/economy-minister-sets-out-plans-banc-cambria-wales-new-community-bank

Welsh Government statement issued today.

Excellent cross-party support for Monmouthshire Building Society backing a civic society mutual intiative for a community bank – long in the making in Wales. Many more miles to travel. Mutuals are member controlled. If you want a say in branch location/policy join this mutual to make it a great success.

As part of Congress’s first key theme, Examining Our Co-operative Identity, delegates gathered on the afternoon of 1 December in Seoul and online to discuss cooperative and cultural heritage. In 2016, UNESCO formally recognised cooperatives as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and in her introduction, the session’s facilitator Stefania Marcone referenced this decision as something to reflect on in this conversation, saying, “if we want to rebuild a better world, cooperative culture and the culture in cooperative sectors are fundamental.”

David Smith, lifelong co-operative activist and Trustee of the Robert Owen Memorial Museum offered a presentation from Wales, where he shared that despite having global recognition in the co-operative world, Robert Owen, whose 250th birthday is being celebrated this year, is little known in Wales. Mr Smith explained that there is sadly poor understanding of the co-operative movement in Wales, something he and his colleagues are working to counter through educational programmes, media coverage and events. He ended his presentation with a question to Congress: Would the creation of a global annual Robert Owen Day spur us to action in creating a co-operative education system for the co-operative world we wish it to be?

https://www.thenational.wales/news/19737010.robert-owen—one-waless-greatest-political-icons/ 

Francis Jones explores the life and work of Welsh businessman and social reformer Robert Owen: why do we know so little about a man whose work is revered across the world?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000z4vj

The radio programme is on this evening, 31^st August 2021 at 18.30 hrs, and will be available on the BBC Sounds app for the next month so there’s plenty of time to take advantage of its presence online for a while yet.

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