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Six dynamic and successful businesses have been honoured with national Co-operative Awards at Co-operatives 2010 in Plymouth, to recognise their innovation and contribution to the co-operative sector.

Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society, Delta-T Devices, Shared Interest Society, The Handmade Bakery, whomadeyourpants? and Winyates Co-operative Housing received the Co-operative Award in recognition of their excellent work in diverse areas of the economy.

The six winners were chosen from a diverse shortlist and all excelled in the past year to help promote, unite and develop their business as well as the co-operative movement.

David Button, Chair of Co-operatives UK, which organised the awards said: “The Co-operative Awards 2010 celebrate the diversity, innovation and excellent work of co-operatives across the UK and all six winners are worthy recipients of these awards.” Continue reading →

Figures released today at the launch of the Co-operative Enterprise Hub in Wales today, show that the number of co-operatives in Wales is now 199. Between them they employ 5,400 people and have a turnover in excess of £900m. Across the UK, the co-operative sector grew by 15.8% to £34bn last year, whilst Britain’s GDP  only grew by 4.9%, clearly demonstrrating the dynamism of the co-operative sector.

The Co-operative Enterprise Hub is a £5m support package for co-operatives funded entirely by the Co-operative Group. It is delivered in Wales by a partnership between the Wales Co-op Centre and consultancy.coop  The scheme is open to all co-operative businesses, whether starting up or already established.

To apply, go to www.co-operative.coop/enterprisehub   Continue reading →

Latest figures from Co-operatives UK reveal that co-operative businesses in the UK have pushed up their combined turnover by some 15.8% to almost £34 billion – during the same period UK GDP decreased by 4.9%.

 As the UK coalition government debates the provision of public services via a co-operative model, and trust in PLCs and other models of business continues to decline, Ed Mayo, Secretary General of the trade body for co-operatives, Co-operatives UK, says the co‑operative sector is well placed to step up to the challenge. Continue reading →

Change AGEnts, the new older people’s participation co-operative held its UK launch on June 21st at the Welsh Assembly, as part of Co-operatives Fortnight .

The event was attended by delegates from across the UK and was sponsored by |Janice Gregory AM, and chaired by Mervyn Eastman and Howard Lewis. Continue reading →

Wales Co-operative Centre have produced a new film about co-operatives in Wales especially for Co-operatives fortnight

For more about Co-operatives Fortnight, visit www.thereisanalternative.coop, or for the work of The Assembly Cross-party Group on Co-operatives and Mutuals, visit www.cooperatives-wales.coop/?page_id=23

As a new Westminster government talks about putting co-operative ideas at the heart of British society, Assembly Members from the four main political parties  outlined what they believe the future holds for Wales at an event sponsored by the Cross Party Group on Cooperatives and Mutuals on Wednesday 16^th June in the Pierhead building, Cardiff Bay.

This was a public event to launch Co-operatives Fortnight (19 June – 3 July) in Wales. Continue reading →

A new short film on co-operatives has been produced for Co-operatives Fortnight by Co-operatives UK for Co-operatives Fortnight, June 19th to July 3rd 2010

Watch the full screen movie here: There is an Alternative  NB Download may take a couple of minutes

or on YouTube here

Co-operative Fortnight

14 days for your diary – this year sees the launch of a groundbreaking fortnight to celebrate co-operative business.

Co-operatives UK have declared that 19 June to 3 July 2010
will be a Co-operative Fortnight, and events will be organised across the UK on the theme ‘There is an alternative’
More events have been added
Latest info at:-

www.cooperatives-wales.coop/?page_id=23

As the debate around football club ownership intensifies, new research conducted by Co-operatives UK has today revealed that fans want to take control at both Manchester United and Liverpool – and could afford to do so.

83 per cent of Manchester United fans and 72 per cent of Liverpool fans who expressed an opinion felt their club would be in better hands if it was owned co-operatively. Across the country 56% of fans, who gave an opinion, feel the same way according to the survey* conducted by YouGov on behalf of Co-operatives UK.

The survey confirms for the first time that they would be willing to put their money where their mouth is and invest in the club to take it into co-operative ownership.

Continue reading →

Co-operatives^UK has launched a ‘co-operative call to action’ for the forthcoming General Election asking all political parties to focus on co operation as a major force in addressing issues ranging from economic renewal to fairness in society.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives^UK, said: “Unprecedented events such as the financial crisis and the climate threat show the importance of co-operation.

“There is increasing evidence that people are co-operative as much as they are also competitive and we wish to see the next government make a commitment to encourage a diverse economy where the co-operative business model features strongly.”

The call to action addresses five key areas including: economic renewal; social innovation; a fairer society; climate change and digital futures. Continue reading →

United Nations Declares 2012 International Year of Cooperatives

NEW YORK, 21 December (Department of Economic and Social Affairs) — The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development.  In adopting resolution 64/136 on 18 December, the Assembly noted that cooperatives impact poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration.

A cooperative is an autonomous voluntary association of people who unite to meet common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations, through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.  In general, they contribute to socio-economic development.

Continue reading →

Important recognition of cooperatives at the world level:
The United Nations proclaim 2012 as the International year of Cooperatives

The resolution that the United Nations have just adopted is a real plea for cooperatives. This new resolution on the role of cooperatives in social development proclaims 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives. UN Member States approved the resolution (A/RES/64/136) on 18 December at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Continue reading →

The Phone Co‑op and the Co‑operative Press were recognised as outstanding co‑operatives at the dotCoop Awards held during the International Co‑operative Alliance General Assembly in Geneva, last month.

Accepting the award on behalf of The Phone Co‑op, chief executive Vivian Woodell said: “It is a great honour for The Phone Co‑op to be recognised at a global level, especially as the key criteria used by the judges were all about how well each organisation put into practice a distinctively co‑operative business approach, which is what we aim to do. I should like to pay tribute to our board, and to my colleagues, as well as to our customers and members for having made this achievement possible.”

The dotCoop Global Awards are given to those co‑operatives who demonstrate a strong commitment to the co‑operative business model. DotCoop also looked for co‑ops whose missions and practices clearly demonstrate co‑operative values, especially in their websites. Continue reading →

This year, the board of Co‑operatives^UK asked the Centre for Brand Analysis to carry out an extensive investigation of what Co‑operatives^UK means to our members.

Perhaps you were one of the 160 people that were asked to complete an online survey or take part in a half-hour in depth interview.

Now, Stephen Cheliotis of the Centre for Brand Analysis has produced the final results of the investigation as a report. Continue reading →

Pack-IT packs up the 2009 UK Social Enterprise Award

Pack-IT Promotions of Cardiff was named as the winner of the under £1 million category at the UK finals of the inaugural Social Enterprise Awards.

The packaging and distribution firm, which provides training opportunities and employment for people with learning disabilities, won the award for best UK social enterprise with a turnover under £1m at a ceremony in London. It follows the organisation’s recent win in the same category at the Social Enterprise Awards Wales.

Wales was also represented at the UK finals by the Machynlleth Centre for Alternative Technology, which was a finalist in the category for best social enterprise with a turnover in excess of £1m, and Cardiff-based Cycle Training Wales, which made it to the finals in the Best New Social Enterprise category. Continue reading →