Co-op News. May 2021

COMMUNITY SHARES
Manchester farm co-op
bids to buy land for
sustainable food
Kindling Farm co-op is nearing its
£650,000 fundraising target in its
campaign to buy a site near Manchester.
The co-operative says it will use the
pioneering practices of agroforestry,
growing wildlife-friendly and organic
fruit, veg, cereals and pulses.
Co-founder Helen Woodcock said:
"Kindling Farm is about coming together
to find practical solutions to the ecological
crisis we are in. It is about hope, it is about
social change and it is about creating a
farming blueprint for our future, right
here in the north west of England."
The offer has attracted more than 249
investors, committing more than £573,575
in less than a month, with the assistance
of Co-operatives UK, Power to Change and
their Booster Programme, which matched
the first £100,000.
Kindling Farm says it is "founded on
strong ethics and values which all co-
A The Kindling Farm team launch the share offer
operatives share, of social benefit and cooperation
by giving voice to communities,
and supporting people by providing a
localised, democratic and communityowned
food production system."
Kindling, a small organisation based
in Manchester "focusing on challenging
the industrialised food system", has been
working to make Kindling Farm a reality
for over a decade.
It adds: "The impacts of Covid on the
wellbeing of our society has shown us that
we need to support communities more
than ever and improve the food system.
"The uncertainty of Brexit has further
highlighted our lack of food sovereignty
in this country, and how much we need to
build resilience in our agriculture to face
these uncertainties as well as a changing
climate. Resilient methods of farming,
localised power for communities, and
greater access to healthy produce is what
the future of food looks like."
The share offer closes 3 July; minimum
investment of £200. It offers interest of
up to 3% - with the standard warnings of
capital risk and non-guaranteed returns.
s.coop/2kmds
RETAIL
Extension and refurb at Unicorn Grocery
Manchester's worker-owned grocery
Unicorn has embarked on a project to make
significant structural, environmental and
internal improvements to its premises.
The store in Chorlton closed for two
weeks as the build project got under way.
"Over 24 years we've made countless
shop improvements, extensions and
modifications while managing to continue
trading (involving some fairly hilarious
behind the scenes scrambles and allnighters),"
said the organisation. "But in
April 2021, for the first time ever, we are
closing for a fortnight ... It's not been an
easy process deciding to do this, but we've
been putting off some of the work for years
and there are jobs we just can't do while
staying open."
The co-op specialises in "wholesome
food, eco household goods and organic
veg", and is extending the building in
part to give its veg area extra space, and to
deal with the produce overheating caused
by its glass porch in the summer months.
They will also be making major repairs
to the sub-floor, replacing the traditional
linoleum flooring (which is made with
natural materials such as linseed oil and
is both recyclable and biodegradable at
the end of its life) and replacing shelving.
Unicorn is working with two local
organisations - architecture co-op Loop
Systems and interior architects Phaus
Design (both run by Unicorn customers),
- who have "come up with a plan that is
really practical but also visually exciting".
They will be increasing bike parking
- some of which will be covered - and
installing a permanent bike pump.
Covid has also played its part in
informing the design, with the extension
including a covered external area in case
of queues, and greater space for customers
on entrance and exit. Work will continue
into May, but the store reopened with a
temporary entrance from 19 April."
Heather Allen from Phaus Design said:
"As regular customers and local residents,
working with Unicorn is such a privilege
as it's pretty close to our hearts."
MAY 2021 I 9