Central Midlands - The Co-operative
Central Midlands - The Co-operative
Central Midlands - The Co-operative
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Together we can<br />
build a better world<br />
2012<br />
<strong>Co</strong>mmittee elections<br />
Your candidates<br />
<strong>Central</strong> & Eastern<br />
Region<br />
<strong>Central</strong> <strong>Midlands</strong><br />
Area
Together we can<br />
build a better world<br />
Thank you for taking the time to vote in<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Membership 2012 elections,<br />
your vote really does make a difference.<br />
This booklet has all the information you<br />
need to know about the people who would like<br />
to represent you on your Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee.<br />
<strong>The</strong> process of voting is very easy, and just<br />
takes a little time for you to consider which of<br />
the candidates you would prefer to represent<br />
your views.<br />
To help your deliberations we have broken up<br />
the process into four easy steps:<br />
On page 4 you will find some<br />
STEP 1 information about your current Area<br />
<strong>Co</strong>mmittee and on the following page we<br />
tell you more about how many places are<br />
available on your committee.<br />
Each candidate has provided an<br />
election address which should help<br />
you make your decision.<br />
STEP 2<br />
Once you have a good idea of what<br />
STEP 3 each representative stands for, use<br />
the ballot paper to indicate your preferences.<br />
All the details you need about the election can<br />
be found on the ballot paper. Remember, you<br />
can vote online if you prefer, in which instance<br />
you will receive 25 membership points. Again<br />
further details are provided on the ballot paper.<br />
Sit back and relax, feeling great<br />
STEP 4<br />
that you have done something that<br />
will really make a difference to you, your<br />
community and the co-<strong>operative</strong> you part own.<br />
Thanks again for your support.<br />
<strong>The</strong> photograph on the front cover features three members who were elected to Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee for the<br />
first time in 2011: Irene Duckworth (<strong>Central</strong> & Eastern Region), Anna Brisley (North West & North <strong>Midlands</strong><br />
Region) and Martin Ferguson (Scotland & Northern Ireland Region).<br />
2012 Elections<br />
3
Your current<br />
committee.<br />
For your information, here are details<br />
relating to your current Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee:<br />
Your committee<br />
Attendance at<br />
committee meetings<br />
Name Possible Actual<br />
Dave Boston 7 5<br />
Darren Burdis 7 7<br />
John Crouch 2 3 7 7<br />
Jenny de Villiers 2 7 7<br />
Peter Ford 4 6 6<br />
Simon Kilbey 7 7<br />
Kay Milton 7 7<br />
Sophie Neill 7 7<br />
Ted Perfect 1 7 7<br />
Dave Thompson 2 7 7<br />
Chris Winterton 7 4<br />
Janet Wise 7 7<br />
1 <strong>Co</strong>mmittee Chair<br />
2 Regional Board member<br />
3 Group Values & Principles <strong>Co</strong>mmittee<br />
4 <strong>Co</strong>-optee<br />
Gender profile<br />
Total number of members<br />
Number of men<br />
Number of women<br />
Age profile<br />
Under 30<br />
30 – 49<br />
50 – 69<br />
70+<br />
Not disclosed<br />
Ethnic profile<br />
White<br />
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups<br />
Asian/Asian British<br />
Black/African/<br />
Caribbean/Black British<br />
Other ethnic group<br />
Not disclosed<br />
12<br />
8<br />
4<br />
0<br />
4<br />
7<br />
1<br />
0<br />
12<br />
0<br />
0<br />
0<br />
0<br />
0<br />
Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee members currently<br />
receive an annual fee of £2,173.55<br />
plus expenses, with the Chairs of<br />
committees receiving an extra £543.39
Introducing<br />
your Area<br />
<strong>Co</strong>mmittee<br />
candidates.<br />
So who’s standing?<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are 6 places available on<br />
the <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Midlands</strong> Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee.<br />
7 candidates have put themselves forward:<br />
Sophie Neill 1<br />
Peter Ford 2<br />
Dean <strong>Co</strong>llier<br />
Garry Hickton<br />
<strong>The</strong> following terms of office are available.<br />
<strong>The</strong> length of the term to be served will<br />
depend upon the order in which the<br />
candidates achieve the required Quota of<br />
votes:<br />
4 places for 3 years<br />
2 places for 1 year<br />
Jenny de Villiers 1<br />
Helen Clark<br />
Chris Winterton 1<br />
1 Current committee member<br />
2 Current co-opted committee<br />
member<br />
<strong>The</strong> results of the election will be<br />
declared on Wednesday 8th August.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y will be posted on our website:<br />
www.co-<strong>operative</strong>.coop/membership<br />
and will be publicised widely in our<br />
local co-<strong>operative</strong> businesses.<br />
2012 Elections<br />
5
Membership<br />
events<br />
near you<br />
Rhythms of the World<br />
Priory Park, Hitchin, Hertfordshire<br />
14 & 15 July<br />
If you intend going to this years ROTW festival why not come and visit our stand and<br />
campervan. <strong>The</strong> ‘Smile Campervan Tour’ will form a part of this world music festival.<br />
<strong>Co</strong>me along and help us celebrate the International Year of <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong>s.<br />
Tickets are available from the Rhythms of the world web site: www.rotw.org.uk<br />
Milton Keynes International Festival, Performance of<br />
‘As the World Tipped’<br />
Campbell Park, <strong>Central</strong> Milton Keynes<br />
25 & 26 July<br />
An epic outdoor multi-media performance combining dramatic film visual with<br />
breathtaking aerial performance – a compelling vision of a planet in crisis.<br />
Booking is essential; see the <strong>Central</strong> & Eastern region events diary website<br />
for further information.<br />
Nottinghamshire Pride<br />
Forest Fields Recreation Ground, Nottingham<br />
28 & 29 July<br />
<strong>Co</strong>me and visit our ‘youth zone’ and campervan to celebrate the International Year<br />
of <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong>s and enjoy a whole range of exciting activities, no need to book just<br />
come down from Midday Saturday and Sunday to see what’s going on.<br />
For more information please visit<br />
www.co-<strong>operative</strong>memberevents.coop, scan the QR code<br />
or call your regional office on 01908 361500.<br />
<strong>Central</strong> & Eastern Region
Who’s who?<br />
Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee members are ideally<br />
passionate about supporting their local<br />
community and its people. <strong>The</strong>y’ll be<br />
creative and will have, or want to gain, an<br />
understanding of our business operations<br />
and of the commercial environment in which<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group operates.<br />
To help you choose who to vote for, each<br />
candidate has provided an election address<br />
of up to 220 words. Candidates have been<br />
encouraged to use the election address to<br />
refer to their involvement in the Group and<br />
any relevant experience, qualifications and<br />
qualities.<br />
Candidates have also been encouraged to<br />
submit a recent photograph.<br />
Candidates’ statements appear in random<br />
order in this booklet and on the ballot paper.<br />
Encouraging diversity<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group is committed to<br />
supporting our elected bodies in becoming<br />
more representative of the members and<br />
communities that we serve – whether in<br />
respect of gender, age, ethnicity or other<br />
diversity criteria. Liaising closely with our<br />
Membership Diversity Working Group we<br />
aim to encourage the involvement of a<br />
broader and more diverse range of members<br />
in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group’s affairs.<br />
Candidates have been asked for diversity<br />
information for monitoring purposes in order<br />
to help us measure our progress.<br />
On page 4 you will find diversity<br />
information relating to your current<br />
Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee.<br />
2012 Elections<br />
7
Sophie<br />
Neill<br />
Long Eaton<br />
Peter<br />
Ford<br />
Beeston<br />
“<br />
I have been an area committee member<br />
for the past 3 years, so thank you to the<br />
members that voted for me then. I have<br />
enjoyed learning about all aspects of the<br />
<strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> and the family of businesses<br />
(Food, Bank, Travel, Insurance, Pharmacy,<br />
Funeralcare, Legal Services, Electrical,<br />
and Motors) and the wider co-<strong>operative</strong><br />
movement and been inspired by the cooperators<br />
I have met.<br />
Part of an area committee members’ role is<br />
to score the community fund applications.<br />
When reading the applications, I make<br />
informed decisions based on the facts, and I<br />
will stand up for what I believe in.<br />
I have a sense of fairness, I shop fairtrade<br />
and promote fairtrade to others (I have<br />
recently baked cakes using fairtrade<br />
ingredients, which has been popular with<br />
work colleagues!). I am sociable and<br />
approachable, members have come to me<br />
with their concerns and I’ve represented their<br />
views at area committee meetings, these<br />
concerns have then been escalated.<br />
I believe in the <strong>Co</strong>-op’s values and principles<br />
and have been involved in global campaigns<br />
through supporting members’ events, like<br />
the Wave March in London highlighting<br />
climate change and the bee walk in<br />
Attenborough Nature Reserve which was<br />
delivered by the Bumblebee <strong>Co</strong>nservation<br />
Trust.<br />
If elected again I will continue to be an active<br />
member and promote the <strong>Co</strong>-op’s values and<br />
principles.<br />
“<br />
“<br />
As a current co-opted member of the <strong>Central</strong><br />
<strong>Midlands</strong> Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee seeking election,<br />
I’m keen to continue my active involvement<br />
with the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group since retiring as<br />
a <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Financial Adviser in 2010.<br />
Attending <strong>Co</strong>mmittee meetings is a small<br />
part of what elected members do, and we<br />
frequently promote <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Values<br />
and Principles on behalf of our members<br />
right across the area. I have enjoyed taking<br />
part in store visits, gathering grass-roots<br />
opinions from both staff and customers and a<br />
Fairtrade Producer Event where a West Indian<br />
banana farmer described to members of the<br />
public the benefits to growers of the Fairtrade<br />
system.<br />
Aston University Eco Week was an interesting<br />
event promoting our attitudes to combating<br />
climate change and the Envision Big Brum<br />
Challenge was aimed at inspiring young<br />
people, so I’m looking forward to taking an<br />
active role in more such occasions.<br />
One of the most important responsibilities I<br />
wish to continue with is the distribution of the<br />
member-donated <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> <strong>Co</strong>mmunity<br />
Fund to deserving projects across the whole<br />
of our area, ensuring that we fulfil our social<br />
profit sharing goals.<br />
“<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group covers a wide<br />
range of businesses from food to funerals<br />
and I believe it’s important to represent all<br />
our members in ensuring that we go from<br />
strength to strength locally, regionally and<br />
nationally.
Dean<br />
<strong>Co</strong>llier<br />
Sandiacre<br />
Garry<br />
Hickton<br />
Draycott<br />
“<br />
I have been a active member of the <strong>Co</strong><strong>operative</strong><br />
Group for many years now and<br />
have regularly attended many members<br />
events and activities throughout the region.<br />
By being actively involved I am able to take<br />
an interest in the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group and<br />
its values & principles, have the opportunity<br />
to promote and encourage other members<br />
of the public to shop at the <strong>Co</strong>-op and to be<br />
more aware of the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong>’s Ethical<br />
Trading Standards.<br />
Membership and our members are the heart<br />
of the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group and if we all work<br />
together by sharing our passions and ideas,<br />
we can build a stronger and better world. To<br />
achieve this, we as members must all get<br />
involved and be a part of the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong>’s<br />
democracy.<br />
I would welcome and value your support in<br />
the forthcoming election which, if successful,<br />
would give me the opportunity to represent<br />
you, our members at an area committee<br />
level. By voting for me, you are giving me<br />
the chance to become the voice of our<br />
membership and the communities the <strong>Co</strong><strong>operative</strong><br />
serves and supports.<br />
“<br />
“<br />
I have worked for the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group for<br />
23 years in various roles and depots across<br />
the country, but always within distribution. My<br />
current role is a warehouse Team Leader in<br />
the <strong>Co</strong>ventry National Distribution Centre.<br />
Throughout my time, I have seen a good<br />
many changes aimed at making the Group<br />
an employer of choice whilst providing an<br />
excellent customer focus. I believe that what<br />
sets the Group ahead of its competitors is<br />
its values and principles, the way in which<br />
these are incorporated into all aspects of<br />
the business to ensure equality in all of its<br />
transactions.<br />
Out of work, I am married with a young son, I<br />
am a borough and county councillor and this<br />
year was selected as one of the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong><br />
Group’s Global Poverty ambassadors. I am an<br />
activist inside and outside of work, striving to<br />
be a voice that drives positive change for all<br />
concerned.<br />
My aim in seeking election as an area<br />
committee member is to use my political<br />
knowledge of campaigning and lobbying,<br />
couple this with my enthusiasm and belief<br />
in the core <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> values of equality,<br />
self-help and democracy, to help mould the<br />
future of the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> to be bigger and<br />
brighter than ever!<br />
“<br />
2012 Elections<br />
9
Jenny<br />
de Villiers<br />
East Leake<br />
Helen<br />
Clark<br />
Borrowash<br />
“<br />
I have been your representative on the<br />
<strong>Central</strong> <strong>Midlands</strong> Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee since<br />
1999. We are in an increasingly competitive<br />
world and we should be proud that we are<br />
supporting a British business backed up with<br />
values and principles that seek to make a<br />
difference, not only to ourselves but to the<br />
wider world. However, it is not enough to<br />
be loyal to our values and it is our challenge<br />
to ensure that we are an efficient, customer<br />
focussed and price favourable co-<strong>operative</strong><br />
business. We support local communities<br />
and have defined social goals into which our<br />
profits are re-invested but is our message<br />
clear to our shoppers and members? Do we<br />
make enough effort to communicate that we<br />
are not a shareholder driven business but we<br />
have a unique difference? Our democratic<br />
structure proves that we can implement a<br />
checks and balance approach to ensure<br />
that our products are ethical and can be<br />
trusted. How can we move forward to the<br />
next generation without making a contribution<br />
to this one? We have to meet competition<br />
and be sure that as a co-<strong>operative</strong> business<br />
we are raising the bar. I continue to work<br />
in your interests to ensure that you receive<br />
the benefits and services required to take us<br />
forward into the future.<br />
“<br />
“<br />
I have a BA and MA from Bristol University.<br />
I am an Assessor in English Literature;<br />
formerly Senior English Teacher; <strong>Co</strong>nsultant<br />
with the Association of British Insurers; Head<br />
of Campaigns with the Multiple Sclerosis<br />
Society and 8 years (1997-2005) as MP for<br />
Peterborough.<br />
My family in Derbyshire and Gloucestershire<br />
were co-operators for the duration of the<br />
20th century and co-<strong>operative</strong> values are<br />
dear to me.<br />
I am Secretary of the Long Eaton <strong>Co</strong><strong>operative</strong><br />
Party Branch and served on the<br />
Kent Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee; representing it at<br />
<strong>Co</strong>ngress, Annual and Half Yearly Meetings. I<br />
attended the <strong>Co</strong>-op <strong>Co</strong>llege, studying the milk<br />
operation and worker <strong>Co</strong>-ops and served on<br />
the CWS Political <strong>Co</strong>mmittee.<br />
I was a <strong>Co</strong>-op Parliamentary Panellist.<br />
I have an excellent relationship with<br />
our Borrowash <strong>Co</strong>-op and as the <strong>Co</strong><br />
co- ordinator of ‘Unexamined Lives’ a<br />
retrospective of 20th century Borrowash,<br />
have written about the <strong>Co</strong>-op as a local<br />
educator and employer, in articles published<br />
by <strong>The</strong> Derby Telegraph.<br />
“<br />
I offer excellent communication skills;<br />
effective work with committees; commercial<br />
and voluntary experience and above all,<br />
enthusiasm and initiative. Election to the<br />
<strong>Co</strong>mmittee would be an honour.
Chris<br />
Winterton<br />
Mansfield<br />
“<br />
Chris Winterton is an Area <strong>Co</strong>mmittee<br />
Member for <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Midlands</strong>, who is active<br />
on co-<strong>operative</strong> issues, supports fair trade,<br />
ethical and diverse issues and wants to build<br />
a better world.<br />
As a member of the Group and <strong>Co</strong>-op Party<br />
he is very active in the local community and<br />
is a co-op sponsored councillor. Chris speaks<br />
out for the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> policies, supports<br />
credit unions and Housing <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong>s<br />
and has sent a motion on housing to the<br />
<strong>Co</strong>-op <strong>Co</strong>nference. Chris promotes the idea<br />
of sustainable co-<strong>operative</strong>s that are a more<br />
equitable way of organising society. He<br />
believes that we must source products from<br />
the most local source to improve the carbon<br />
footprint of the business. He also works on<br />
health issues and child poverty in the local<br />
area, helping to regenerate communities.<br />
Chris has over 20 years in the co-<strong>operative</strong><br />
movement and has represented the <strong>Co</strong>-op<br />
on panels about the aspirations of the <strong>Co</strong>-op.<br />
He believes that health improvement can be<br />
achieved through the pharmacy business and<br />
supports the Group stance on healthy eating.<br />
<strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> people are making a difference.<br />
In 2012, the international year for <strong>Co</strong><strong>operative</strong>s,<br />
let’s all have an Olympic year and<br />
win some gold medals for the movement in<br />
this co-<strong>operative</strong> year.<br />
Chris would like your support in this election<br />
to continue his work in the <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong><br />
movement.<br />
“<br />
Vote to help feed the<br />
world fairly and<br />
sustainably<br />
Betty Chesang, Kibagenge, Kenya.<br />
Betty is one of 500 million smallholder farmers<br />
who together feed nearly a third of humanity.<br />
We believe with the right tools, training and<br />
investment, these smallholder farmers – many<br />
of whom are women – offer an excellent route<br />
to help sustainably feed the world’s growing<br />
population. What’s more, if supported to form<br />
co-<strong>operative</strong>s, this enables them to pool<br />
resources, increase yields and secure fairer<br />
prices. Alongside Oxfam, we’re calling on the<br />
UK Government to unlock greater support for<br />
smallholder farmers and co-<strong>operative</strong>s to feed<br />
the world fairly and sustainably.<br />
Vote to take action! Mark the box on your<br />
ballot paper to add your name to our call on the<br />
UK Government to unlock greater support for<br />
smallholder farmers and co-<strong>operative</strong>s to feed the<br />
world fairly and sustainably. Find out more or take<br />
action online at: www.co-<strong>operative</strong>.coop/grow<br />
12590 <strong>Co</strong>-op-Oxfam Advert Half Page.indd 1 2012 15/05/2012 Elections 09:57 11
2012<br />
<strong>Co</strong>mmittee elections<br />
Together we can<br />
build a better world<br />
Your new representatives will soon be making a real difference in your local area.<br />
If you think you could do the same and would like to find out more, get in touch.<br />
For further information please go to www.co-<strong>operative</strong>.coop/membership<br />
Access for all<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group’s Customer Relations team can provide publications in Braille,<br />
in large print and on cassette.<br />
Freephone 0800 0686 727<br />
Minicom 0800 0686 717<br />
Email customer.relations@co-<strong>operative</strong>.coop<br />
Write to <strong>The</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group, Freepost – MR9473, Manchester M4 8BA<br />
Web www.co-<strong>operative</strong>.coop<br />
<strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operative</strong> Group Limited, Registered office: New Century House, Manchester M60 4ES. Reg No 525R.<br />
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