cooperatives-wales.coop

Last month, the Welsh Assembly Government published a three year Action Plan for supporting the Welsh credit union sector which seeks to build upon the great strides already made in the sector’s development since the devolved administration’s creation a decade ago.

The plan, Raising the profile: meeting the challenges, is backed by £3.4 million in available funding and is based on the findings of last year’s research report by the Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies.  It sets out 5 core objectives:- Continue reading →

The Co-operative, Group has announced additional funding for a scheme designed to support a new co-operative business every day in 2011. The Group has an­nounced a 50% increase in its funding for The Co-op­erative Enterprise Hub, which was Iaunched in Wales at the Senedd last year – to £7.5m.

It has set a target of nur­turing more than 350 enter­prises across the UK throughout the year to create and grow thriving and sustainable com­munity-based co-operat­ives. Continue reading →

Co-operatives UK are delighted to announce that Co-operatives Fortnight 2011 will take place from 25 June to 9 July with the theme of ‘yours to share’.

The national campaign, which unites the co-operative sector, will highlight how sharing ownership and profits makes co-operative businesses more relevant than ever.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, says: “The success of last year’s Co-operatives Fortnight, which involved 2.3million people, came from the enthusiasm and activism of co-operatives across the country.

“This year, Co-operatives UK and the Fortnight’s sponsors want to step it up a gear. Concerns about wealth and fairness are on everyone’s lips. We have a unique opportunity to demonstrate – to customers, employees, members, business leaders and government – that co-operatives are different because they are ‘yours to share.’

“The key to this is co-operatives everywhere getting involved, using the Yours to Share branding and materials to promote how they share ownership and profits.”

Read more, watch the film and share your thoughts at www.uk.coop/yourstoshare

For events in Wales see our ‘Events’ page

What is the way forward for the co-operative sector?

Commissioned by Co-operatives UK, Robin Murray – a co-operative innovator and key thinker behind Fairtrade, Twin Trading and much more besides – has produced a radical vision of the how the co-operative sector can expand in the 21^st Century.

Co-operation in the age of Google shows that we are living at a time of profound transformation. The information and communication revolution, widespread concerns about private sector greed, public sector finances and impending climate chaos present a wide range of possibilities for co-operative expansion. Continue reading →

The “Friends of the Robert Owen Museum” was officially launched on Thursday November 11th at the Museum in Newtown with a short presentation by Professor Chris Williams of Swansea University on the relationship Robert Owen had with Newtown, the place of his birth and death, and the relationship it’s citizens had with him and his memory.

Over 30 people crowded in to the Council Chamber above the Museum to enjoy this event and the liquid refreshements generously provided by the Co-operative Group.

The Museum is open all year round, and is run entirely by volunteers. It receives visitors from all around the world as well as many from across Wales and the UK.

More information on how to support the Museum, which has plans to improve and update this unique exhibition of Robert Owen’s life can be found at: http://robert-owen-museum.org.uk/friends 

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“There is but one mode by which man can possess in perpetuity all the happiness which his nature is capable of enjoying – that is by the union and co-operation of ALL for the benefit of EACH”

Shaping The Future of Care

Can Co-operative forms of organisation help us to deliver sustainable services and healthy communities against a back-drop of so many challenges? Should Co-operative models become a valued part of Welsh health and social care provision/

These questions are explored in the Report of a Study Day organised earlier this year by the Health Social Care and WellBeing Network (supported by WCVA).

The Report:-

• explains what is meant by Co-operation and co-operative models
• details the current Welsh social care policy context
• gives examples of co-operative social care in action
• summarises key presentations and delegate feedback
• lists organisations representing or supporting ‘Co-operation’ in Wales
• sets out five recommendations for action

Altogether the Report makes a compelling argument for the encouragement of co-operative solutions to many of the problems facing social care in Wales today. It should interest anyone wanting to explore ways of delivering health and social care services which empower citizens and communities.

Download the report here:-
Shaping the Future ~ Oct 2010
Llunio Dyfodol Gofal ~ Hydref 2010
 
Further information from:- 
Andi Lyden
Chair, Network 3
The Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Network
WCVA
Baltic House
Mountstuart Square
Cardiff 
CF10 5FH

Despite the criticism aimed at other banks for lending less and less to businesses, even where they are in profit and expanding, the Co-operative Bank is bucking the trend.

Since 2007 it has increased lending to businesses across the UK from £6.2 billion to £8.7 billion, an increase of 40%. Over the same period they have received a threefold increase in business deposits to a high of £4 billion.

Neville Richardson, Chief Executive commented “Our presence in the corporate market has benefitted from a strong financial position that has supported growth when our competitors were scaling back …We plan to capitalise on our success and further strengthen our position in the market”.

Andrew Davies AM has recently published an article on the “New Mutualism” in which he sets out his position on this important debate.

Andrew was elected to the Assembly in May 1999.  He was a prominent member of the “Yes for Wales” Campaign and co-ordinator of Labour’s Assembly referendum campaign in 1997. Andrew served as a member of the Cabinet for ten years from the Assembly’s inception in May 1999, as Assembly Business Manager (Trefynydd) from 1999-2002; Minister for Economic Development from 2002-2007, with Transport added from 2003; and as Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery between July 2007 and December 2009.

Read the article at http://waleshome.org/2010/10/the-new-mutualism/

A networking session with top officials from co-operatives from India, Africa South and Central America, Ireland and Scotland meeting up with co-operatives from across Wales.

The event was organised by Co-operatives and Mutuals Wales in partnership with Twin Trading and Fair Trade Wales on September 15th at the Mulberry Centre in Abergavenny.

  Continue reading →

Mark Bishop of Big State Theatre

With the number of freelancers in UK creative industries continuing to rise and creative graduates facing a difficult job market, Co-operatives UK, the national trade body that campaigns for co-operation, has launched Creative Co-operatives, a new guide and website. Continue reading →

The Co-operative Forum (Northern Ireland) held an international conference, “From Plunkett to the credit crunch” at Trinity College, Dublin over the weekend of July 31st/August 1st 2010.

The conference welcomed over 50 delegates from across the British Isles and as far away as the ICA in Geneva to a wide ranging and well received series of presentations and discussions. Continue reading →

Co-operatives UK and Supporters Direct launch new Report

The way to improve football in the UK, now the World Cup is over, is to follow the approach of leading Spanish clubs and hand them over to their fans. This report – written by Dave Boyle and launched by Co-operatives UK and Supporters Direct – details how.

This report, launched as part of Co-operatives Fortnight, is published alongside the first English translation of the statutes of Spanish club FC Barcelona, the poster child of co-operative football.

Download the full reports below:-

Insight3 – Barca

barca statutes

On July 15th, Alex Bird, Chair of Co-operatives and Mutuals Wales was asked to give evidence to the Welsh Assembly’s Enterprise and Learning Committee, together with John Bennett, CEO of the Welsh Social Enterpise Coalition.

Watch the full presentation below:-
(To start the video – click on the Hi  Med or Lo buttons)

The written evidence is available at:-

http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-scrutiny-committees/bus-committees-third-els-home/bus-committees-third-els-agendas.htm?act=dis&id=190977&ds=7/2010

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 →