Co-op News June 2022

JUNE 2022
CO-OPS COME
TOGETHER FOR
WORK AND PLAY
Plus … Credit union
conference from Abcul and
Swoboda ... Latest results
from the retail sector ... ICA
presidential candidates
present their pitches
ISSN 0009-9821
770009 982010
01
£4.20
www.thenews.coop

The 2022 Co-operative Press
Annual General Meeting
We will be convening a virtual AGM in 2022.
6-7.30pm, Monday 25 July
In accordance with Rule 20 of the Co-operative Press Rules, any member may submit a
proposal to the Annual Meeting of members in writing to the Secretary.
The timetable is as follows
5pm, Monday 13 June 2022
Closing Date for Receipt of Proposals
Monday 27 June 2022
Agenda and Proposals sent out to members
5pm, Monday, 11 July 2022
Closing date for receipt of amendments to Proposals.
Tuesday, 12 July 2022
Notice of the final Agenda and the Annual Accounts sent out to members
and made available online.
With regard to amendments to any proposals (as stated in Rule 21), any member may send to
the directors any amendment to any proposal appearing on the agenda or any amendment
to any matter forming part of the business of the meeting, and provided such amendment be
received by the secretary prior to the Annual Meeting, it shall be circulated to members as
soon as is practicable as an additional business paper for consideration at the meeting.
Please note that by submitting a proposal, members are committing themselves to attend the
Annual Meeting if their proposal is accepted onto the Agenda.
For further updates on the AGM, please visit www.thenews.coop/AGM2022
The Secretary
Co-operative Press Ltd, Holyoake House,
Hanover Street, Manchester, M60 0AS
secretary@thenews.coop

Co-ops at play – putting their
values and principles to work
CONNECTING, CHAMPIONING AND
CHALLENGING THE GLOBAL CO-OP
MOVEMENT SINCE 1871
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Alice Toomer-McAlpine
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Andy Bellis | andy@thenews.coop
DIRECTORS
Elaine Dean (chair); David Paterson
(vice-chair); Sofygil Crew; Victoria
Green; Tim Hartley; Phil Hartwell;
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Shaz Rahman; Lesley Reznicek
Secretary: Richard Bickle
Established in 1871, Co-operative
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Summer’s here – if a little on the chilly side, as you’d expect in the UK – and
after two years of Covid disruption people are ready to enjoy it, with
retail society results noting the effect on their travel businesses (p6-8).
So what better time to take a look at how co-ops provide leisure activity?
Festivals have now moved from the counter culture to become a firm fixture
in the calendar. We take a look at how retail societies like Radstock and
the Co-op Group are interacting with these events, plus some co-oprun
festivals (p42-43). Stir To Action is also delivering a festival to
facilitate new economy thinking (p36-37), while last month’s Worker Coop
Weekend laid the groundwork for a new UK federation for the sector
(p26-27).
The festival sector is hoping for a revival after two fallow years under
the pandemic, and the performing arts were hit hard by lockdown
measures. Among the organisations getting back on its feet is French
co-op Ulysse Maison d’Artistes, which shares its story with us (p38-39).
We also take a look at some of the co-op holiday options on offer
(p40-41) or, if sport’s more your thing, catch up with Bury AFC, which
has brought its club back from financial disaster by forming a community
benefit society (p44-45).
Last month, Co-op News attended two important conferences for the
credit union movement – organised by Abcul in Manchester and the
Swoboda Research Centre in Dublin. Abcul’s event heard some
important reform proposals from treasury minister John Glen (p12) and
discussed challenges around mergers, fintech and the cost of living
crisis (p28-30) while the sector researchers gathered by Swoboda
looked at ways to support the green transition (p31-33).
We also take a look at the forthcoming national and international coop
celebrations (p34-35) and hear pitches from the three candidates for
this year’s election for the post of ICA president (p46-48).
MILES HADFIELD - DIGITAL EDITOR
Co-operative News is printed using vegetable oil-based inks
on 80% recycled paper (with 60% from post-consumer waste)
with the remaining 20% produced from FSC or PEFC certified
sources. It is made in a totally chlorine free process.
JUNE 2022 | 3

ISSN 0009-9821
9 770009 982010
01
THIS ISSUE
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
The Co-op Group announces its latest
plans for home delivery expansion (p10);
Spanish co-op Granissat celebrates the
International Day of Cooperatives (p14);
the Iguanodon Restaurant at the
Radstock Arts Festival (p42-43); the
Worker Co-op Weekend planned a new
federation (p26-27); Midcounties’ Sara
Dunham (p22-23)
22-23 MEET ... SARAH DUNHAM
The head of travel at Midcounties Co-op
Collective tell us about the three-day
Playground for the New Economy
JUNE 2022
CO-OPS STAND
TOGETHER FOR
UKRAINE
Plus … The benefits and
challenges of small-scale cooperatives
... Report from the
Co-op Retail Conference ... A
look back on the life and work
of social reformer
Robert Owen
£4.20
www.thenews.coop
COVER: EAST QUAY
This sustainable building in Watchet,
Somerset, shows what the next
economy could look like in practice,
says Onion Collective, one of the co-op
organisations at this year’s Playground
for the New Economy
Read more: p36-37
25 BIRMINGHAM FILM CO-OP FESTIVAL
Preview from co-op chair Kate Palser
26-27 NEW DAWN FOR WORKER CO-OPS
Siôn Whellens tells us about plans for a
new UK federation of worker co-ops
28-33 CONFERENCES
28-30 ABCUL CONFERENCE
British credit unions met in Manchester
to discuss the challenges of growth,
fintech and the cost of living crisis
31-33 SWOBODA RESEARCH CENTRE
Credit union experts gathered in Dublin
to look at the transition to sustainability
34-35 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
A look ahead to the International Day of
Cooperatives, Co-op Fortnight and Co-op
Congress – which marks the centenary of
Congress’s first female chair
36-45 CO-OPERATIVES AT PLAY
36-37 NEW ECONOMY FESTIVAL Jonny
Gordon-Farleigh of Stir to Action and
Jessica Prendergrast of Onion
38-39 CO-OP TAKES THE STAGE
French performing arts co-op Ulysse
Maison d’Artistes takes us through
its journey
40-41 TIME FOR A HOLIDAY
Need to take a break? Here’s some
options for holidays that stick to the
values of the co-op movement
42-43 FESTIVAL SEASON
From the Co-op Group’s on-site presence
to co-op-run music festivals in Scotland
and the USA
44-45 FOOTBALL COMES HOME
How supporters formed a community
benefit society to bring Bury AFC back
from the brink
46-47 ICA ELECTIONS
The three presidential candidates make
their pitches
REGULARS
5-13 UK news
14-21 Global news
24 Letters
50 Events
4 | JUNE 2022

NEWS
RETAIL
Drivers for logistics giant supplying Co-op Group stores take strike action
Trade union Unite says members working
for logistics giant GXO, which runs an
outsourced delivery contract for the
Co-op Group, are to strike over pay.
More than 330 drivers and transport
clerks based at the company’s depot in
Elton Head Road, St Helens, are involved
in the dispute. The workers recorded a
97% vote in favour of strike action.
Unite says the drivers deliver to 466
Group stores, from the Lake District in
the north, Leeds in the east, as far south
as Hereford and Aberystwyth in the west.
It warns that the strike action “will
have an immediate effect on supplies”,
although the Group says it is taking steps
to minimise disruption for shoppers.
In total 40 days of strike action have
been announced between the end of May
and the end of August. This will comprise
20 separate, 48 hour strikes, with the
first strike beginning on Wednesday 31
May, which coincides with the jubilee
celebrations.
The union says drivers are currently
paid a standard rate of £14.77 an hour, and
claims drivers employed on comparable
contracts are often paid over £17 an hour.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
said: “GXO’s refusal to pay our members
the rate for the job means Co-op stores will
now be short of goods. This is a wealthy
company that has no excuse not to pay
proper wages. GXO needs to get real and
make an offer that meets our members’
expectations. Unite will be giving these
workers its full support until this dispute
is resolved.”
Unite regional officer Kenny Rowe said:
“Strike action will undoubtedly cause
disruption to Co-op stores but this dispute
is entirely of GXO’s own making. Even
at this late stage strike action and the
ensuing disruption can still be avoided,
but GXO has to make an improved offer.”
A spokesperson for GXO said: “We are
committed to being an employer of choice
for our employees and our customers.
Discussions are ongoing in order to reach
agreement with all parties involved.”
A spokesperson for the Group said: “We
are very sorry it has got to this point. We
are working closely with GXO who employ
the drivers, as they seek to continue
discussions to try and resolve the dispute.
Shoppers should rest assured that we are
also taking extensive steps and putting
plans in place to minimise disruption and
ensure customers can get the products
they want and need.”
The Group outsourced much of its
logistics operation in 2016 and at the time
held discussions with Unite to avoid an
industrial dispute.
The strike comes on the heels of last
year’s supply chain issues – felt across
the grocery sector – after Covid-19 and
Brexit sparked a labour shortage in the
haulage industry. In response the Group
worked with GXO to develop a driver
apprenticeship scheme.
u Group AGM, p9; online plans, p10
POLITICS
Co-op Party hails string of successes in local elections
Last month’s local elections were hailed
as a success by the Co-op Party, which
said it had a record number of over 1,200
councillors return to office.
In Scotland and Wales it doubled its
number of councillors, following on from
record parliamentary Co-operative groups
elected last year.
“Every candidate can be proud of the part
they played in promoting our movement,”
said assistant general secretary Emma
Hoddinott. “Even if not elected, our
candidates took the co-operative message
out into their community through leaflets,
media and thousands of conversations.
Thank you to everyone who proudly stood
as a candidate.”
Ms Hoddinott said that in every nation
and region the Party increased its overall
number of councillors, including all 14 of
its candidates in Barnet, its largest group
of councillors in Birmingham and 49
councillors in Greenwich.
The mayoral elections saw the reelection
of Damien Egan in Lewisham,
Philip Glanville in Hackney and Rokhsana
Fiaz in Newham. They were joined by
Oliver Coppard who became the new
mayor of South Yorkshire with a majority
of over 80,000 over the Conservatives.
“The hard work starts now to stand
alongside residents through what will be a
difficult year,” said Ms Hoddinott.
From a Co-op Councils Innovation
Network perspective, Labour lost in Hull
to the Lib Dems – although the CCIN
is non-partisan and has one Lib Dem
member. And Arooj Shah, leader of CCIN
member Oldham Council, lost her seat.
Voters in Bristol voted to scrap the metro
mayor system; Labour’s Marvin Rees will
serve the remainder of his term until 2024.
JUNE 2022 | 5

RETAIL SOCIETY RESULTS
Supply disruptions and cost of living crisis run through society reports
More financial results have come in from
the UK retail movement, with co-ops
noting a tough trading environment.
Supply chain disruptions have affected
operations, and the reports warn that the
ongoing effects of the pandemic and the
cost of living squeeze continue to make
business uncertain. But most societies
returned profits and are continuing
investment, alongside measures to
support their communities.
Midcounties
Midcounties announced operating profits
before significant items of £7.4m and a
14.6% increase in gross sales in its report
for the year ending 22 January.
Gross sales were £912.9m (2020/21:
£796.9); revenue was £676.5m (2020/21:
£693.2m) and EBITDA was £26.6m
(2020/21: £31.2m). The society has reduced
its net debt to £40.5m (2020/21: £64.9m).
Travel was hit by Covid restrictions
although gross sales rose £165m.
Food retail saw a reduction in shopping
trips to smaller stores, which make up
the bulk of its estate, while “sector-wide
labour shortages resulted in difficulties
around the supply of products during key
trading through the national distribution
network operated by the Co-op Group.
“As a result, food retail saw a 6% decline
in gross sales from the previous year,
although this represents a 4.5% increase
on 2019’s pre-pandemic figures.”
The society made some major changes
to its business, taking its healthcare
business online by completing its disposal
of community pharmacies. It transferred
most of its funeral business to Central
England Co-op and a small number to other
providers within the co-op movement, in
“a strategic exit of the sector that ensured
customers can continue to be served by a
co-operative funeralcare provider”.
It added: “These decisions formed part
of a prudent and balanced approach to
the society’s finances that saw debt levels
reduce by more than 37%.”
Investments brought seven new food
retail stores and 46 store developments,
with 10 new stores planned for 2022 at a
total investment of more than £5m. The
society also opened two new childcare
sites, with a further site planned for 2022,
as part of its plans to double the size of its
nursery estate over the next five years.
A new members app was launched
which has been downloaded by almost
60,000 members.
The society says it continued to support
the vulnerable people through its home
delivery service in partnership with local
volunteers and community groups, which
has now made over 150,000 deliveries.
In terms of sustainability, the utilities
business launched a climate positive
broadband tariff and launched Younity,
the joint venture with Octopus Energy to
support community energy suppliers.
East of England
East of England Co-op’s results for the
year to 22 January saw trading profit fall to
£1.5m from £7.5m in 2021.
Overall, pre-tax profits rose to £7.6m,
following a loss of £1.7m during the
previous year. This was down to an
increase in the value of the society’s
investment property portfolio and not
having the one-off costs it saw in 2020/21.
Turnover fell slightly by 0.3% as food
shopping habits returned to normal after
the pandemic. But food sales were 5.9%
higher than in 2019/20, the pre-pandemic
year taken as a comparable benchmark
by much of the retail industry, and the
decline was partially offset by an increase
in sales of more than 50% at the society’s
petrol stations.
The society reported a 1.2% rise in the
number of funeral services, an increase
in income from its investment properties
and an 18.3% growth in sales through
its stonemasonry business, H L Perfitt,
generating sales in excess of £2m.
Joint CEO Doug Field said the society
has “a strong balance sheet and sound
finances, and we have the funds and
resources to continue to invest in growing
our business”.
During the year, the society awarded
more than £200,000 worth of grants to
local voluntary, community and social
enterprise organisations through its
Community Cares Fund. And it donated
more than £22,000 to 25 food banks across
Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.
Southern
Southern Co-op reported an operating
profit of £4.3m for the year to 30 January,
up from £2.8m the previous year.
The society’s preferred profit measure
of EBITDA increased 3% to £19.2m, and
profit before tax rose by £1.2m to £3.3m.
Total income reached £494m – an
increase of £4m on 2021, which the
report says is driven by rising coffee sales
which were helped by a combination of
fewer interrupted trading hours, and the
opening or acquisition of new sites.
The funeral business completed fewer
client arrangements than were planned for
the year, 1% lower than the 2020-21 figure.
Measured against the comparable
pre-pandemic year of 2019, total society
income was £27m, 6% higher, including
a two year like-for-like increase of +3.3%
in food sales and a 9% increase from
comparable coffee stores.
CEO Mark Smith said: “Toward the end
of 2021, interruptions in supply into our
stores intensified for a period of time,
resulting in shelf availability impacts on
certain lines. This has since eased, but I
would like to apologise for this temporary
worsening of supply caused by IT system
issues at our logistics provider.”
Mr Smith said there were also
operational challenges from labour
shortages, with higher colleague turnover
and vacancy rates in the second half of
the year. “It remains a priority to further
improve our touchpoints with colleagues
and to build on the attractiveness of our
brand as an employer,” he added.
Southern has also been working to
increase growth and resilience, he said,
adding the Starbucks franchise to 20 new
stores, bringing the total to 50, with a
target of 100 by 2025.
End of Life Services grew, with three
new woodland burial ground businesses,
and six new funeral homes.
In food, growth continued with 13 new
stores opened by independent partners
under the Welcome franchise format. For
Southern’s managed food estate, 15 stores
were added to its online rapid grocery
delivery service, bringing the total to
43. One new Southern Co-op food store
opened, in Basingstoke.
6 | JUNE 2022

p The year brought challenges but the retail sector continued to expand, including new stores for Midcounties (left) and Southern
The report also documented the society’s
efforts on sustainability, including the trial
of soft plastics recycling bins, work with
franchise partner Starbucks to reduce
waste, water and carbon, and a climate
action pathway, with targets including
a 50% cut in absolute greenhouse gas
emissions by 2030 compared to 2019.
Heart of England
Heart of England Co-op announced a
trading profit of £4m (previous year £4.6m)
in its report for the year to 22 January.
Operating profit was £5.8m (£3.3m) and
pre-tax profit was £5.7m (£3.2m).
Turnover across Heart of England’s
food and funeral businesses was £90.9m
– a decrease of 1.3% compared with the
previous 52 weeks, which saw record
trading because of the pandemic.
Food sales dipped by 1.72% compared
with the previous year. Heart of England
said this was in part down to increased
competition but also as a result of supply
chain problems.
Margins were also under pressure, said
the report, not only as a result of increased
competition locally but also due to a drop
in income against the previous year from
the Co-op’s FRTS central buying group.
But the society continued its investment
programme, completing significant
capital projects at its food stores in
Bulkington and Harbury.
Investments continue this year; in
March the society opened its £2.7m store
at Lower Heathcote in Warwick, which
will be followed by refurbishments of the
Hillmorton and Balsall Common stores
later this year. Balsall Common will have
a new coffee shop, while next year will see
the opening of a drive-through coffee unit
in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
The society’s funeral business posted
a 2.59% increase in sales, although the
number of funerals in that time fell by
4.79%. The drop comes against an extra
ordinarily high number of funerals in
2020, brought about by Covid-19.
Heart of England says it invested in
a new funeral home in Brackley, south
Northamptonshire, taking the business
over from Midcounties. The move saw the
funeral division to extend its footprint
south and followed the opening of its
Towcester funeral home in 2019. All
funeral homes were rebranded as Heart of
England Co-op Funerals.
The society’s net worth now stands at
£52.8m – an increase of 15.4% on 2020.
Its bank balance is now at £16.4m, with
a further £5.3m spent on new projects
throughout the year.
Membership has increased to 166,000
from 162,500 last year, while the member
rewards earned in Food stores over the
year topped £367,000.
CEO Ali Kurji said: “We face an extremely
challenging and very uncertain 2022 and
all the economic indicators are pointing
towards a slowdown in the economy ...
compounded by the increase in the living
wage and national insurance.”
Chelmsford Star
Essex-based Chelmsford Star reported a
trading profit of £493,000 for the year to 29
January, a two-year decrease of £200,000.
Gross takings fell by 3.2% (on a 52-
week comparison) or by 12.7% across
two years, the report says. After meeting
the costs of all distributions, the society
posted a retained profit of £341,000,
which compares to losses of £3,546,000
last year and £617,000 two years ago. The
performance is ahead of the expectation
of the business plan, the report says.
The board will be recommending a
dividend rate of £4 per 1,000 points
earned up to 29 January 2022.
Chelmsford Star’s food business saw
gross takings of core products rise by
4.4% on a year-on-two-year like-forlike
basis, helped by Covid restrictions
keeping shoppers local. Trading profit
of the food business has increased 24%
over two years. The society says its food
business was hampered by supply issues,
resulting from Covid related shortages in
food supplies and the availability of HGV
drivers. Stock availability over more recent
weeks has gradually improved, it adds.
The society is working to mitigate losses
at its department stores, looking for new
concession partners and developing its
online shopping offer.
But trading losses in the division
increased to 6.87%, compared to 3.09%
two years ago, and the board continues to
monitor its performance.
Gross takings for the travel amounted
to £1,389,000, a decline in turnover across
two years of £9,010,000 (86.6)%. “Given
the impact of Covid-19 on international
travel,” says the report, “the society’s
travel business generated a trading loss
of £120,000, which compares to a trading
profit two years ago of £201,000”.
This year, the business is launching
an online option for customers to book a
selection of European holiday packages.u
JUNE 2022 | 7

p Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey (fourth from left) with CEO Don Morris (fifth from left) on a visit to Radstock Co-op’s dairy farm
u At the funeral division, takings rose 1%
on a year-on-two-year basis. The society
will open its ninth funeral site this year in
Basildon, and is also developing its online
funeral planning options.
During the year, the society achieved
the Fair Tax accreditation. Its charity
partnership with Essex Community
Foundation’s Coronavirus Fund raised
£20,355, and the society’s Community
Fund gave £9,000 to four Essex charities.
Channel Islands
Channel Islands Co-op saw trading profits
for the year to 9 January fall 16.7% to
£6m (2020/21: £7.2m). Turnover dropped
to £181.6m (2020/21: £185m), with food
and fuel sales of £169.7m affected by
falling trade at its petrol stations as home
working continued.
The society wrote down the value
of its Leale’s Yard site in Guernsey in
preparation for a redevelopment, which
together with the supply chain costs
generated a £6.7m loss.
“Availability shortages and increased
costs from our main UK supplier cost
£4.4m in lost sales and additional costs,”
said CEO Mark Cox.
Mr Cox bemoaned a “disappointing
but not unsurprising performance when
considered against the head winds of
significant availability challenges in the
second half of the year and increased
costs from our main UK supplier … We
sought to limit cost increases to customers
and members whenever possible.
“Driver shortages in the UK and
significant ongoing Covid-19 absences
throughout our UK supply chain combined
to leave shelves looking empty at times.”
The food business is continuing to seek
new products and suppliers to offer more
choice build greater resilience into the
supply chain, added Mr Cox.
The society’s seven pharmacies had
performed well, he added, with sales
of £10.3m, and there was a positive
performance from its funeral businesses,
De Gruchy’s in Jersey and Argents in
Guernsey, providing 398 services in the
year with a turnover of £1.8m.
Almost £50,000 was donated from the
society’s new Community Fund to local
projects, shared out among 173 charities.
After writing down the value of its
Leale’s Yard site, the society has submitted
a planning application for over £50m of
capital investment providing 320 homes,
a retail store, car park, green and civic
space to be available within five years.
This year, the co-op is also opening of a
new store at Five Oaks, Jersey, rolling out
new branding and new uniforms across
its estate and introducing a new loyalty
proposition for members.
The year will see the society publish its
first formal sustainability strategy “which
will lay the groundwork for us to measure,
report and set targets in each area”.
The co-op continues to have a strong
balance sheet, added Mr Cox, with
member’s funds of £177.6m. Membership
grew by 1,048 to 129,249, and the cash
balance is £45.2m.
The society is also revising its
approach to its annual evaluation of
governance, with a new approach to
be introduced in 2022. The board is
proposing a reduction in the maximum
term for directors from 12 years to nine.
Radstock
Radstock Co-operative reported a trading
surplus of £158,444 for the year ending 26
February, down from £644,22 the previous
year. Gross sales were £43.5m, down from
£48m, and retail turnover fell to £39m
from £43m. Pre-tax surplus was £576,904,
down from £661,252.
Dividends of £66,550 were distributed
to members, and the society partnered
with charities Bath Mind and Age UK
Bath and North East Somerset, donating
£1,100 to each. Donations and colleague
fundraising in stores raised another
£8,500 for good causes.
In the annual report, CEO Don Morris
echoed comments by the other retail
societies in their reports about supply
chain issues, adding that these “are not
yet behind us but as we progress into 2022
availability of product is improving”.
Increased costs of goods, material and
fuel has hit profits, he warned, but the
society has “carefully managed” these
and “it is pleasing to note that all trading
operations were profitable in the year.”
Other news for the society in 2021
included the purchase of the freehold of
its Highbridge, Somerset store, which
opened in February 2020, from a joint
venture with its development partners.
Radstock’s dairy farm also had a
year of consolidation following a £3m
development and made a surplus for the
year. The farm, which contributes to the
National Co-op milk supply, installed a
70-point rotary carousel, which the report
says creates a calmer environment for the
cows, and brought a visit from Bank of
England governor Andrew Bailey.
8 | JUNE 2022

RETAIL
Co-op Group AGM
The UK’s largest co-operative retail
society hosted its 2022 AGM on Saturday
21 June, at Manchester Central, with
senior staff presenting an overview of the
organisation’s activities and performance.
“The last couple of years have been
tough for all co-operatives and members,
but colleagues have done an amazing job,”
said chair Allan Leighton, introducing
the morning. He paid tribute to the
“commitment, passion and leadership” of
outgoing CEO Steve Murrells, and also to
secretary Helen Grantham, who is retiring
this summer.
“I may be leaving the co-op, but the coop
will never leave me, it’s become a core
part of who I am,” said Mr Murrells. “Our
vision of ‘Co-operating for a Fairer World
has been our north star and it has shone
brightly at a time when the country is
crying out for businesses with purpose.”
Mr Murrells, who has been with the
Group for 10 years, also paid tribute to
the organisation’s staff: “We are a people
business and I’m so proud of how our
colleagues have risen and shone over the
last decade. They always answer the call
to deliver more for our members and their
communities. Without their endeavours,
we would never have got through some
of the biggest challenges over the last
10 years: the horse meat scandal, the
banking crisis, Brexit, and of course the
Covid crisis.”
He added: “I may be leaving the coop,
but the co-op will never leave me, it’s
become a core part of who I am.”
Interim CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq
highlighted the challenges of the last few
years, but added “there’s so much to be
proud of – our community partnerships
fund; our colleague networks; our
campaigns; and our ongoing commitment
to climate action.”
Delegates heard presentations and
conversations led by colleagues from
different parts of the business, including
food, funeralcare, legal and insurance.
Customer director Ali Jones gave an
overview of the media coverage the Group
had received for its campaigns work,
including its activity on sustainability,
and campaigns and public affairs director
Paul Gerrard set out how the organisation
uses its assets in service of members and
communities to tackle inequality and
drive social mobility.
“Tackling inequalities is what cooperative
businesses should do and
what our Co-op does,” he said. “We’re
establishing our Co-op as a leader in this.”
Looking at the financials for the
year, finance director Surojit Majumder
said that behind all the organisation’s
community and member activity has been
“an incredibly successful organisation;
if we aren’t commercially successful we
can’t do all of the things we want to do
… this was a year of investment in our
business and our colleagues.”
Steve Spring, Co-op Group director and
chair of the Remuneration Committee,
presented the remuneration report. She
described how the “physical, mental
and financial health” of colleagues was
a priority, and how pay ratios had been
reduced to 39-1 from 48-1 five years ago.
But she acknowledged there was still
work to be done. “Last year we moved
33,000 colleagues onto the real living
wage recommended by the Real Living
Wage Foundation,” she said. “This is a
significant, permanent investment: for
every 15p we increase, that’s a £10m extra
on our wage bill.”
Denise Scott-MacDonald, who was
elected president of the Group’s National
Members’ Council, spoke about the
Council’s three-year plan as an effective
voice for members.
Looking to the future Shirine Khoury-
Haq said: “We owe it to our members and
our colleagues the respect to spend every
penny of our profit wisely.” Plans this
year are to reduce operating costs; reduce
debt (which she said had increased last
year as additional stock was purchased
in anticipation of supply chain concerns,
but which would be sold this year); and a
flattened management structure.
The event gave a comprehensive
overview of the organisation’s commercial
and community activity, but on the floor,
there was frustration at the format (over
three and a half hours without a break
and no seating outside the theatre-style
auditorium), the lack of subtitles on films
(although BSL interpreters were present),
the emphasis on colleagues over members,
the lack of time for member questions, and
how fast voting took place – with none of
the motions being proposed, seconded
or debated, low voting numbers and
no voting figures given for the membernominated
director election results.
Sarah McCarthy Fry and Paul Chandler
were re-elected as member-nominated
directors, and all motions were carried.
u For full details of the motions and
voting figures, visit s.coop/2zwzh.
u To re-watch the AGM in full, visit
s.coop/2zwzq
JUNE 2022 | 9

RETAIL
Co-op Group drafts Shanks’s pony and delivery bots for latest online push
The Co-op Group is introducing on-foot
deliveries and extending its use of robot
couriers in a bid to expand its online
grocery business by 50% to £300m by the
end of the year.
The Group hopes to take advantage
of the rise of quick commerce, which
offers delivery in less than an hour and is
transforming the retail industry. Worth up
to £3.3bn in UK sales, quick commerce is
now recognised by retail analysts IGD as a
separate grocery channel.
Home deliveries are already available
at more than 2,000 of the Group’s stores
across the UK, and it has recorded more
than 36 consecutive months of online
growth since entering the market in 2019.
It uses its stores as distribution hubs for
fresh groceries, and is expanding its offer
through its online shop and partnerships
with Amazon Prime and Deliveroo –
where it is the most widely available
supermarket, with over 1,000 stores on
the app.
Now the Group plans to be the first UK
supermarket to launch ‘walking deliveries’
for customers based within a 15-minute
walk of its stores. This service, which has
been trialled in Cornwall, is expected to
operate from 200 stores this year with
the rollout including smaller towns and
villages, which are often ignored by rapid
home delivery providers.
Robot deliveries continue to figure in
the Group’s plans, with automated home
deliveries coming to Cambridge in May in
partnership with Starship Technologies,
which already works with the retailer in
p The collection hatch for customers at the Lewes Road store
p Robots arrive to begin delivery services from a Group store in Cambridge
Milton Keynes and Northampton.
The Group says the service, running
from its Mosquito Road store and
available to 5,000 homes in the Lower
and Upper Cambourne districts, is in line
with Cambridgeshire County Council’s
environmental agenda which has a
focus on reducing short car journeys and
improving air quality.
Cllr Peter McDonald, chair of the
council’s Highways and Transport
Committee, said: “The partnership
between the council and Starship is
tremendously exciting and has the
potential to make life easier for thousands
of residents while also reducing
congestion. Hopefully the trial will be a
success which would allow us to extend
the benefits of quick and easy deliveries to
more people across the county.”
Andrew Curtis, Starship’s UK operations
manager, said: “We have had extremely
positive feedback from people using our
service regularly in Milton Keynes and
Northampton who have embraced the
robots as part of their local communities.
We’re looking forward to working closely
with the council in Cambridgeshire and
hopefully expanding the scope of this
initial project.”
E-Commerce director Chris Conway
said: “Making shopping quick, easy
and convenient for our members and
customers is at the very heart of our
approach – our aim is to be the most
convenient home delivery service and we
continue to innovate to meet the needs of
consumers.
“Co-op stores across the country are
well placed to serve shoppers locally and
a key part of our strategy is to develop our
e-commerce offer, using the competitive
advantage of our store footprint to provide
fast home deliveries, click and collect and
added services.
“We know that as a convenience retailer,
the ability to pop into a local Co-op will
always be important to customers, but we
also know that they want flexible options
online, and so we continue to work to meet
customer needs, however, and wherever
they choose to shop with us.”
Earlier this month, the Group began the
trial of an external service hatch for click
and collect customers to pick up their
shopping more quickly, without having to
enter the store or queue. It is running the
trial at its store in Lewes Road, Brighton,
which has one of its busiest click and
collect services.
10 | JUNE 2022

DEVELOPMENT
Community share issues in the UK pass the £200m landmark
Efforts to drive economic empowerment
through community share offers have just
passed the £200m mark.
And a grant support scheme which has
played a key role in driving the model has
just been re-launched to generate further
investment in community businesses.
The Community Shares Booster Fund
offers business development grants and
match funding to community businesses
in England wanting to raise finance
through community share offers.
It is delivered by the Community Shares
Unit at Co-operatives UK, in partnership
with Locality, Plunkett Foundation and
Co-operative and Community Finance.
It is funded by Power to Change and the
Architectural Heritage Fund.
Community shares are a way for groups
of people to come together and take
ownership of local buildings and land,
or to develop projects and services that
benefit their community. Individuals
purchase shares – from as little as £10 –
and receive a financial return as well as a
stake in the business.
Businesses can set the terms for payback
dates and interest rates, which can help
keep their finances on a sustainable
footing. Figures released in October 2020
show that of the businesses that have
raised finance through community shares
since 2012, 92% are still trading.
To date, there have been 126,340
investors in community shares, allowing
people to take ownership of the services
and spaces that matter most to them. It
helps empower people at grass roots level,
enabling them to have greater control over
what happens in their community.
Leeds Action To Create Homes (Latch)
is one of those organisations. Latch, a
Locality member, refurbishes derelict and
run-down properties in Leeds to provide
supported housing for people in housing
need. Their community share offer raised
£550,000 – which included match funding
from the Community Shares Booster Fund
– to enable them to provide more muchneeded
homes.
“That money will now transform lives,”
said Latch CEO James Hartley. “When
the profile of investors came in, there’s a
significant amount of people from Leeds.
They’ve seen the juxtaposition of empty
p A team from Latch renovates a property
houses and homeless people. They know
we’ll use the money to create positive
change. There are 150 investors. They’re
the people of Latch now.”
The re-launched Community Shares
Booster Fund is open to new and existing
community businesses in England that
want to explore a share offer or are
already developing one. They can apply
for a development grant for preparing a
community share offer to fund activities
to get the business investment ready. This
may include work on the business plan,
community engagement work, developing
the share offer document, promotional
campaigns or costs associated with
obtaining the Community Shares Standard
Mark (an accreditation awarded to offers
that meet national standards).
They can also apply for Match funding
for upcoming or current share offers in
the form of equity investment from the
Booster Fund. Businesses can apply for
an equity match of up to £25,000 for a
community share offer. This means that
the Booster Fund could potentially match
every £1 invested by the community, up
to £25,000.
Rose Marley, CEO, Co-operatives UK
said: “We’re proud to be launching the
Community Shares Booster Fund, which
will enable more communities to take
control of the spaces and services that are
important to them. Community ownership
via community shares has been one of
the biggest democratising forces in our
economy of recent years.
“We’re keen to spread the word and
reach groups that are currently less well
represented in the community shares
market – younger people, minoritised
ethnicities and those based in areas
of greatest disadvantage. We’re also
keen to support proposals that focus
on digital inclusion and tackling the
climate crisis.”
Tim Davies-Pugh, interim CEO at Power
to Change, said: “For communities to
thrive, local people need to feel consulted
and have a sense of self-determination.
Taking ownership of the spaces and
places that matter most is an important
part of taking back control.
“Community shares are an accessible
way for community businesses and
organisations to generate funds, grow
local support and raise the profile of their
organisation, while giving local people
an equal stake and say in how things are
run. That’s why we are launching a new
Booster Fund, which will support more
community businesses to secure the longterm
future of their community spaces.”
u To find out more about community
shares and the support available
through the Booster Fund, visit uk.coop/
boosterfund
JUNE 2022 | 11

CREDIT UNIONS
Car loans lead reforms announced by treasury minister at Abcul conference
Treasury minister John Glen announced
a series of reforms at the Association of
British Credit Unions (Abcul) conference
in Manchester in May – including a
lending shake-up that will allow the sector
to offer automobile loans for the first time.
Mr Glen also discussed the pilot of a
no-interest loan scheme, backed with
£3.8m of government money, “which
has been designed for those consumers
in vulnerable circumstances who would
benefit most from affordable credit to
meet unexpected costs”.
The pilot is being run through South
Manchester Credit Union, which Mr Glen
had just visited. “I met with recipients for
whom these loans are providing real-life
impact – covering the costs of new white
goods to keep families running, funerals
for loved ones, and debt consolidation.”
He said the pilot should reach full-scale
rollout in a number of sites across the
country at the start of next year.
The idea is a tough sell for credit unions,
which rely on loan interest for their
income. “I recognise how it is perceived
as compromising the core products and
services that you offer,” Mr Glen admitted
– but, he argued, the initiative could
“provide a gateway product”, bringing
future custom to the sector.
“The challenge now will be to take that
concept pilot to a bigger pilot so that we
can actually look at creating additional
resources. We have £1.2m from JP Morgan
and I see this as something that needs to
be built on by other high street lenders so
that we can actually have the capacity to
provide that gateway entry product into
the use of credit.
“Credit unions will be instrumental in
providing this ongoing support.”
Mr Glen also promised amendments
to the Credit Unions Act to allow the
sector in Great Britain to offer a wider
range of products and services, as part of
the forthcoming Financial Services and
Markets Bill.
This will allow credit unions to offer hire
purchase, conditional sale agreements,
and insurance distribution services to
their members, he said.
“We know that you will have members,
especially key workers or those who work
a shift pattern, for whom having access
p John Glen addresses Abcul members in Manchester
to a reliable car can be essential. And
these changes will mean that you can
offer products such as car finance to your
members, should they wish to choose
them, for the first time.”
The bill will also make minor
amendments to governance, including
a legal requirement for credit unions to
submit annual accounts to the FCA, “and
express permission for credit unions to
temporarily lend to and borrow from
other credit unions, even when there is no
membership link”.
Facing questions from delegates, he
was pressed on the issue of mergers
and acquisitions, a current trend in
the credit union sector which presents
rescue options for failing entities, and
an important mechanism for growth.
More mergers are expected in the coming
financial crisis but if a credit union is
constricted by a narrow common bond,
this can be a barrier to mergers.
Mr Glen said he was aware this is “an
outstanding matter” but more evidence
is needed and care had to be taken before
changes were made to these rules, adding
that in many common bonds there is
unused spare capacity for growth.
The common bond situation can be
remedied “straightforwardly through
statutory instruments, but I will need
further advice on that,” he added.
In other conference sessions credit
union representatives from the US urged
their UK counterparts to take advantage
of the opportunity presented by
vehicle finance.
Scott Butterfield, from US service
organisation Your Credit Union Partner,
said: “Auto lending will give you the
revenue to make more investments, if it’s
right for your credit union.”
Noting comments from delegates that
there is a “cultural aversion” to entering
this market, Mr Butterfield said due
diligence will be vital. “Some of you will
make mistakes; culturally, managing
the risks will be new, you might not
understand why someone wants to buy
that car, and you will need to not be
judgemental.
“The UK is fantastic at savings schemes,
lending not so much. When auto lending
hits … it’s going to be big so be prepared
for it.”
He said US credit unions will be happy
to give advice on the automobile market.
“There’s a lot of scope for strategic
partnerships. If you’re not ready for it,
is there a partner who can help you be
ready for it? In the US I wish there was a
big market like that where you can just
jump in.”
u Full conference report: p28-29
12 | JUNE 2022

DEVELOPMENT
Rochdale draws on
co-op heritage for two
pots of arts cash
Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, has
netted more funds from the Arts Council,
drawing on its co-op heritage.
A £4.2m award from the Department
for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports,
delivered by Arts Council England, is part
of a £50m pot being distributed among
galleries, museums, libraries and cultural
venues in parts of the country “where
involvement in creativity and culture is
significantly below the national average”,
with a focus on grassroots activity.
The funding will support a cultural
improvement district in the town centre.
“Building on Rochdale’s place in history
as the birthplace of the global co-operative
movement the funding will bring a range
of diverse cultural assets and groups
together to tell a more powerful story, with
events and cultural activities across the
borough,” says the council.
The money follows another venture
backed by the Arts Council. Culture Coop
is being led by Action Together CIO, with
partners Rochdale Borough Council,
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH),
Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust
(Your Trust) and the Co-op Group.
Based on the original 1844 Rochdale Cooperative
principles, it is building cultural
opportunities around neighbourhoods
and across communities. “Citizens will
become collaborators, co-designers, coproducers
and protagonists in creating
work that is both neighbourhood driven
and recognised for its quality, local
relevance and artistic ambition,” say
project leaders.
Lincolnshire reports first half lift to sales and surplus
Lincolnshire Co-op has issued its interim
report for the six months to 22 March, with
sales up 14.5% to £195.4m. Group trading
surplus rose 8.2% to £8.9m, buoyed by
a post-pandemic revival in the travel
business and increased trade at its petrol
stations. But it warned that “uncertain
economic conditions, inflation and rising
costs mean there are tough times to come”.
Midcounties launches £1m investment in store security
Midcounties Co-op is investing £1m in
store security, with a dedicated team being
created. Some stores will be fitted with
new CCTV systems connected to a remote
operator. The society is also introducing
roaming guards and working with a thirdparty
supplier on a crime hub which will
produce incident reports for the police.
Central England launches colleague training platform
Central England Co-op has launched
a learning management platform,
Let’s Learn. It follows the launch of a
recruitment platform, careers.coop,
which the society says has “revitalised”
its recruitment experience. The society
hopes its 8,000 colleagues will “feel more
engaged and empowered in their roles” as
they can find new learning opportunities
and track their progression.
Southern Co-op raises over £170k for community causes
More than £170,000 has been raised by
colleagues and customers across Southern
Co-op stores. Thousands of pounds will
be shared between 157 charities and good
causes, which were the 2021 local partners
of the retail society’s food stores. The money
was raised through collection pots and
fundraising activities.
Shoppers donate £33k to in-store Ukraine appeal
East of England Co-op has thanked
shoppers for donating more than £33,000
in store to the Disasters Emergency
Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian
Appeal. The society introduced donation
points to tills at the end of March, with
funds going to DEC’s group of 15 UK
charities.
JUNE 2022 | 13

GLOBAL UPDATES
GLOBAL
International Day of Co-operatives theme announced
‘Co-operatives build a better world’ is the
theme of this year’s International Day of
Co-operatives.
Celebrated on the first Saturday of July,
the annual day promotes awareness of
the co-operative business model. This
year’s theme is the same as that of the
International Year of Co-operatives, which
was celebrated by the United Nations
in 2012.
In choosing this theme, the UN
General Assembly aimed to highlight the
contribution of co-ops to socio-economic
development, particularly their impact
on poverty reduction, employment
generation and social integration.
The International Day of Co-operatives
has been celebrated by the International
Cooperative Alliance (ICA) since 1923.
In 1995 the UN also proclaimed the first
Saturday of July to be International Day of
Cooperatives to mark the centenary of the
establishment of the ICA.
Since 1995, the theme for the day
has been chosen by the Committee for
the Promotion and Advancement of
Cooperatives (COPAC), made up of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO), the International
p ICA president Ariel Guarco celebrates the 2021 International Day
Labour Organization (ILO), the UN
Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UNDESA), the International Trade
Center (ITC) and the ICA.
The ICA is encouraging co-ops from
around the world to use this year’s theme
to showcase how human-centred business
models, inspired by the co-operative
values, are building a better world. The
apex will prepare a range of tools for coops
to use, including a logo, key messages
and other digital resources.
“Co-operatives are answering the wakeup
call of UN secretary general Antonio
Guterres, who warned that the world is
‘on the edge of an abyss — and moving
in the wrong direction’, and exclaimed
that ‘to restore trust, and inspire hope, we
need co-operation, we need dialogue, we
need understanding’,” said ICA director
general Bruno Roelants.
“For nearly two centuries, co-operatives
have been pulling in this direction.
This was amply highlighted at the 33rd
World Cooperative Congress, held by the
International Cooperative Alliance in
December 2021, which focused a spotlight
on how their shared identity is moving
co-operatives to take action to address the
world’s problems.
“Co-operatives are the only enterprise
model with globally agreed principles
that rest on a foundation of shared ethical
values.”
p Spanish co-op Granissat celebrates the 2021 Day
More information about the
International Day of Co-operatives
is available at coopsday.coop
14 | JUNE 2022

USA
Co-op groceries ‘lead the way on ethical produce and labour rights’
A new report from National Co+op Grocers
(NCG) argues that food co-ops in the US
are leading in ethical produce and labour
practices.
In its 2021 Food Co-op Impact Report,
NCG references its vision for a food system
which prioritises people’s wellbeing,
across nine key areas: co-operatives,
inclusive economies, racial equity, food
justice, local food, organic certification,
climate, environment and community.
“We are working towards the day when
everyone can eat delicious, nutritious
food produced and sold in ways that
are good for people and restorative to
the environment and our climate”, says
the report.
It found that on average, NCG food cooperatives
buy from 178 local producers,
accounting for 26% of total sales. This
figure is up from the 22% reported
last year.
This year, NCG reported that 40% of
food co-ops’ combined annual US$2.4bn
(£1.9bn) sales come from certified organic
products, which is 7% lower than last
year, and Fairtrade certified products
made up 5% of sales, a slight drop from
last year’s 6%.
NCG’s advocacy manager Mandy
Makinen said: “We know from the Organic
Trade Association that pantry loading
at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in
2020 boosted organic sales nationwide,
so it’s likely that organic products as a
percentage of sales were up in 2020 due to
this and other supply chain issues. This
is also the most likely reason that we saw
higher sales of all value-added certified
products in 2020 compared with 2021,
including Fairtrade and B Corp.”
Organic as a percent of sales was down
for all channels in 2021, but NCG food
co-ops continue to outperform other
grocers when it comes to the sales of
organic, Fairtrade and B Corp products
as a percentage of total sales. NCG also
donated $90,000 (£71,000)towards
organic agricultural projects in 2021.
This year’s report included new insights
on employment, revealing that 58% of
the 148 co-ops surveyed pay their staff
the living wage, and 66% contribute
to staff retirement plans, compared
with 40% nationally for private sector
service workers.
The report also found that the average
food co-op employs 96 people, of whom
57% are eligible for healthcare benefits,
which is 13% higher than the national
coverage rate.
NCG represents 148 food co-ops across
38 states in the US, with a combined total
of over 1.3 million members.
NCG says: “We have what it takes
to dream big because food co-ops are
grassroots organisations that are powered
by democracy. Each food co-op can grow
and change as community needs change,
not when investors change their minds.
Anyone, and everyone, is welcome to shop
at the co-op, apply for a job and join as
a member.
“Co-ops exist to serve their members
and their community — this approach is
our biggest strength. Our annual impact
report reflects the values and goals of the
communities we serve, both as individual
food co-ops and through our national
co-operative, National Co+op Grocers.”
CANADA
The Co-operators launches enhanced cyber-insurance coverage
Canadian insurer The Co-operators has
revamped its cyber insurance offers for
business policyholders.
The co-operative group says its new
product will protect business owners
for unexpected expenses and/or costs
of complying with privacy laws if their
confidential information is compromised,
and lost income or increased operating
costs due to a privacy breach event.
Cyber Guard Select will be available as
an upgrade to the standard Cyber Guard
coverage and it will provide higher limits,
liability protection against third-party
claims and regulatory penalties, and nine
flexible add-ons to address business risks,
including crisis management, payment
card loss, and cyber extortion threat
coverage.
“Responding to the unique needs
of our clients is central to our holistic
approach and that compelled us to deliver
a solution that addressed the complex and
unpredictable nature of today’s digital
security threats,” said Michael Spadafora,
AVP National Product Portfolio,
Commercial & Farm Management at Cooperators.
“Canadian businesses have to
be vigilant in defending their companies
from any number of vulnerabilities and
Cyber Guard Select empowers them with
flexible options to meet that objective.”
Set up over 70 years ago, The
Co-operators has more than CA$61.5bn
(£48.7bn) in assets under administration.
Its members include credit unions and
co-operatives, which will be able to benefit
from the new insurance product.
JUNE 2022 | 15

IRELAND
Dairygold reports increased profit as it plots roadmap for next 10 years
Farmer-owned co-op Dairygold has
announced an operating profit of €30.4m
(£25.6m), an increase of €4.4m on the
previous year.
The Munster-based co-op, which has
served thousands of shareholder farmers
for more than 150 years, reported a record
turnover of €1.17bn (£1bn), an increase of
15% on 2020.
It says the results, for the year ending
31 December 2021, reflect a “robust
performance” across all its businesses,
despite the challenges of the pandemic.
2021 EBITDA was €57.6m (£48.5m), an
increase of €3.8m, reflecting the increased
level of profitability in the core business.
The society reported a stronger trading
performance, including increased sales
volumes and improved efficiencies.
Following a decade of significant
capital investment, Dairygold reduced its
bank debt by €11m to €108.2m (£91.1m).
This has resulted in an improved net bank
debt to EBITDA ratio of 1.9:1, a decrease
from 1.22:1 in 2020.
CEO Conor Galvin said: “The Dairygold
business is in a good financial and
operational position. Following a
decade of significant capital investment,
the business has a strong EBITDA,
manageable debt and a successful model
for member funding.
“Our focus has shifted from milk
expansion to creating more value per
litre of milk. We are currently conducting
a businesswide strategy review which
is expected to be completed by the end
of April. This strategy will provide an
updated roadmap for the business for
the next five to ten years, as we seek to
continue to maximise returns for our
members, through higher margin activities
while also clearly focusing on meeting our
crucial greenhouse gas reduction targets.”
Dairy markets remained buoyant
throughout 2021, says the co-op, helped
by low global milk supply growth in the
main exporting regions and strong global
demand, particularly from China.
But it warns of disruption for the rest of
this year, with the Ukraine crisis hitting
supplies of inputs including fertiliser,
energy, packaging and raw materials.
“The resulting inflation, which is already
being felt at farm and factory level, will
p Former CEO Jim Woulfe and chair John O’ Gorman launch the annual report
create challenges for profitability in the
entire value chain,” the report adds.
Meanwhile the strategic focus of
the dairy business has shifted from
capacity management and infrastructure
investment to higher margin processing
and adding value to the litre of milk, in as
sustainable a way as possible.
Dairygold’s Health and Nutrition
Business was established to focus on the
delivery of growth and higher margin for
the society, through the development of
“new health and nutrition propositions
with strong market appeal”, either through
organic investment or acquisition.
During the year the co-op focused on its
two food service businesses in the UK and
Germany, working to mitigate the impact
of the pandemic through streamlining
production, reducing overheads and
improving commercial agreements.
It added: “Dairygold continues to
support its overseas businesses with the
capital investment required to further
develop and grow and as the UK is a net
importer of food, the UK business remains
well placed to continue to grow market
share.”
Dairygold’s Agri Business also grew its
turnover, keeping its network of 26 Co-op
stores open during lockdown and working
to improve its customer experience and
invest in store restrictions. This year the
society is investing in the upgrading of
its point-of-sale system to enhance the
customer experience.
The society is also working on
sustainability, with its Food Vision Dairy
Group submitting recommendations to
the government on how the agriculture
industry can meet its emissions targets.
In the meantime, says Dairygold, it
continues to build on its established
emissions reduction, nutrient planning
and watercourse protection programmes
while also launching new programmes
such as the Signpost Farms Programme
in 2021. It says it is working with
stakeholders to meet its target, maintain
profitability “and preserve Ireland’s
reputation as a world leader in grass feddairy
production”.
16 | JUNE 2022

EUROPE
Agri co-ops pick up awards for innovation
The six winners of the 5th European
Award for Cooperative Innovation have
been honoured at a ceremony in Brussels.
The awards, run by the European Agri-
Cooperative Confederation (Cogeca) and
sponsored by Spanish co-operative bank
Cajamar Caja Rural, celebrate co-operative
innovation in the European agriculture,
food, fishery and forestry sectors.
The ceremony, delayed from last year
because of the pandemic, offered a
platform for actions that offer value to
co-operative members, develop new
markets and promote new products and
services from European co-ops.
The main focus of the 5th edition is
sustainability-driven innovation. In
the competition brochure announcing
the winners, Cogeca highlighted the
importance of creating new market outlets,
products, services or processes driven
by economic, social or environmental
objectives in the current market and
political environment.
The social value creation award went
to Spanish fruit and veg co-op Mans, for
its work with people facing difficulties
including young people at risk of
social exclusion.
The Belgian association of fruit and
vegetable co-ops’ Care4Growing digital
platform won the award for traceability
and consumer information, and the Polish
Piatnica co-op took home the prize for
innovative product, for its whey protein
consumer cocktail – the only produce of
its kind on the Polish market.
Ireland’s Glanbia won the award for
support to farmer-members for its beef
production project Twenty20 Beef Club,
developed to improve the economic,
social and environmental sustainability of
dairy calf-to-beef production.
Spanish co-op Càmara Arrossera
del Montsià’s ORYZITE project won
the bioeconomy and circularity prize.
ORYZITE is a rice-based plastic substitute,
created after more than a decade of
research.
The natural resources and biodiversity
award went to Swedish Lantmännen
co-operative’s ThermoSeed project, a
seed treatment which reduces seedborne
infections, reducing the need
for pesticides.
Cogeca president Ramon Armengol
congratulated the winners and said: “This
5th edition is a special one. It was launched
at the beginning of the pandemic. At the
beginning of a crisis that has required
our enterprises to continue to adjust
their business model. Great innovative
efforts had been put in place to ensure
food security, readjust the mechanisms
of the value chain, remain competitive
on the market, and address the arising
needs of consumers and our food chain
partners. Once again our co-operatives
have demonstrated their resilience, their
capacity and their commitment.”
Mr Armengol also pointed to the crisis
co-ops are currently facing with the war in
Ukraine and its impact on markets, calling
for more co-operation and innovation
to strengthen the resilience of the co-op
movement further.
DENMARK
Co-op retailer
reports DKK 585m net
profit for 2021
Retailer Coop Denmark announced its
annual results, with a net profit of DKK
585m (£66m; €78.6m).
While this is a 24% decline from the DKK
777m reported in 2020, it is an increase
from DKK 392m in 2019 – the pre pandemic
year being taken as a benchmark by many
retailers. Turnover was up by DKK 1.5bn,
from DKK 44.5bn (£5bn; €5.98bn) to DKK
46bn (£5.2bn; €6.18bn) excluding VAT.
The co-op said 2020 had been “an
extraordinarily good year due to the special
circumstances surrounding Covid-19”.
The figure for 2021 “is a satisfactory result
that reflects that it has become everyday in
the grocery trade again,” it added.
Chair Lasse Bolander said: “In 2020, the
borders were closed, most people worked
at home and the restaurants were not
open – as you know, this gave a headwind
for the grocery trade. So it is natural
that we do not continue at the same
high level. The result for the year is also
affected by the massive investments in
the digital transformation of the company
and the roll-out of [budget chain] Coop
365discount.”
The co-op grew its membership, with
48,633 signing up, and its 1.9 million
members received DKK 283m in dividends
in the form of bonuses, which can be used
directly as payment in stores and online.
Throughout the year the co-op
also continued its efforts to become
“Denmark’s most sustainable company”.
Initiatives included installing 500 electric
charging stands at its stores throughout
Denmark and developing a fleet of 23
electric vans and an electric truck. Since
2019 Coop Denmark’s solar panels have
generated electricity corresponding to the
annual consumption of 730 households.
p The co-op’s Irma chain (Photo: Siine Fiig)
Coop Denmark expects the year ahead
to be “very challenging” due to rising
costs of energy and the changing shopper
behaviour. It warns that 2022 profits will be
‘significantly lower’. CEO Kræn Østergård
Nielsen said it would focus on rolling
out its new large discount chain, Coop
365discount, which was first launched
in 2010, and offering cheaper and more
responsible product lines. Coop Denmark
plans to combine its economies of scale
with local ownership, where each store is
adapted to the needs of local customers.
JUNE 2022 | 17

EUROPE
European
project to bring
together managers of
agricultural co-ops
Romanian co-operatives are coordinating
a European project focused on helping
managers of co-ops to exchange
best practices.
Led by the National Union of Vegetable
Co-operatives (UNCSV) the project is
spread across two years and will be run in
partnership with institutions and experts
in France, Greece and Estonia.
The first training session will take place
in Athens, Greece on 20-26 November 2022
and will look at strategic entrepreneurship
and business in agricultural co-operatives.
Estonia will be the host of the second
training session, which will be held
in Tallinn on 12-13 March 2023 and
will explore how to ensure effective
governance in agricultural co-operatives.
The third session will take place in Lille,
France on 26 November – 2 December 2023
and will focus on managing relationships
in agricultural co-operatives.
Photo: iStock
The managers of UNCSV member coops
taking part in the three sessions will
be able to learn from counterparts in the
three host countries and visit local cooperatives.
The training programme will conclude
with a conference in Bucharest that is
expected to gather over 100 attendees.
EUROPE
Agri co-ops respond to European Parliament Organic Action Plan report
The European Parliament has adopted a
report on the EU’s Organic Action Plan,
which calls for a market-based approach
but does not mention any targets.
The own-initiative report was adopted
by MEPs during a plenary session in
Strasbourg on 3 May by 611 votes to 14,
with five abstentions. The parliament’s
agriculture committee had already
unanimously approved the report on
6 April.
The text highlights the benefits of
organic farming for climate-change
mitigation, biodiversity and soil
protection but fails to mention the EU’s
target to see 25% of agricultural land
farmed organically by 2030, as previously
outlined in the Commission’s Farm to Fork
strategy.
“The market should determine the
extent of the growth of the organic
sector, not any pre-set target figure”, said
the Parliament’s rapporteur on the EU
action plan for organic farming, Simone
Schmiedtbauer (EPP, Austria), on 2 May,
ahead of the vote.
The voice of European farmers and
agricultural co-ops, Copa and Cogeca,
welcomed the report and its inclusion of
“important aspects for European farmers
and agri co-operatives”.
Photo: iStock
It also noted recognition in the report
for “the vital role of a market-driven
approach in the transition to organic
farming”, and said the report stressed that
the transition should be backed “not only
through the CAP’s support, but also by a
sound development in the quantity and
quality of inputs needed by farmers, such
as seeds and plant protection products, in
line with the organic requirements”.
Copa and Cogeca says organic farming
is increasingly important in the context
of climate change, Covid-19 and the
invasion of Ukraine by Russia and called
on European legislators to make swift
progress on use of digital and innovative
technologies.
Lone Andersen, chair of Copa and
Cogeca’s organic working party, said: “I
am glad the European Parliament sends
an important message to the organic
farming community. European organic
farmers and agri co-operatives need a
close and strong collaboration with EU
institutions and stakeholders if we want
to achieve the ambitious targets set out by
the Farm to Fork Strategy. I hope this nonlegislative
report will send a clear message
to legislators for their future work.”
Copa and Cogeca also welcomed the
request for an impact assessment of the
plan to increase the share of the EU’s
agricultural area under organic farming.
In 2019, the EU’s total agricultural
area under organic farming was 13.8
million hectares and accounted for 8.5%
of the EU’s total utilised agricultural
area. However, this varies significantly
between member states from 0.5% to
26% of agricultural area under organic
farming.
The report is not legally binding.
Own-initiative reports are a tool for the
European Parliament to request the
European Commission to put forward a
legislative proposal on a certain issue. The
Commission intends to publish a midterm
review on the Organic Action Plan in 2024.
18 | JUNE 2022

IRELAND
Finance minister outlines plans for credit union growth
The Irish government is looking to help
the credit union sector become a strong,
resilient and collaborative movement,
said finance minister Seán Fleming at
the annual general meeting of the Irish
League of Credit Unions.
Mr Fleming – the first minister to be
given direct responsibility for credit
unions – said his portfolio enabling and
supporting the credit union growth;
helping credit unions expand services,
encouraging community development
and enabling the credit union movement
to grow as a key provider of community
banking.
He added that he had worked closely
with the League as part of his review of the
policy framework for the sector. As part of
this, the government wants to recognise
the credit unions’ role in developing
volunteers and acknowledge their role as
a large co-operative movement in Ireland.
The Ministry of Finance will also work
to support investment and collaboration
within the sector, added Mr Fleming.
He praised the League for serving credit
unions in both Ireland and Northern
Ireland, says that it provided “an excellent
example of cross border collaborative
initiative”.
He also acknowledged the work of the
League in supporting Credit Unions in
working on SME lending with the Strategic
Banking Corporation of Ireland and
with the Sustainable Energy Authority of
Ireland on funding for retrofit.
He said credit unions, as providers of
unsecured credit, were natural partners of
the government in its initiatives to tackle
climate change.
He gave some examples of collaboration
between government departments and
the credit union sector in developing
new products. This includes credit union
investment in approved housing bodies,
collaborating through credit union group
Cultivate which provides agri-lending,
and providing general insurance products
to members through Peopl, an insurer run
on credit union principles.
Mr Fleming said he was looking at
increasing the flexibility of some of the
rules around the common bond to allow
credit unions to provide more products to
more members.
p Finance minister Seán Fleming
Another change will be the introduction
of service level agreements between credit
unions and the Central Bank to help the
sector create better regulatory dialogue,
while respecting the independence of the
Central Bank
“I’m happy to say that these
proposals got broad support from all
the representative bodies at the recent
stakeholder meeting,” he added. “I would,
however, caution against the temptation
of believing that legislative change alone
will tackle the challenges faced by credit
unions today,
“Legislative amendments to the policy
framework will not solve the financial and
business model challenges arising from,
muted credit demand, strong savings
growth and high operating costs.”
Mr Fleming said he was committed to
cross-border co-operation and praised the
League for encouraging and developing
“collaborative ventures in the credit union
sector in the North and South”.
He added that he welcomed the League’s
proposed transformation plan and said he
looked forward to engaging with the apex
on growing lending, including mortgage
and SME lending.
“It is encouraging to see that loans in
the League’s credit unions here in the
North, were up 2.7% year-on-year in 2021,”
he said. “An increase of 3.3% year-onyear
was recorded in the League’s credit
unions in the South. However, despite
these positive developments, loan to asset
ratios in the South are unsustainably low.
The current loan to asset ratio of 27% must
be increased significantly if the sector is to
grow sustainably.
“Without collaboration and growth
in lending credit unions will not be
well placed to take advantage of the
opportunity of bank branch closures
without collaboration and increasing
lending. My message to the credit union
sector today is to lend more and keep
building on the good work you have been
doing.”
Mr Fleming recently met with the
Association of British Credit Unions
and credit unions in Manchester, Leeds,
Glasgow and Edinburgh, in addition to
speaking with his UK equivalent, treasury
minister John Glen.
“This gave me insight into the differing
issues at play across the different
legislative and regulatory frameworks,”
he said.
He also touched on the rapid growth
of fintech and digital banking – which, he
said, represents “both an opportunity and
a challenge for credit unions”.
In many towns in Ireland, he said,
the local credit union is now the only
remaining financial institution – which
represents “a great opportunity to fill the
gap left by bank exits and closures.”
“There is great opportunity for credit
unions to harness developments in fintech
to broaden membership and grow lending
and many have already begun to do so,”
he added. “There is also the challenge of
balancing the use of new technologies
while still keeping the essence of
providing community banking.
“While the banking sectors North and
South differ, many of the overarching
issues I have noted apply to both
jurisdictions.”
In his concluding remarks, he said he
believed the credit union sector as one of
society’s “most prized possessions”.
“The local credit union and the
role it can play in the economy and in
communities is more important now than
ever before.”
Abcul conference report, p28-30
Swoboda conference report: p30-32
JUNE 2022 | 19

USA
$1m boost for programme to drive racial equity in credit unions
CUNA Mutual Group Foundation has
committed to invest US$1m in a fund to
build equity in credit unions led by or
serving people of colour.
The money is going to the Racial Equity
and Resilience Investment Fund, which is
operated by Inclusiv, the umbrella group
for credit unions working as community
development financial institutions
(CDFI), which has been working to
boost financial inclusion in underserved
communities.
The Foundation says its investment will
facilitate secondary capital investments
in minority designated and community
development credit unions over the next
decade – adding that this marks “an
important next chapter” in its work with
Inclusiv.
“Over the past two decades, CUNA Mutual
Group (CMG) has consistently supported
the mission of Inclusiv promoting financial
inclusion in underserved communities
through credit unions,” says Cedric
Ellis, executive vice president and chief
enterprise services officer of CMG and chair
of the Foundation board.
“With this investment, we will be
aligning the investment strategy of the
Foundation with the DEI goals of the
company and build on the legacy of credit
unions led by leaders of colour.”
The relationship between Inclusiv
and CMG relationship deepened during
the pandemic as the company forged
a strategic partnership with Inclusiv
providing targeted training, technical
assistance, data analytics support to
help credit unions orient their work
and services toward low-income and
communities of colour.
In the past two years, adds CMG, this
collaboration has driven the number
of certified CDFI credit unions to an
all-time high of 476 institutions with
a primary mission and predominant
business activity targeting low-income
and distressed areas. It says this has
unleashed millions of dollars of credit
union lending to people and communities
previously excluded from the financial
mainstream.
The Racial Equity Investment Fund,
launched in 2020, deploys secondary
capital to expand economic relief and
to remove barriers to services for credit
unions that are led by and/or serve
communities of colour.
“Secondary capital builds institutional
net worth,” says CMG, “enabling credit
unions to leverage deposits and to
increase lending to minority-owned
businesses, homeowners, and consumers.
Credit unions can expand their impact
in providing access to capital and new
financial opportunities to people who
are traditionally underserved and
underbanked.”
Cathie Mahon, president and CEO of
Inclusiv, said: “This investment from CMG
Foundation is groundbreaking. Together
we are growing the necessary capital
to help credit unions address systemic
inequity in financial service to low-income
and communities of colour.
“We believe this commitment from CMG
Foundation will pave the way for more
industry secondary capital investments
enabling minority designated and CDFI
credit unions to grow members, lend more
deeply in their communities and grow the
net worth for their institutions and the
members and communities they serve.”
EUROPE
Strasbourg summit explores future of the social economy
Social economy actors met in Strasbourg
last month to discuss the sector’s role in
the future of Europe.
Organised by the city of Strasbourg, the
conference brought together over 1,000
social economy stakeholders, including
representatives from Social Economy
Europe (SSE) and Cooperatives Europe.
The aim of the event was to engage the
sector in the implementation of the Social
Economy Action Plan (SEAP) unveiled in
December 2021.
“The main objective for the social
economy now is to grow and scale up,
making the most of this momentum it is
going through,” said SEE president Juan
Antonio Pedreño. “We now have the
opportunity to provide solutions to some
of the issues our society is facing and the
SEAP acknowledges them.
p Juan Antonio Pedreño (Photo: SEE)
“In fact in its 39 proposals on how to
address the biggest challenges we are
facing, the SEAP mentions these social
and economic issues.
“There are countries in which the social
economy represents 10% of the GDP but in
others it accounts for only 0.5-2%.”
Mr Pedreño added that the social
economy could not grow without
appropriate political and legal
frameworks. Giving his home country
Spain as an example, he said the Social
Economy Law was a big step forward.
“We have the challenge of creating these
legal and political frameworks in those
countries where there are none, The SEAP
explores these possibilities,” he said.
During a session on 6 May participants
heard from Giuseppe Guerini, president of
the European Confederation of Industrial
and Service Cooperatives (CECOP). He said
access to financing is crucial for small and
medium-sized enterprises and called for
a European guarantee fund for SMEs and
a social and environmental supporting
factor in the European banking system to
guarantee loans to #SMEs.
20 | JUNE 2022

POLAND
Polish credit
union welcomes
displaced Ukrainians
p Kasa Stefczyka headquarters (credit: WOCCU)
Poland’s largest credit union, Kasa
Stefczyka, has welcomed 500 new
Ukrainian members since the start of the
war in its neighbouring country.
In response to the Russian invasion of
Ukraine, the Gydnia-based credit union,
which has over 300 branches, has set up
a page on its website in Ukrainian that
includes descriptions of its products and
services. New members can also apply to
join online using the credit union’s website.
The credit union also runs an interactive
voice response (IVR) service that allows
Ukrainian speakers to leave a voice
message and receive a call back from a
customer service representative who can
speak to them in their native language.
Displaced Ukrainians arriving in Poland
can apply for a government identification
number which they can they use to
join credit unions. Before the war Kasa
Stefczyka had around 700 Ukrainian
members – the number has grown to more
than 1,200 following the invasion.
The credit union described some of its
efforts to welcome Ukrainians during a
meeting with Elissa McCarter LaBorde,
president and CEO of the World Council of
Credit Unions (Woccu).
Kasa Stefczyka currently provides
uncollateralised loans for members with
a six-month Polish employment history,
but many Ukrainians arriving in Poland do
not have this and are still looking for work.
The credit union hopes to address this via
a guarantee fund that would allow it to
provide small loans to Ukrainian refugees.
Woccu will be working with its team to
search for loan guarantee options. Kasa
Stefczyka executives also told Ms McCarter
LaBorde they foresee a future need for a
guarantee fund that would allow them to
provide small loans to Ukrainian refugees.
US electric co-ops to bring power to Guatemalan village
Barcelona housing co-op wins Mies van der Rohe award
Credit unions more likely to improve financial wellbeing
Credit: Getty Images
12 linemen from Oklahoma’s electric coops
have been selected to serve on an
electrification project that will bring power
to the remote village of La Montanita de la
Virgen in Guatemala this August.
The volunteers will join four more
lineworkers from Colorado’s electric
co-ops to build powerlines, install
transformers and conduct internal wiring.
A Catalan architecture co-op has won the
prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award in
Emerging Architecture for its La Borda
housing co-operative development.
Chosen from 532 works across 41
different countries, La Borda’s co-op
model was a key factor in its selection.
Credit union members across the USA
are more likely to say that credit unions
improve their financial wellbeing
compared to customers of other financial
institutions, according to a new white
paper from the Credit Union National
Association (CUNA).
“We have data that shows credit unions
return billions of dollars to their members
and their communities,” said CUNA’s
chief economist Mike Schenk.
Government gives nod to Fonterra’s new capital structure
New Zealand’s government says it is
working to amend the Dairy Industry
Restructuring Act 2001 (DIRA) to support
Fonterra’s move to a new capital structure.
“The Fonterra co-operative is a key part
of New Zealand’s world-leading dairy
industry and a major export earner for our
economy,” agriculture minister Damien
O’Connor said on 27 April.
National Co+op Grocers states support for abortion rights
Credit: Getty Images
US retail co-op apex National Co+op
Grocers has made a statement in favour
of reproductive rights after Supreme Court
signalled its intention to overturn Roe v
Wade and return abortion laws to state
control. The co-op said it is extending
health benefits pay transport costs for
staff in states with strict abortion laws.
JUNE 2022 | 21

MEET
Sara Dunham
Chief officer for Travel and
Leisure at Midcounties
Midcounties appointed Sara Dunham chief officer for Travel and
Leisure services in 2021 during one of the most challenging
times ever for the sector. With over 20 years’ experience in the
travel industry, she previously held a variety of senior roles at
British Airways across the airline and tour operating divisions,
leading development of BA’s direct to consumer business
with responsibility for BA.com, mobile, contact centres and
BA Holidays – the UK’s fifth-largest tour operator. She is now
responsible for further growing the Co-op Travel and Co-op
Holidays tour operator business, comprising 74 branches and 165
Personal Travel Agents as well as more than 140 members of the
Co-operative Travel Consortium.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE CO-OP
MOVEMENT?
What interested me was the growth opportunity
within the travel business and the fact that
Midcounties had a purpose other than just
delivering profit, with really strong values focused
on members and doing the right thing. I found
that a really interesting proposition – not just the
bottom line of doing well as a business and the
opportunity to grow it, but the broader purpose
across the society. I had left BA and done some
travelling and volunteering, planning to take time
off before I started doing consultancy work. Then
the whole pandemic situation made me think
more about what was really important. It was
an opportunity to work for an organisation that
delivers for the greater good, building greater
benefit for the people we deal with. It was a perfect
storm and everything came together at once.
WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE WORKDAY LOOK LIKE
FOR YOU?
I am in the office three to four days a week in
Warwick or Walsall. It is a combination of working
from home or being out and about meeting agents
and retail partners.
The first thing I do is look at what is going on in
the external market. As we have seen particularly
in the last couple of years, anything can happen in
the world, affecting people’s ability to travel. I look
at things like yesterday’s sales, levels of member
engagement and customer satisfaction. I check
in with the team on strategic delivery projects,
working through the programmes we have to
support the strategy and what comes in the next
six months. Then there are operational challenges,
queries, talking to consortium agents or dealing
with customer issues and supporting delivery,
looking at the here and now, moving the business
forward and looking at what comes next.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 – AND IS
CO-OP TRAVEL RECOVERING?
We made a commitment at our
AGM that in five years’ time
Co-op Holidays will represent
50% of the holidays we sell
People couldn’t go on holiday and while we did
have many colleagues on furlough, unlike
hospitality, we had to keep the business open
as people had to be able to rebook holidays. As
the lockdowns continued and restrictions kept
changing, the demands on our people were actually
greater, but we were not selling holidays, just
rebooking the same ones maybe three or four times.
It was really tough for people trying to keep focused
22 | JUNE 2022

and motivated. As we brought people back after
furlough in September, demand still hadn’t picked
up, but at least we were able to offer employment at
a time when the travel business wasn’t sustainable;
some colleagues worked in retail food stores until
after Christmas. Now, coming out of Covid, we
are seeing some very strong performances. Since
the middle of January, when travel restrictions
were lifted from the UK, we have been running
at above 2019 booking levels – which has been a
much stronger bounceback than we would have
predicted.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED THE TRAVEL
LANDSCAPE AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE?
I think it has made people realise how much they
value travel and holidays, whether that means
spending more time with the family, travelling to
more remote places, or doing bucket list holidays.
There is a greater appreciation of travel agents
because it has become more complicated to
travel. Customers and members are looking for
more reassurance when choosing where to go. We
are now seeing a large segment having not had
a holiday for two or three years and absolutely
prioritising that, so there are lots of late bookings
for this summer. We are starting to grow our
own tour operator Co-op Holidays, which we are
offering through consortium travel agents and
retail branches. When it was launched it was more
a city-break product – now we are introducing
more options with a greater focus on sustainability.
WHAT CHALLENGES WILL THE TRAVEL BUSINESS
FACE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?
We made a commitment at our AGM that in five
years’ time Co-op Holidays will represent 50%
of the holidays we sell, so that is a real focus. We
need to work out where that growth will come
from, continuing to work with consortia, partners
and travel agents, modernising our business and
bringing new products to the market. There are still
challenges around customers needing reassurance
and advice – that presents an opportunity for us as
travel agents to provide that. Sales are rebounding
but the level of rebooking and administration is still
significantly higher. There are still staff shortages,
different levels of capacity, recruitment challenges
and now of course cost of living concerns. There are
segments of the population who after two years of
Covid are determined to have a holiday – but also
a growing number of people are concerned about
the cost of living, so not taking or cancelling the
holidays they have booked. That is going to have an
impact on us and them.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP
WORKING WITH THE GO BEYOND CHARITY
Go Beyond is our charity partner for Co-op Holidays
and this year our donation will be £50,000. In
the first three months of the year, the money we
donated meant 165 children and young people
between the ages of 8 and 15 could go on Go Beyond
breaks in Cornwall and the Peak District. For every
booking, we donate £1 to the charity and we collect
unused currency which is also donated. We have
had that partnership just coming up for a year, and
it is a great thing to do.
WHAT IS THE PARTICULAR APPEAL OF CO-OP
TRAVEL? HOW ARE YOU IMPROVING THE
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND KEEPING IT IN LINE
WITH CO-OPERATIVE VALUES?
The particular appeal of Co-op Travel is in our
branches, our colleagues and the service they give
members and customers. We do regular customer
surveys and have exceptionally high customer
satisfaction levels. The appeal of the brand is it
is well-known, trusted and in uncertain times
customers look to brands they know. We work
with a wide range of partners and are actively
focusing on growing Co-op Holidays. It is a key
way to represent brand values and have more of
an influence on customer business. We can choose
which hotels we work with and design holidays
with our members in mind, making sure that we are
more focused on things like sustainability and can
deliver something different, such as holidays using
rail transport as an alternative to air.
JUNE 2022 | 23

YOUR VIEWS
Midcounties Co-op announces operating
profit of £7.4m
In considering my memory of the hopedfor
debt curve over time presented at the
Midcounties AGM four years ago, as a
member co-owner I am pleased with the
following quote : “These decisions formed
part of a prudent and balanced approach
to the society’s finances that saw debt
Have your say
Add your comments to our stories
online at thenews.coop, get in
touch via social media, or send us
a letter. If sending a letter, please
include your address and contact
number. Letters may be edited and
no longer than 350 words.
levels reduce by more than 37% over the
course of the year.”
After the shock of a high so much out
of whack with past performance, the
signs seem good for us as members, who
may wish the board to get to the position
where it wants to be and express genuine
choice over the use of external finance
(to the extent it demands for prime
pristine neighbourhoods for profit over
Co-operative News, Holyoake
House, Hanover Street,
Manchester M60 0AS
letters@thenews.coop
@coopnews
Co-operative News
the concept of generating surplus in non
exceptional areas members might also
live, a bad thing) and pull the society
into a position where recent (very prime)
new assets can operate trade with a cooperative
difference and expand their new
franchise of members bit by bit.
Luke Blakey
via Website
Member engagement in county cricket
after the Yorkshire racism scandal
The interesting issue is what impact this
has on the FCA’s policy more broadly. It’s
been axiomatic that the FCA would register
societies where the members elected the
majority of the society’s board, but here,
only 2/11 - 18% of the Board are elected by
and from the members.
Dave Boyle
via website
Space to
work
Space to
grow
Space for
change
Leading the movement in workspaces for those who lead the change,
with spaces currently available to rent
Visit www.ethicalproperty.co.uk Email sales@ethicalproperty.co.uk or call 01865 207 810 to find out more
24 | JUNE 2022

PREVIEW
Just Film Festival: a preview
“Working together” is the theme of the Just
Film Festival 2022, and it has a decidedly
international flavour, writes Kate Palser,
chair of Birmingham Film Co-op.
The festival, now in its second year, is
organised by Birmingham Film Co-op with
support from Central England Society and
Co-op Press. Here, we bring you a preview
of events ...
The festival opens on Friday, 24 June
with the documentary I Am Belmaya, the
story of a young Nepalese woman living
a life of poverty, affected by violence, but
who wants to create films. Reviews of this
uplifting film say she is “the definition of
resilient and optimistic”.
Screened in person and online, te film
is followed by a pre-recorded question
and answer session, and is a fitting start
for the festival: it confronts us with vital
questions about who gets to tell the stories
that we see on screen.
One of our festival partners is Woodcraft
Folk and so it’s apt that the second film is
Dear Future Children, the story of three
young environmental activists from Hong
Kong, Uganda and Chile. It shows the
impact that campaigning has on their
personal lives.
Praised by critics as entertaining yet
thought-provoking, this is a film that
reminds us how much young people,
in particular, have to lose from climate
change. It will be shown on Saturday, 25
June, in collaboration with Birmingham
Friends of the Earth. It’s appropriate that
all in-person screenings will be at the
Warehouse, Birmingham Friends of the
Earth’s community-building based in
Digbeth.
The first Sunday of the festival brings
another brand of activism in Bank Job.
Ever wanted to make your own money?
Throughout 2018/19, artists operated
out of a former bank on a high street
in Walthamstow, north-east London,
printing banknotes/artwork and selling
£40,000 worth of them. Find out how they
did it – and what they used the money for.
And “expect explosions, community and
active hope”.
The second weekend kicks off on Friday,
p (Clockwise) On Our Doorstep; Dear Future Children and I am Belmaya – some of the films
showing at the 2022 Just Film Festival
1 July with a heartwarming drama: The
Last Bus. Tom, a pensioner whose wife
Mary has just passed away, travels the
length of the country, from John O’Groats
to his hometown near Land’s End, using
his free bus pass, carrying only a small
suitcase. Along the way, his adventures
are recorded by the people he meets and
helps, and by the end of his trip he has
become a social media celebrity.
Saturday night, 2 July, brings another
highlight, the crowdfunded documentary
On Our Doorstep, telling the story of the
Calais Jungle and the volunteers who
went there to help. Birmingham Film Coop
is excited to welcome director Thomas
Laurance to a question and answer session
after the film, along with local volunteers
shown in the film.
Just as volunteers found the experience
of the camps was not what they had
expected, so the film tells a tale that can
amuse, frustrate and sadden – as well as
raising significant questions about our
role as citizens.
Sunday 3 July brings the final selections
from entries in the film shorts competition.
It promises documentaries and drama
(from at least three continents), animation
and imagination – culminating in the
awards for the winners. Watch how
participants have chosen to explore the
theme of “working together”, and perhaps
feel inspired by the power of film to share
ideas and emotions.
u The Just Film Festival 2022 runs from
Friday 24th June to sunday 3rd July.
All films a re a vailable t o w atch o nline,
with some in-person screening options and
online discussions.
Tickets for individual films or a whole
festival pass can be purchased
from our online screening prtal at
justfilmfestival22.eventive.org/welcome
Birmingham Film Co-op screens
“films for a fairer world” on the second
Thursday of every month, with many
available to watch online. See
facebook.com/justfilmcoop for details
JUNE 2022 | 25

y Rebecca Harvey
A NEW FEDERATION
FOR WORKER CO-OPS
q The UK Worker
Co-op Weekend was
hosted at Selgars Mill,
Devon
In 1971, the Industrial Common Ownership
Movement (ICOM) was set up as a national
umbrella and lobbying organisation for
workers’ co-operatives in the UK. It merged
with the Co-operative Union in 2001 to
form Co-operatives UK, with a Worker
Co-op Council elected to ”shape strategic
priorities” for worker co-ops and employeeowned
business members.
But all this is about to change, with a new
organisation being planned to support the
UK worker co-op movement. Early this year,
the Worker Co-op Council resolved to form a
completely new and independent “federation
of worker co-operatives, individual co-operators
and supporters of industrial democracy”. The
initial plan has been endorsed by the board and
senior management of Co-operatives UK. Plans
were further developed by worker co-operators
who gathered for the Worker Co-op Weekend,
which took place at Selgars Mill, Devon, over
International Workers’ Day on 1 May.
“There was a presentation and discussion
about how we got to where we are now; a session
on naming, vision and mission; and a look at the
next practical next steps,” says Siôn Whellens,
who is a member of worker co-operative Calverts
and sits on the Worker Co-op Council.
“We started to form working groups to think
about how to get to the point where we’re ready
to launch. There are a lot of known unknowns –
but it’s taking shape.”
The Worker Co-op Council has been in
conversation with Co-operatives UK staff
and board a lot over the last year, adds Mr
Whellens. “It’s got to the point where we have an
agreement, and hence terms for the relationship
between the new organisation and Co-ops UK.
There will need to be more detail, but the broad
principles are there. Two important elements are
that worker co-op and employee-owned (EO)
members of the organisation will be offered dual
membership with Co-ops UK at a symbolic extra
cost, and that Co-ops UK will materially support
it during the formative first two years”.
A VISION FOR WORKER CO-OPERATION
The vision of the organisation (the name is still
under discussion) is to bring together an alliance
of people and organisations “with an explicit
focus on worker issues, worker-led organising,
social solidarity, and economic justice”.
Mr Whellens stresses that it’s a very different
context and process to the one that formed
ICOM 50 years ago. “In the 1970s there was a
resurgence of worker and what we now call
community co-ops, which led to a rediscovery
of the co-operative system as something that
could benefit workers. The social-democratic
government of the time supported policy around
common ownership, and there was funding from
local and central government for co-ops. ICOM
was founded to support that.”
This changed in the 1990s, with a shift away
from supportive policy. “It became all about
outputs and outcomes,” says Mr Whellens.
“Ownership and control didn’t matter; and
American and European ideas of social enterprise
were imported and picked up by people in the
space of New Labour. Co-ops – and worker coops
in particular – were off the agenda.”
But he thinks the pendulum is swinging
back again. “I think the UK is seeing another
ideological turn, where people working in the
social enterprise, charity, and the foundation
sectors are starting to think that actually, maybe
26 | JUNE 2022

ownership and control do matter. Worker
co-ops are a proven antidote to poverty and
social exclusion. Conversations around the
meaning of work are back on the agenda in a
way they haven’t been for a long time.
“There’s an opportunity to start pursuing
some of those conversations with a much wider
group of people, and to make the worker co-op
system available to people.”
The new federation is starting out small –
there are around 400 worker co-ops in the UK
– but is receiving support and guidance from
other federations worldwide, including the US
Federation of Worker Cooperatives. “USFWC is
a relatively new organisation that has managed
to pull together something that works really
effectively with little core resource in terms of
membership subscriptions. They don’t have a
vast amount of rich work co-ops to fund it, so
they have to pull resources together in different
ways. We can learn from that,” says Mr Whellens.
WHY THE MOVE?
Co-operatives UK has been a home for worker coops
for 20 years, but Mr Whellens believes that
over the last decade, there has been “a growing
realisation that it can’t really speak about worker
co-operation authentically, or develop the
worker co-op-specific resources we really need”.
He adds: “It’s a general membership
organisation, covering an enormous range
of different types of members. It talks to
policymakers and professional co-ops, but not
to workers. At one point we did have our own
membership officer within Co-ops UK who
looked after the worker co-op constituency but
that’s gradually gone over the years, so we don’t
have anyone doing that on a full-time basis.
“In our view, it’s also got pulled towards
seeing employee ownership as the solution in
a business conversion or transfer or situation,
and worker co-ops as the solution for startups.
That’s been really difficult for us because we
don’t agree with it.
“There has been a progressive loss of a
distinctive voice and service for worker co-ops
and we reached a point where we realised we
need an independent voice and an independent
network that can be more agile, less bureaucratic,
more focused on the primary audience for worker
co-operation – which is workers.”
The new federation will still work very closely
with Co-operatives UK, and the UK apex is
broadly supportive. “Rose [Marley, Co-operatives
UK CEO] is enthusiastic, there are some board
members who are clearly on board, with others
perhaps consenting to it. But we believe that
if this works, it could be a whole new way for
Co-ops UK to model its membership offer with
federal members and their members in turn.”
A FEDERATION FOR THE FUTURE
The federation is working with CoTech, the
network of worker technology co-ops, to
look at how to use tech in its start-up and
implementation: “In the 1970s, you had to write
letters and books and pamphlets. Now we’ve
got new channels, new ways of communicating,
new ways of working together, that are based on
new technologies. Part of our strategic thinking
is around tech. How do we use tech critically,
both for process and for communication?”
The plan is to launch the new federation in
early 2023, with the first step being to appoint
a project manager. “We’re looking for someone
to fundraise and manage the project, manage
the different working groups, put all the
infrastructure in place that will need to make it
work, develop membership policy and begin the
detailed business planning,” says Mr Whellens.
The 2022 Worker Co-op Weekend was the
first step on a very exciting journey for the UK’s
worker co-op movement, with the working
groups already exploring issues around culture,
policy, communication and membership. They
are using a sociocratic approach, with member
involvement being at the heart of everything.
“There are worker co-ops out there that we
don’t know about,” says Mr Whellens. “And
there are certainly employee-owned (EO)
businesses out there that might be interested
in turbo-charging their ownership model with
democratic control. But we’re going to have
to think carefully about how we present the
question of ownership. Because ownership is
a really complex subject, and ‘being an owner’
has different meanings depending on who you
talk to. It’s an incredibly exciting journey.”
“WORKER
CO-OPS ARE
A PROVEN
ANTIDOTE
TO POVERTY
AND SOCIAL
EXCLUSION”
p The weekend
explored the options
around a new
federation for worker
co-ops in the UK
JUNE 2022 | 27

y Miles Hadfield
FINANCIAL SQUEEZE, MERGERS
AND COMMUNITY FINANCE:
UK CREDIT UNIONS GET READY
FOR CHANGE
p Eric Broome &
Nickolas Kitchens
from Georgia’s Own
Credit Union discuss
ways to future-proof a
credit union (Photos:
Abcul)
28 | JUNE 2022
Britain’s credit unions met for their annual
conference in May, with the Manchester’s
reliably cloudy skies matching a gloomy
economic outlook. Delegates were glad to
be meeting in person after the pandemic,
but the event – organised by the Association
of British Credit Unions (Abcul) – saw them
face up to the next crisis: the country’s
biggest fall in living standards in 70 years.
But while the wolf is hanging round the door,
opportunity is also knocking. Treasury minister
John Glen announced plans to open new
markets to the sector (news, p12), and there
are options within the movement; one
session looked at whether UK credit
unions can adopt the community
development credit union (CDCU) model, led
in the US by apex body Inclusiv.
With a commitment to financial inclusion
and community development, the 456 CDCUs
in the US serve 17 million people, offering
“affordable financial services at good rates to
people with no credit scores, who have not
taken part in the
financial system”, said René Vargas Martínez,
director of Inclusiv’s Puerto Rican network.
Those excluded from traditional banking
include immigrants, people with bad credit and
those suspicious of traditional banks who store
their money “under the bed” – and if you win
these people’s trust, they will bring others from
their community, said Mr Martínez.
This market has seen huge growth because
there is no competition apart from predatory
lenders. “All the research we have of underserved
people or people on lower tiers show us they are
loyal and they will pay their loans,” added Mr
Martínez. “There is some delinquency but if you
offer people used to 50% interest a cheap rate,
they will come back and build their credit.”
Scott Butterfield, from US service organisation
Your Credit Union Partner, said: “In a working
class or minority area there’s never been a better
time to be a credit union or CDCU.”
As inflation erodes living standards, these
areas will need help; Mr Butterfield advised
credit unions to “go into the community and tell

a story”, appoint a “community-focused board”
and tailor products to local social needs; for
instance, US CDCUs offer finance for survivors of
domestic abuse.
Ian Brewer, from Bradford District Credit
Union, discussed his efforts to put some of these
ideas into practice in England. His credit union,
formed in 1993 to help council staff get credit in
a recession, opened its membership in 2005, to
all residents.
Initiatives include Sharia-compliant lending,
payroll lending, and partnerships with the local
council to counter loan sharks and fund a school
uniform savers club. This was awarded £40,000
from the council to give each participating
parent a £100 reward for regular saving towards
a school uniform; for each account the credit
union got £40. The programme has improved the
mental health and financial habits in families
taking part, said Mr Brewer. “What we do no one
else can do in this neighbourhood.”
“If a meaningful number of UK credit unions
come together and do this, you can leverage
government funding,” said Mr Butterfield. “You
might take more risk but the government might
support you if you can show impact.”
The session was not the only one to look at the
economic crisis. A lengthy panel debate looked
at how mergers can save struggling credit unions
and enable growth.
Eric Broome, from Georgia’s Own Credit
Union in the US, said since May 2009 his credit
union had carried out nine mergers – as well as
acquiring a single-site bank, another growing
strategy for the US sector. This has brought in
$455m in assets and 69,000 people.
Mergers and acquisitions is “quicker than
organic growth”, he said. “Organic growth is
critically important,” he added, “it’s where you
make your hay, but it can be tough.”
Mr Broome said there is a lot of work involved
in getting a merger right, and choosing the right
merger. “It’s important to consider systems, do
due diligence and especially retain employees.
With mergers, he said, every employee comes
over and is ideally kept in a matched role.
“If they do change role, we upskill them
and make sure they add to their portfolio of
experience. Key person retention is important –
keep executives and senior managers, especially
as you expand outwards geographically because
they have the local knowledge and contacts.”
From the UK, there was a different perspective
from Kathryn Fogg of Pennine Credit Union,
which has carried out several mergers – most
recently last year with Affinity Credit Union.
Affinity, which had branches across the Lake
“IN A WORKING CLASS OR
MINORITY AREA THERE’S
NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME
TO BE A CREDIT UNION OR
CDCU”
District, was in trouble, she said. Having
been created itself from a number of smaller,
struggling credit unions, it was a mess of
mismatched systems, with no one taking control
and members unhappy with their service.
Affinity was a rescue mission, she said, but
although it delivered no inorganic growth – a
half million loan book and 1,000 members – it
brought the potential for organic growth. “Since
then we’ve lent a million in new cash, and added
2,000 members to the 1,000 brought over.”
The merger was hard work, she added,
and it took six months to allay the doubts of
stakeholders, including the local authorities who
were partnered with Affinity and saw Pennine as
“the big bad wolf”. But members are happy with
the improved service.
Ms Fogg warned that in the UK, credit
unions are smaller, bringing more potential for
personality clashes than with US mergers; and
there are risks in retaining leaders from failing
credit unions. Above all, she stressed due
diligence. “Your members will want to know
what you are getting into.”
But failing credit unions can be turned around.
Jonathan Moore, a building society professional
who joined Stockport Credit Union as CEO in
2019, presented a session on how the troubled
lender saw off the existential crisis of Covid-19.
With a weak marketing presence, unpaid staff,
and inconsistent processes, Stockport CU was
p Abcul president
Paul Norgrove opens
the event
JUNE 2022 | 29

p Jonathan Moore
of Stockport Credit
Union (Photo:
Stockport CU)
MERGERS AND BANK
ACQUISITIONS CAN ALSO
GIVE CREDIT UNIONS MORE
SCALE TO DEAL WITH ITS
BIGGEST CHALLENGE –
THE RISE OF FINTECH IS
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
FACING THE SECTOR
already in a mess before the pandemic, he said.
It had no capacity for home-working, leaving
him scrambling to buy laptops before lockdown
took effect, and no digitisation.
The credit union’s initial response to the
pandemic – a savings drive – was a mistake; the
capital outflow it had feared from members never
materialised and it was left with an expensive
savings book to run.
It corrected this error with two emergency loan
schemes, including one with the local council
which brought some grant income, publicity,
and a good relationship with Stockport Council
which led to further projects and grants.
Mr Brewer streamlined the lending process,
reducing loan decision times from a week to
three days, and in some cases the same day;
ringing members to offer consolidation loans;
and bringing in digital lending. Stockport’s
loan book has gone from £1m to £1.8m since
September 2019 and throughout the crisis it
carried on paying dividends.
The sector was facing challenges before the
pandemic. In a panel session on future proofing,
Eric Broome and Nickolas Kitchens from
Georgia’s Own Credit Union looked at ways to
adapt business models to a changing business
environment. Again, mergers and acquisitions
are useful: by building scale, credit unions can
offer more products – and stand a better chance
against fintech rivals, the biggest challenge
facing the sector.
“Since 2010 there have been 3,5000 deals
in the US for over $1tn – and the credit union
share of this is low,” they warned. In seven years
fintechs have taken 40% of auto loans in the US
by offering quick decisions and low rates. This is
a key market for US credit unions and they are
falling behind. No credit union can see off this
challenge alone, said Mr Broome. “We have got
to collaborate as a movement.”
He said credit union service organisations are
important here, offering shared services such as
payments and digital, while trade bodies like
CUNA offer vital advocacy.
Credit unions can also team up with fintechs
themselves. “They are competition and can
invest in tech more quickly. We can either let
them pass us by or find a way to work with them,
and buy a stake in them.”
In a panel session on diversity – another
pressing challenge – Rosa Franco, from
Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, a
CDCU in upper Manhattan, NYC, presented a case
study of how a credit union can drive inclusion
in low-income immigrant neighbourhoods
to offer checking accounts, consumer loans,
business finance and mortgages. Led by a
diverse, bilingual team, it offers consolidation
loans to rescue members from predatory lenders;
financial counselling; and programmes to
formalise members in the tax-paying economy.
Abcul’s Inclusivity Group (AIG) is looking for a
way forward on diversity for the UK movement,
Its chair, Bobby Gould, said: “Credit unions are
for everyone but we need to find a way to remove
the barriers as democratic organisations,”
adding that the AIG has drawn on work already
done by the Filene Research Institute, as well
as the experiences of organisations outside the
movement which have been on similar journeys.
The AIG had offered a safe space, she added,
with a “group code of conduct as to how we
work together, have difficult conversations in an
environment that is open and trusted.”
A poll of conference delegates found that 44%
thought Abcul is inclusive, with 49% saying
maybe and 9% no. Panellist Ruksana Kauser,
who sits on the AIG, said: “A few years ago I
would have said no, now I would say yes.”
She added: “I don’t want just to be invited to
the party, I want to dance on the table … we want
to be included and get everybody’s opinion.”
30 | JUNE 2022

y Rebecca Harvey
CREDIT UNIONS
& THE GREEN LENDING
OPPORTUNITY
Credit union representatives, members
and researchers from Ireland, the UK and
beyond also gathered in gathered in Dublin
in May, to discuss how credit union lending
can help individuals and businesses with the
transition to environmental sustainability.
In the context of the cost of living crisis, Brexit,
the war in Ukraine and the lingering effects of
Covid-19, how can credit unions find the energy
and impetus to support the green investment
required over the next 10 years to reduce harmful
fossil fuel emissions? What they are doing now?
And how are members being engaged on this?
Introducing the day, Dr Paul Jones of the
Swoboda Research Centre and Liverpool John
Moores University defined what is meant by
‘green lending’. “It can be financing for projects
that contribute to environmental sustainability,
such as retrofitting, replacing petrol and diesel
vehicles with electric vehicles, or investing
in reuse and recycling capabilities,” he said,
but added it could also be where the purpose
of the loan itself may not be ‘green’, but the
interest rate of the loan is adjusted downwards
if sustainability targets are hit.
“Green lending can be multifaceted, but the
green lending opportunity is important and
significant right now from a sustainability point
of view.”
The Irish government has a target of
upgrading 500,000 homes to B2 Building Energy
Rating (BER) standard, by 2030. In February,
the department of the environment, climate and
communications announced a raft of measures
to achieve this, which will be administered by
the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
(SEAI). This includes increased grant levels
for retrofits; One Stop Shops to support energy
upgrade queries; an increase in the number of
free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy
poverty; an enhanced grant rate for attic and
cavity wall insulation for all households; and an
investment of €8bn (£6.8bn) over the next eight
years to enable the supply chain to scale up.
SEAI’s Josephine Maguire described how
the organisation works with homeowners,
businesses, communities and the government to
transform how people think about, generate and
use energy – and how credit unions are vital to
this work.
“You are in every community and every
locality,” she said. “You are central to
communities and can be involved in demand
generation campaigns, look at supply chains
and help to bring low-cost financing into the
market for home retrofit.”
David McDonnell, from Naomh Breandán
Credit Union (NBCU) in East Galway, described
how the organisation has been working with the
SEAI to galvanise the local community around
sustainability. The credit union was founded in
the Loughrea postal district in 1966, and by 2016
had an 83% penetration rate in the common
bond area and €65.5m (£55.8m) in assets.
“Our vision is: ‘Together, building a better
tomorrow for our community’, and we are driven
to continue to promote NBCU’s importance
to its community,” he said. Five years ago,
NBCU explored what was of most importance
to the organisation. The answer? “It wasn’t the
financials, it was the social aspect.”
To support its non-financial social return,
NBCU worked with SEAI to support the set-up
of Sustainable Energy West (SEW) in 2018, “to
stimulate and lead a local movement of energy
efficiency and sustainable living where everyone
benefits”.
They developed a competency compass to help
plot the progress of projects against elements
such as planning, engagement and renewable
energy, and have run projects around residential
and commercial property, agriculture,
biodiversity and meteorological monitoring –
for which Transition Year (TY) students from St
Raphael’s College and St Brigid’s College took
part in the Air Quality Campaign Ireland 2019,
measuring the quality of air within the school
JUNE 2022 | 31

grounds, outside the school grounds and at nontraffic
areas near the school.
There was wide agreement from delegates
that sustainability should be viewed as a natural
fit for the credit union sector. Billy Doyle, CEO
of Dundalk Credit Union, went a step further.
Intrinsic to this, he believes, is the purpose of
credit unions, and their link to the co-operative
movement.
“Purpose matters,” he said.
“The concept of organisational
purpose has undergone a
renaissance in recent years
and is now a key to strategy
development and cultural
alignment. In the disrupted
world we’re in, organisations
with purpose are more
enduring and sustainable.
Once they’re clear on why they
exist, a clear purpose also
reconnects an organisation
with its own values and
principles.”
But he warned that although core co-operative
values are deeply embedded in credit union
DNA, “we can sometimes lose the centrality
of our purpose and get disconnected from our
co-operative heritage”.
“That’s why purpose is so important,” he
added. “Do credit unions walk the walk when it
comes to living our co-operative values? Do we
measure things in financial terms or member
outcomes? Do our members understand what
being a member is in terms of the opportunities
and responsibilities?”
He highlighted how Dundalk CU addressed
these questions in the development of its 2025
strategic plan, which has members at its core.
“As a member-owned financial co-operative,
credit unions exist to empower members [...]
and provide stability for the community, the
economy and the environment,” he said.
“Putting purpose, members and mutuality at
the heart of the organization and the strategy
process, represents a step-change on our current
model [...] we needed to reposition ourselves to
put members at the centre of the organisation
in a tangible way, to facilitate them and the
community to do things for themselves.”
Also speaking was Seán Fleming, minister of
state for finance – a role which, for the first time,
has special responsibility for credit unions.
“This conference comes at a very important
time in our history,” he said. “Humankind is
faced with our biggest challenge yet, which is to
turn the tide on climate change.”
He emphasised how sustainable finance will
play a crucial role in the government’s plan for the
transition to a greener economy, and highlighted
how recent legislation is also supporting this.
The Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail
Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2022 was
signed into law in April, and a new consumer
credit bill, “which for the first time in Ireland will
regulate all the money lenders,” is imminent.
The minister
“DO CREDIT UNIONS
WALK THE WALK WHEN
IT COMES TO LIVING OUR
CO-OP VALUES? DO OUR
MEMBERS UNDERSTAND
WHAT BEING A MEMBER
IS IN TERMS OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES?”
also placed great
emphasis on the
need for cohesive
branding and a
single message
for credit unions.
“The competitors
you face are not
the credit union
in the next town,
they are the
other financial
services,” he
said. “You
have all these fantastic products, but they are
not advertised nationally. There is too much
fragmentation. The idea of marketing under one
umbrella has to be a priority, because otherwise,
the public will get confused.”
The issue of branding was also explored
by Finbarr O’Shea, of Bantry CU, who spoke
about two initiatives being offered by groups
of credit unions. Cultivate provides short to
medium term loans built specifically for farmer
members, while Greenify is a new green home
improvement loan.
Cultivate began as a collaboration of four
credit unions in Galway in 2017 and now has
47 Credit union members, with 150 offices in 23
counties and combined assets of €6bn (£5.1bn).
In 2021, Cultivate loans accounted for up to 25%
q From left: Billy
Doyle (Dundalk CU),
Catherine Davenport
(Capital CU),
Josephine Maguire
(SEAI) and David
McDonnell (Naomh
Breandán CU)
32 | JUNE 2022

of loans issued by some credit unions, with the
average loan being just over €28,000 (£23,800).
“Cultivate loans are so popular because it’s
an identifiable finance brand that’s all about
people, about local and about keeping it simple
and straightforward,” said Mr O’Shea. “We’re
reaching into territory where there isn’t a
tradition of borrowing from credit unions, but
we’re doing it simply, with a one-page fact sheet,
not a 10 page booklet, which can absolutely be
a barrier.”
The conference also heard from those offering
services to credit unions, including Seán
Farrell of the Strategic Banking Corporation of
Ireland (SBCI) who spoke about the wholesale
opportunities for credit unions, and Andrea
Reynolds, who left a career in KPMG to set up
Swoop, a fintech company whose mission is
to undertake “accounting triage” and make
it easier for SMEs to transact with financial
providers, including credit unions.
“We realized how difficult and fragmented the
entire market was and the assumptions that we
as the financial services make about financial
literacy levels of business,” said Ms Reynolds.
“One of the biggest challenges for SMEs is access
to finance – we wanted to get rid of that barrier.
In the UK, SMEs emit a combined 120m tons of
carbon – they are the silent army for change, we
have to make [green lending] easy for them.”
Joining the event from Scotland, Catherine
Davenport of Capital Credit Union (CCU) spoke
about how the question of sustainability went
beyond the lending process to working practices.
“We’re based in the city centre, which can be
difficult and expensive for members to visit,”
she said, adding that members can now engage
through an app and online chat function, as well
as by phone or in person, and staff have been
offered flexible working options.
Like others, CCU offers a green loan, which
can be used for activities such as insulation,
the purchasing of hybrid or electric vehicles,
or boiler upgrades. For every green loan taken,
a tree is donated to the CCU grove, part of an
initiative aimed at re-wilding the highlands.
But she admits there are challenges – including
the current cost of living crisis. “We would love
to encourage more green loans and plant more
trees, but the impact of the cost of living is very
real,” she said. “What’s more important? Today’s
problems or those of tomorrow? It has to be both
and we have to be strategic in the ways we help
as many members as we can, both during the
current crisis and for the future.”
Delegates were also joined online from
colleagues in North America, who shared
“WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT? TODAY’S
PROBLEMS OR THOSE OF TOMORROW?
IT HAS TO BE BOTH AND WE HAVE TO BE
STRATEGIC IN THE WAYS WE HELP AS MANY
MEMBERS AS WE CAN, BOTH DURING THE
CURRENT CRISIS AND FOR THE FUTURE”
striking examples of credit unions working
for sustainability.
“We have a strong history in this work – we’re
long-time leaders in fighting climate change,”
said Alison Coates, climate consultant with
Vancity Credit Union, in Vancouver, Canada.
“We don’t lend to the oil sector at all and have
strong guidelines that set limits as to who we do
business with.” She described how 90% of the
public expects financial institutions to act on
social and economic issues; all five of Canada’s
big banks have net-zero targets for 2050.
In 2008, Vancity became the first financial
institution in North America to achieve carbonneutral
operations; but it is now looking a
step further, and investigating the emissions it
contributes through its business activity.
“Our financed emissions from our lending
are currently over 36 times our operational
emissions,” said Ms Coates. “So, we have set
ourselves a target of making Vancity net zero by
2040 across all our mortgages and loans, with
our first targets set for 2025.”
From the USA, Terri Mickelsen described how
the Clean Energy Federal Credit Union is a new
type of credit union, responding to a new need.
“Our common bond is those who have a
mission to increase the adoption of clean energy,
those who care deeply about the environment or
work for a clean energy field,” she said.
It was started five years ago by a group of
people who are “passionate about promoting
clean energy to protect the environment and
improve our economy” and at the time, was the
sole online-only credit union. “We started with
solar loans, and as we proved to the regulators
that this is a good space to be in, we’ve added
geothermal, home improvement, ebikes… Most
of the things we do have been requested by
our members.”
She added: “Starting a credit union is hard.
But the grassroots type of feel has served us
well. We’ve done no marketing, but we’re up to
almost 7,000 loans across 48 of the 50 states.
We’re moving quickly, but we want controlled
growth, We’ve been listening to members and
contractors – that makes things a lot easier.”
JUNE 2022 | 33

Congress and Co-ops Day
Celebrations and centenaries of co-operation
June and July contain some key dates in
the co-op calendar, with celebrations
of co-operation taking place in the UK
and internationally – and some special
anniversaries.
CO-OP CONGRESS
(FRIDAY 17 - SATURDAY 18 JUNE)
The 2022 UK Co-op Congress has the
theme ‘Empowering Co-operation’, and
aims to “bring together those working to
build a fairer economy to share ideas, get
inspiration and take action”. The event
will take place in Birmingham on 17-18
June, with some online elements.
Speakers include the Co-op Group’s
Interim CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq; Andy
Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester;
Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire;
Andy Street – former boss of employeeowned
John Lewis, now mayor of the West
Midlands Combined Authority; Denise
Scott-McDonald, Co-op Group; and Ian
Adderley, FCA.
p Denise Scott-McDonald, Co-op Group
There will also be a workshop on how
technology can enable a more robust cooperative
economy and a session on the
role of co-ops in creative industries. The
2022 Congress marks 100 years since the
first female Congress chair (see facing);
Liz McIvor from the Co-operative Heritage
Trust will lead a session looking at how
women have played a central role through
co-operative history, from the first female
member to the numerous achievements of
the Co-operative Women’s Guild – leading
to the influential positions held by women
in today’s co-operative movement.
On Saturday evening, the Congress
Supper, sponsored by Central England
Co-operative, will showcase international
co-operation, from the work to support
female workers in India, to empowering
farmers in Malawi.
Rose Marley, Co-operatives UK
CEO, said: “Co-op Congress is such an
important event. It’s where the movement
comes together to debate and negotiate;
to inspire and aspire. It’s also about action
and without action the movement cannot
move!
“We’ve so much subject matter packed
into two dates: tech, social care; the
democratic economy; community shares;
music; the co-op marque alongside a
wonderful range of speakers.
“It’s also great that Congress is back
as an in-person event - this year at the
Eastside Rooms in Birmingham. So come
along, get involved and help build the
movement.”
CO-OP FORTNIGHT
(MONDAY 20 JUNE - SUNDAY 3 JULY)
Congress is the kickstart to the UK’s Co-op
Fortnight (Monday 20 June – 3 July 2022)
– two weeks of celebrating co-ops and the
impact they make for members.
Ahead of the event, Co-operatives UK has
launched a campaign to promote why
people love co-ops and to unwrap the
mystery behind them.
The #UnwrapCoops campaign is asking
members of co-ops to say what difference
being part of a co-op makes to their lives
by sharing their stories at www.unwrap.
coop, either in words or even as a voice
recording. They also encourage co-ops to
ask their own members, customers, and
workers to contribute their stories.
Co-operatives UK will be using these
words to help develop materials for Coop
Fortnight by engaging a team of artists
and designers to produce work based on
what they receive.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COOPERATIVES
(SATURDAY 2 JULY)
On the last Saturday of the fortnight, UK coops
will join co-operatives around the world
to celebrate the 100th International Day
of Cooperatives. A decade on from the UN
International Year of Cooperatives, which
showcased the unique contribution of cooperatives
to making the world a better
place, this year’s #CoopsDay slogan —
Cooperatives Build a Better World— echoes
the theme of the International Year.
The aim of the day is to increase
awareness of co-operatives and promote
the movement’s ideas of international
solidarity, economic efficiency, equality,
and world peace. The International
Cooperative Alliance (ICA) has prepared
an action pack filled with logos (in
English, Spanish and French), social
media digital resources and ideas to
share stories, at coopsday.coop
“Co-operatives are the only enterprise
model with globally agreed principles
that rest on a foundation of shared ethical
values,” said Bruno Roelants, director
general of the ICA.
34 | JUNE 2022

Congress and Co-ops Day
A special Congress centenary
By Ruth Cohen
One hundred years ago, in 1922, something
quite unheard of took place at the UK’s
annual Co-operative Congress. A banner
headline in the then-weekly Co-operative
News trumpeted, “Congress enthrones
the woman with the basket”, explaining
that this would be the “First Congress
held under the Chairmanship of a Woman
President”.
For Co-operative leaders to have invited
a woman to chair such a prestigious event
was quite remarkable, when only five
years earlier British women had still been
denied even the right to vote.
The proposed chair was to be Margaret
Llewelyn Davies, the radical leader of
the Women’s Co-operative Guild who
had recently retired after more than
30 years. Margaret made a point of
accepting the honour not for herself, but
on behalf of “that host of women without
whom she would have been nothing”.
Although she was experienced and well
known within the movement, the task
of chairing a three-day meeting of over
1,700 delegates, mostly men, could still
have been daunting. But Margaret rose
to the occasion: she pulled no punches
and exerted her authority with aplomb,
dealing firmly with the occasional
“hubbub”, Indeed, a wry commentary in
the News described her as “the best man
of the conference!”
This was a far cry from the opposition
the Women’s Co-operative Guild had
faced when it was first established in 1883.
Back then, its first meetings provoked
comments like “Let them sit at home!”
‘Who’s to mind the children?’”. Most
Guildswomen were home-based wives and
mothers, and although theoretically there
was gender equality, in practice men ran
the movement at all levels – even though
it was women who did the shopping at
the co-op stores. Some local co-operative
societies still did not allow male members’
wives to join in their own right.
Guildswomen struggled for equality
for the next forty years, and more. With
Margaret Llewelyn Davies at the helm, from
the 1890s on the Guild developed into a
unique, forward-looking public voice for
working-class women. As co-op movement
historian G. D. H. Cole concluded, the
Guild became a “powerful progressive
force’” within co-operation, campaigning
determinedly for ethical trading, better
wages for women, equal representation
at all levels of the movement, and more.
It also fought vociferously for vital social
reforms, notably votes for women, divorce
law reform and decent maternity provision.
Not infrequently, this brought conflicts
with the co-operative leadership of the
time. But with the enormous political and
social changes during and after World War
I, the movement was in a different position
and there was a reconciliation, cemented
by the unprecedented Congress invitation
to Margaret Llewelyn Davies in 1922. As
one woman declaimed, this was truly a
“crowning glory” for co-operative women.
The Guild continued to expand
between the wars, keeping up its
work for co-operation and its forwardlooking
campaigning for social
Margaret made a point of
accepting the honour not
for herself, but on behalf of
“that host of women without
whom she would have been
nothing”
reforms – including, controversially,
the legalisation of abortion. It was
outspoken in its pacifism, and initiated
the widespread scheme of wearing white
rather than red remembrance poppies.
However, from World War II onwards,
massive social change led to major shifts
in co-operation and the Guild itself
eventually closed in 2016.
Nowadays, women can be found at all
levels of the UK co-op movement, whether
as chief executives of apex bodies or
major retail societies, Co-operative Party
MPs, or as key figures in other parts of
the movement. Looking back to 1922, we
can see the 1922 Congress as a symbol
of co-operative women’s past struggles
and achievements, and a reminder of
their vibrant history of campaigning for
equality and social justice – a campaign
that is still relevant today.
Ruth Cohen’s biography: ‘Margaret
Llewelyn Davies: with women for a new
world’ was published in 2020 by Merlin
Press
JUNE 2022 | 35

y Rebecca Harvey
PLAYGROUND FOR
THE NEW ECONOMY
p Jessica
Prendergrast, director
and co-founder of
Onion Collective
(credit Glyn Jarrett)
The Playground for the New Economy is
a festival with a difference, combining
panels, workshops, open spaces, virtual
reality, sustainable food and live music that
explores what a different type of economy
could look like – and how we can get there.
First held in 2019 in Frome, Somerset, the
festival is organised by Stir to Action – a worker
co-op “committed to creating a more democratic
economy”. Focusing on infrastructure, business
support, research and policy, and local
government partnerships, it supports projects,
provides training and publishes Stir magazine.
The event went online for the 2020 lockdown,
and in 2021 there was a small event at Stir’s
residential campus at Selgars Mill in Devon –
where it returns next month with an expanded
capacity for 350 ticketholders.
“We’ve always had this idea of an annual
greenfield festival that would be atypical to
conferences in the sector,” says Jonny Gordon-
Farleigh, co-founder of Stir to Action. “We used
the word ‘playground’ because it was this idea
of playing and experimenting with political and
economic ideas – using a three-day residential
setting for people to make connections and
challenge ourselves as a sector. It’s about having
big conversations in small rooms.”
The term ‘new economy’ was used “because
it can act as a bit of a catch-all for many
different economic and social ideas”. But Jonny
acknowledges that there can be a cultural
assumption that ‘new’ economics is somehow
better than ‘old’.
“I think it’s more about looking at how the
economy is changing, and how old ideas may or
may not be suitable,” he says. “One thing we’re
trying to do is reconnect to the past and rescue
and recover what might be useful for people
working in the democratic economy today.”
The line-up includes representatives from
co-ops, community businesses and social
enterprises – plus book launches, a photography
exhibition, punk aerobics, live music from the
London Afrobeat Collective and hip hop group
Mouse Outfit, spoken word poetry from Isaiah
Hull, a quiz and wood-fired sauna.
36 | JUNE 2022

Co-op practitioner Mark Simmonds will
explore how new models can empower workers
in the next generation of community businesses.
Mark Walton from Shared Assets will chair a
panel on the tension between investments in
nature and the struggle for a more just land
system. And Ella, Miss Divine, Rosina and
Ruth – representatives from Bristol’s Black &
Green Ambassadors Programme – will lead
conversations on challenging perceptions,
creating new opportunities and working towards
ensuring the environmental movement is
inclusive and representative of all communities.
Another organisation at the festival is Onion
Collective, a 10-year-old social enterprise based
in Watchet, Somerset.
Set up by four women, including director
Jessica Prendergrast, they began with a series
of consultations and engagements in the town,
exploring what it needed for a better future.
Over the last decade, says Jessica, it “became an
organisation that thinks much more about the
wider systems change that’s going on, and what
a different kind of economy could look like.”
Like Jonny, Jessica is wary of the phrase ‘new
economy’. “We often talk about a ‘next’ economy
rather than a ‘new’ economy because some of
this is already here,” she says, adding that there
a disconnect between the perceived and actual
motivations of those working with communities.
“Sure, we need to make some money to pay
our bills, but that’s not the reason most people
in community sectors choose their work.
“As a society we’ve separated our economic
life out from all of these things that matter to us.
But once you put them back together – as you
see in co-ops, in social enterprises, in the public
sector and charitable work – then you don’t
behave in a way that is negative towards people.
“So in my version of how things would work,
you would structure an economy around the
things that people actually care about, rather
than structuring it to reflect the incentives of
some people at the top. We’re clearly destroying
the planet in the interests of very few people;
replacing that with a different economy seems to
me to be a good idea.”
Onion Collective also addresses cultural
justice. “Economic futures are determined by
the place that you are in. In some areas you
have extraordinary access to all kinds of cultural
and creative activities; but if you’re in a rural
peripheral area, you have very little access,” says
Jessica. She believes access to culture is vital for
building and connecting communities – and at
the festival, hopes to share this view through a
session on attachment economics.
Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the
sector and Jessica is “really looking forward to
being with a group of people who have still got
some faith and hope and a sense of collective
responsibility, but also, of collective possibility”.
“One of the aims of the festival,” adds Jonny, “is
to create a space outside the particular interests
of any one organisation, which tends to happen
with conferences. That diversity of having a local
government representative next to a member of
an unfunded community association, next to
someone from a worker co-op, next to someone
that might be a senior member of a business
federation, that’s what we’re aiming for.”
There will be a fallow year in 2023 (although
an urban event is planned for 19-20 May at
Stretford Public Hall, Manchester) and Stir to
Action is looking for a new, larger site for 2024.
They also keep the event accessible by working
with the sponsors to give away free tickets –
and also have a 25 tickets for £25 offer for those
from marginalised communities, young adults
(aged 18-35), disabled individuals (with free
companion tickets available), and those living in
areas of deprivation.
Ticket and info: stirtoaction.com/festival
p Onion Collective
in action: Watchet’s
East Quay opened in
2021 as a place that
represents what the
next economy could
look like in practice.
‘It’s about purpose,
connection and
imagination’. (credit
Jim Stephenson)
JUNE 2022 | 37

y Anca Voinea
CO-OPS TAKE THE STAGE:
ULYSSE MAISON D’ARTISTES
Co-ops in the live performance sector were hard
hit by the pandemic. French co-op Ulysse Maison
d’Artistes saw an 80% drop in activity, with
400 cancelled concerts. We speak to employee
members and co-founders for an update...
WHEN WAS YOUR CO-OP CREATED?
The co-operative society of collective interest
(SCIC) Ulysse Maison d’Artistes originated 15
years ago, with a team of enthusiasts whose
idea was to contribute to the encounter between
artists and the public in Aveyron and Lot
[departments in the Occitanie region of France]
and to promote artistic projects at national level.
From 2007 to 2012, the project grew, becoming
more professional and structured, and a SARL
[limited liability company], Ulysse Production,
was created in October 2012.
The company’s employees, accompanied by
a team of very involved volunteers, decided to
follow this up with the association La Chambre
de Télémaque. Its focus is on bringing to life the
Krill (a cultural café at the Théâtre de la Baleine
in Onet-le-Château), the Chapelle (performance
hall with 90 seats in Figeax) and organising
shows and outdoor cultural activities.
From 2012 to 2016, these two structures
coexisted. Ulysse Productions worked in music
while La Chambre de Télémaque participated in
local cultural life. In 2016, they came together
within the same entity, the SCIC Ulysse Maison
d’Artistes. It was an incredible journey made
possible by the total involvement of its people.
The SCIC is today the tool of a solid collective
action at the service of artists, the public
and territories. It exists through a team of
enthusiasts who provide residents with the keys
to emancipation and pleasure through culture.
Five of us form an employee-member steering
committee and the co-management assumes the
strategic and operational orientation – while
relying on the advisory network of our members.
The manager position is occupied in turn by
the various member employees. Our role in the
co-operative is more defined by our job and what
we do there than by our social or legal mandate.
u Ulysse members
and volunteers
©Richard Storchi
38 | JUNE 2022

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE CO-OP MODEL?
This was the most suitable form for our project.
We had already been working for several years
on an equivalent model through co-operative
and democratic functioning among employees
and by integrating the beneficiaries of the project
from the start (artists, technicians, partners) even
before the change in structure to a co-operative.
Our values ​include a relationship with the
economy that does not consider money as an end
but as a fuel necessary for the construction of the
project and a model of democratic governance.
Ulysse Maison d’Artistes has been structured
in the search for a permanent balance between
individual interests and the collective interest.
WHAT ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
DOES THE MODEL BRING?
The model is co-operative and well balanced,
integrating the entrepreneurial dimension
of a project and bringing the values ​closer
to associative models. This allows us to opt
for a non-profit structure, with all the profits
reinvested into the business to ensure the
sustainability of our projects. It also means we
can seat all the stakeholders around the table.
The disadvantage is that this model is still too
little known to the public and requires a lot of
education with our interlocutors. This model
does not necessarily correspond to [the needs of]
all employees because some need to evolve in a
very vertical hierarchy, which is not advocated
by the co-operative model.
WHO ARE YOUR MEMBERS? WHAT TYPE OF
CO-OPERATIVE ARE YOU?
We have 88 members divided into seven
categories – employees, artists and technicians,
partners, founders, volunteers, audience and
local authorities. In a SCIC, the employees
occupy a central place and are surrounded by
the other members.
WHAT WERE THE DIFFICULTIES OF SETTING UP
THE CO-OP? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE
TO ARTISTS TAKING THE SAME PATH?
It is a big job of administrative structuring. It
is also a question of finding the right balance
between living well and working well, and a
good definition of the relationship between the
team of employees and the rest of the members.
Our advice would be to get good support
and not to believe that the legal form rules
everything. The co-op is a legal framework, but
it is the humans who make it up that make it
live. What is important is the substance and the
construction of the project.
“OUR VALUES ​INCLUDE A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
ECONOMY THAT DOES
NOT CONSIDER MONEY
AS AN END BUT AS A FUEL
NECESSARY FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE
PROJECT”
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SUPPORT/ADVICE/
FUNDING FROM CO-OP ORGANISATIONS?
We were supported in the creation of the coop
by our regional union of SCOPs (worker coops).
When we created it, the Union régionale
des Scop (URSCOP) was not yet aware of all the
specificities of the world of culture and had not
yet developed specific services for SCICs and we
sometimes found ourselves alone in the process.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EVENTS AND
ACTIVITIES YOU ORGANISE?
Ulysse develops, researches, and endeavours to
produce and to represent its artists. It acts as a
manager, a producer and a tourer, but always
with the same fierce desire to create a unique link
between the public and the artists. In 15 years,
Ulysse has developed several skills and today
provides various services – organising events;
producing shows, tours and albums; supporting
and managing artists; producing video clips
and films; setting up cultural activities; and
communications and PR.
HOW DID THE PANDEMIC AFFECT YOUR CO-OP?
It was for us the feeling of an earthquake, a
tsunami and a hurricane at the same time – 400
cancelled concerts and constant uncertainty. We
had a loss of connection with the public, which
was difficult to reweave in the context. The DNA
of our project is to gather the public around our
artists, which is precisely what was impossible
for us in 2020-2021. We are still in troubled times.
p Ulysse members
performing at
Charabia Festival
©Ben Pi
JUNE 2022 | 39

y Rebecca Harvey
CO-OPERATIVE
HOLIDAYS
q Hotel du Nord (top),
Jemima D (centre) and
Nearly Wild Camping
Co-operative
As lockdown lifts and plans are being
made for the summer, here are some of
the co-operative holiday options for you to
explore…
n Hotel du Nord is a residents’ co-operative
that opened January 2011 to bring cultural
heritage and hospitality together in Marseilles. It
is a network of 30-40 rooms or urban lodgings
in apartments, country houses, boats or small
houses, reflecting the diversity of the region. But
it is also a community of attentive hosts wishing
to share their environment and the stories of
their neighbourhoods and their places. There
are organised solidarity visits and heritage
walks, and you can be introduced to local
food and culture rooted in local traditions and
rediscovered by communities.
u hoteldunord.coo
p
n Jemima D is a 37-foot narrowboat moored
in rural Staffordshire, that is owned, operated
and used by a friendly co-operative group of
12 shareholders, whose aims and objectives
are to own and use the boat co-operatively for
members to have non-sexist, non-racist, nonageist,,
enjoyable holidays on the canals. They
share tasks to ensure that Jemima D is run as
economically as possible and everyone gets
a chance to learn how to maintain and run a
narrowboat. It also means that everyone has
an equal responsibility for running the co-op
and maintaining Jemima, within the limits of
their skills, ability and circumstances – and
they are currently looking for new members!
u Jemima-d.org.uk
n The Nearly Wild Camping Co-operative
is a network of diverse locations (mostly
across the UK) offering Nearly Wild Camping
experiences at 200+ camping locations. These
can be family farms, nature reserves, hilltop
smallholdings or riverside woods – many of
which are not otherwise open to the public. If
you own a potential location you can also take
out membership and list your location in the
directory. They offer the chance to explore where
you are through guided walks, star gazing,
badger watching, having a go at some regular
onsite tasks (from feeding the chickens to
carving a spoon), cooking up some homegrown
veg on your campfire and more.
u nearlywildcamping.org/
40 | JUNE 2022

n The Renmark Hotel opened in South
Australia in 1897 as the first British Empire
community-owned hotel. Nestled on the banks of
the River Murray, today it is operated by a board
of management which is elected by community
members. It returns its profits to the community
by way of donations and sponsorships and
strives to preserve its Art Deco architecture and
heritage listing (it has its own museum on the
first floor).
u renmarkhotel.com.au
q The Renmark Hotel
(top), Fairbnb.coop
(centre) and The Sail
Boat Co-operative
n Fairbnb.coop started its journey in 2016
as a movement inspired by Fairtrade, the
circular economy and the Sustainable
Development Goals that sought to “create
a just alternative to existing home-sharing
platforms”. Initially the movement emerged in
Venice, Amsterdam and Bologna but soon other
groups from all over Europe joined the debate.
It launched a new platform in 2021, and today
aims to promote a more sustainable, genuine
and authentic tourism. Half of the co-operative’s
fees are given to community projects in the host
area with the goal to redistribute wealth and
create jobs, and hosts are screened according to
destination specific rules – such as the one host,
one house rule.
u Fairbnb.coop
n The Sail Boat Co-operative is based in
Chichester Harbour, and provides a range
of learning activities based around sailing –
including sailing courses and trips on its three
sail training vessels. It aims to “widen access
to the sea” by offering sail training onboard,
navigation training on land, and using these
activities to increase confidence and a sense of
wellbeing in marginalised coastal communities.
It raises funds to be able to offer training
bursaries to people on very low incomes or
from marginalised communities through its
Community Sailing Fund. The co-op sees sailing
as “a tool to improve life skills, knowledge
and attitudes” and also offers a flexible
approach to meet different learning needs. Its
board of directors made up of staff, skippers
and volunteers to steer its work and actively
encourage participation from anyone involved
in the project.
u sailboatproject.org
JUNE 2022 | 41

y Alice Toomer-McAlpine
FESTIVALS
AND THE CO-OP
MOVEMENT
p (Photo: Hiawatha
Music Co-Op)
This year a co-op presence will be felt at
festivals in the UK and abroad, bringing
co-operation to a mass, and often muddy,
audience as well as providing opportunities
for the movement celebrate together.
This summer the Co-op Group will run popup
stores in nine UK music festivals including
Leeds, Reading and Glastonbury. It will even
provide a click and collect service at selected
festivals, where punters can order groceries up
to six weeks in advance.
Last year, when many festivals were forced
to delay for the second year in a row, the Group
announced a partnership with Kendal Calling to
show its commitment to the live music industry
during “tough times”. Amanda Jennings, director
of marketing live and local at the Group, said at
the time that the co-op’s festival stores aren’t
“just about building and running a store in a field
for the weekend, but about serving a specific
community’s needs while also highlighting how
Co-op does businesses differently”.
Another retail society getting in on the festival
act is Radstock, which is sponsoring a stage at a
free local arts festival this month.
The family-friendly event includes live
performances, stalls, food and workshops, to
bring the community together and celebrate
the jubilee. Radstock’s community stage will
showcase local performers, and the society will
feed the crew and volunteers on the day.
Morwhenna Woolcock from event organisers
Creativity Works says local festivals like this
offer a “very accessible artform – it is free, and
is performed in and around where people live –
you don’t have to go to a special venue or place.
Festivals also help bring people and communities
together, different ages and different people
enjoying the same experience.”
She adds: “It’s really important that local
businesses support their community in many
ways including sponsoring community events
– it helps integrate businesses into the local
community and give back to their customers and
help build trust in a local brand/business.”
42 | JUNE 2022

Nikki D’Ovidio from Radstock Co-op says:
“Festivals and cultural events play an extremely
important role in bringing the local community
together. They are also a great opportunity to
open the local community up to new things –
learning a new skill, building community spirit
and reinforcing the identity of a town.”
Globally, a number of festivals have adopted
the co-op model themselves. Knockengorroch
festival, in the Scottish mountains of Galloway,
is run by a community interest company to
promote multi-culturalism through world music,
support new Scottish performers, develop public
awareness of the country’s Upland heritage and
spur local regeneration. Their annual World
Ceilidh has been running since 1998 and now
attracts around 3,000 guests a year.
And across the pond in Marquette, Michigan,
the Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival is on
a similar mission, to promote traditional local
music and dance, such as bluegrass, Cajun,
Celtic and acoustic blues. Around 4,000 guests,
including many of the co-op’s 300 members,
attend each year in July.
Executive director Susan Divine says the
founders of the festival, now in its 42nd year, felt
it important that the organisation be a member
focused, non-profit business.
Hiawatha Music Co-op’s members pay an
annual subscription to support the festival and
get involved in running of the co-op. Members
receive discounts on tickets and many volunteer
time to the organisation, which runs with just
one paid member of staff.
Through the co-op structure, Hiawatha offers
something more to its community and members,
says Ms Divine. “Because our mission has to do
with music, that in itself speaks to a lot of people
who like to belong to organisations such as
ours and who value being a member and value
volunteering.” Ms Divine adds that members
feel a sense of partnership with the organisation
through their subscription and volunteering,
describing it as a “reciprocal relationship”.
The co-op movement also has a history of
running festivals to celebrate its own identity.
Recent notable examples include Cooperatives
United World Festival and ICA Expo, which
gathered 12,605 cooperators from 88 countries in
Manchester, UK to mark the International Year of
Cooperatives in 2012.
In the US, the National Cooperative Business
Association (NCBA CLUSA) launched its Co-op
Festival in Washington, DC in 2017, and South
American news co-op Mundo Coop has been
running its Festival Federal Cultura Cooperativa
in Argentina for the past decade.
But perhaps the earliest examples of co-op
festivals were those held at London’s Crystal
Palace between 1888 and 1910. The National
Co-operative Festival drew tens of thousands
of attendees from across the country for talks,
exhibitions, flower shows, sports and music.
Co-operators have long known the power of
cultural gatherings across the movement. As
Flora Klickmann, an eyewitness to those 19th
century events, wrote in Windsor Magazine in
1897: “To watch the varied scenes and endless
interests at the Crystal Palace on these festival
days might confirm the foreigner in his ideas
that we are a ‘nation of shopkeepers,’ but should
also remind him, so far as the co-operator is
concerned, of the words of Mr W. S. Gilbert: ‘His
capacity for innocent enjoyment is just as great
as any other man’s’.”
q Mr Burns,
Treemendous and The
Iguanodon Restaurant
(credit: James Price)
are some of the acts
performing at the
Radstock Arts Festival
“FESTIVALS AND CULTURAL EVENTS
PLAY AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ROLE
IN BRINGING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
TOGETHER”
JUNE 2022 | 43

y Miles Hadfield
FANS’ CO-OP PLOTS
THE WAY BACK
FOR BURY AFC
p Bury AFC owns
the club – but faces a
decision over its old
home at Gigg Lane
The supporter-owned football movement
has added another name to its ranks after
the Bury Football Club Supporters’ Society
bought Bury AFC out its administration.
Helped by a £1m grant from the government’s
Levelling Up fund, the community benefit
society has bought the intellectual property,
history and memorabilia of Bury Football Club.
Another organisation, the Bury Football Club
Company Ltd, owns the stadium at Gigg Lane,
but the team is back playing on its home turf and
the two parties have signed a memorandum of
understanding to find a way forward.
The club – established in 1895 – is one of
the oldest in the country. When it was expelled
from the English Football League in 2019, after
running into trouble with its debts and failing to
secure a buyer, fans set out to rescue it, forming
Bury AFC as a community benefit society.
Phil Young, chair of the society, says the
community benefit model was recommended
to them by the FA. Although getting Financial
Conduct Authority (FCA) authorisation was “a
bit of a faff”, it was much simpler than the “12
months of red tape” needed to set up a plc.
Furthermore, “it felt right that this was a
democratic way of running the business going
forward, on a one member one vote basis. It puts
control firmly in the hands of supporters that
have an interest in football.”
But there were still some hurdles to jump –
firstly, bringing in some revenue and setting up
a bank account. “There are a limited number
of banks that understand the community
benefit society,” says Mr Young, adding that the
44 | JUNE 2022

team eventually opted for Unity Trust, whose
knowledge of the model made conversion from
a limited company a simple one.
The society also had essential support from the
Football Supporters Association – formed from
a merger of the Football Supporters’ Federation
and Supporters Direct, which provided them
with templates for the community benefit society
model for football.
“The club probably wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t
for them, there was just too much to do on our
own starting from absolute scratch. They gave us
a lot support along the way.”
Other supporter owned clubs – especially
Chester, Wimbledon and FC United of
Manchester – have been helpful. “I can’t think
of a single question where people haven’t
come forward to give us an answer, whether
it’s running the mutual society side of things,
or technical details around taxation issues or
fundraising and capital raises or even just down
to the football club side of things.”
The supporter-owned model offers a useful
way to get the game back to its roots, says Mr
Young – especially “done right, with as much
engagement as possible”. Bury takes this right
down to the design of bobble hat for the club.
“It works well from a commercial perspective,
because by asking supporters to vote for and to
provide input into things that they buy, you get a
better result off the back of it.”
The same goes for the home and away kits,
put to a member vote on an alternating two-year
cycle. “We sell a lot more that way, which stands
to reason because we already know it’s popular.”
Mr Young says he is looking forward to the
outcome of the review of football, led by Tracey
Crouch MP, which was announced in response to
the European super league fiasco.
“Whether it comes through in the final wash is
another question, but she’s recommended that
certain key assets – like the name of the club,
the badge, those sorts of intellectual property
that everybody thinks should belong to the fans
– get placed into a community benefit society for
every club to keep it separate.”
This would put a statutory asset lock on this
intellectual property to save it from being asset
stripped by a club owner – meaning there is a
use for a mutual society in any club.
The next issue facing Bury is a massive one
– the question of what do about its historic
home in Gigg Lane, and whether or not to
merge with its owner. “That would take us out
of 100% ownership but there’s no two ways
about it, if we do, the agreement would be that
“THIS WAS A DEMOCRATIC
WAY OF RUNNING THE
BUSINESS, GOING FORWARD
ON A ONE MEMBER, ONE
VOTE BASIS. IT PUTS
CONTROL FIRMLY IN THE
HANDS OF SUPPORTERS”
were are still majority fan-owned and run.”
But there is a lot of legwork to do, with
members wanting to see a viable business plan,
with questions lingering around the desirability
of merging into shared ownership, and whether
or not the stadium is too big for the club’s needs.
“We’re working through it,” says Mr Young,
who understands the reservations but notes that
“the prize is going back to the old stadium”.
“We need to give people enough information
so that they feel they’re making an informed
decision off the back of it – whatever that
decision is. It’s a very big thing and we’ve got
emotions on both sides.”
Allowing people to make these decisions is a
co-op virtue. “I think there’s people that gasp
at the idea of giving over 1,000 members the
opportunity to make a decision like this,” says
Mr Young. “But you remind people on a regular
basis that that’s how you decided who runs the
whole of the UK.”
He adds: “So far, voting has been incredibly
rational, by diversifying the number of people
that are voting on a particular topic, rather than
it being concentrated in the hands of one or a
small number of people.”
For those who doubt the virtues of fan
ownership, he says: “Look what happened to
the old club – it went bust with tens of millions
of pounds worth of debt.”
p (Credit: Getty
Images/Visionhaus)
JUNE 2022 | 45

ICA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:
MEET THE THREE CANDIDATES
ARIEL GUARCO (ARGENTINA)
current president of the ICA who is
standing for re-election, nominated
by Confederación Cooperativa de
la República Argentina (Cooperar),
Argentina
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN CO-OPS?
I saw from a very early age that the life of my region moved
around co-ops. My mother developed her entire personal
and professional life in the Electric Cooperative of Coronel
Pringles, that provides electricity and multiple services to the
community. As a child I also knew the Cooperativa Obrera, a
consumer co-op where my parents used to buy everything and
of which I am still a member. As a co-op member and leader
of several entities, I have been able to verify the effectiveness
and value of this model throughout the whole world.
WHAT CO-OPS ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH?
At the end of the 80s I started to actively participate in the
electric co-operative of my city. In 1997 I was elected president
and promoted the strengthening of the federation (Fedecoba)
that integrates electric co-operatives in the province of Buenos
Aires. In 1998, I was elected president of the federation and
became its representative in Cooperar, where my colleagues
elected me to lead it in 2011. Cooperar is the Argentine apex
and from there I started my participation in the ICA.
WHAT IS YOUR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE
EXPERIENCE?
I was elected to the board of the ICA in 2013. In 2017, members
elected us to chair the ICA; in these four years I have lived
what co-ops mean for millions of people around the world
and the value of our movement and the ICA, which is our
common house, for international organisations and other
relevant actors.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO HELP THE ICA PROMOTE THE
CO-OPERATIVE IDENTITY?
We are going to continue working on the letter of our identity,
debating and reaching agreements that will allow us to
document everything that we understand represents us as an
economic and social model at the service of the communities.
The Co-operative Identity is the lighthouse that guides our
day-to-day work with members, communities, governments
and other actors of society with whom we have to develop
alliances to build a fairer, more inclusive and peaceful world.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO HELP THE ICA GROW THE
CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT?
We will deepen the economic, cultural and institutional
integration of the diversity of sectors and regions, which we
are translating into changes in ICA governance. We are going
to consolidate instruments such as ICETT and the World
Cooperative Monitor. And we will take advantage of the recent
signing of the International Social and Solidarity Economy
Coalition, which helps us to consolidate ties with public and
private actors committed to the co-operative model.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENABLE GREATER CO-OPERATION
AMONG CO-OPERATIVES?
We must continue to move forward with proposals that
reflect in the ICA’s own structure and governance the natural
capacity for inter-co-operation that our organisations have.
With an ICA based on the contribution of each of its members,
we will move steadily towards that goal.
WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT THE ICA
DURING YOUR TERM?
I believe we must continue to carry forward together the
transformations we have been undertaking in terms of
governance, closeness to our members, deepening our
identity and advocacy. This implies continuing with some
proposals that we have already discussed with the current
board and that we will surely be able to ratify during our
assembly in Seville and put into practice with those who are
elected to join the board.
46 | JUNE 2022

Cape Town, Kuala Lumpur, and Quebec, and at ICMIF’s
Biennial Conferences. Recently I was invited to speak at the
Graduate Institute of Co-operative Leadership meeting in
San Diego and at the Coops NZ Leaders’ Forum in Auckland.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO HELP THE ICA PROMOTE THE
CO-OPERATIVE IDENTITY?
MELINA MORRISON
nominated by Business Council of
Co-operatives and Mutuals, Australia
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN CO-OPS?
I was drawn to the co-operative movement through my work
in communications, learning about the power of co-operation
through the stories I wrote for co-op publications including the
ICA Digest. This became a passion for increasing awareness
through my advocacy roles such as executive director for the
International Year of Cooperatives in Australia in 2012. Ever
since I learned about the movement, I have wanted to share
this ‘best kept secret’ with others.
WHAT CO-OPS ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH?
As the chief executive of the apex body for co-ops and
mutuals in Australia, the Business Council for Co-operatives
and Mutuals, I am privileged to work with co-ops in different
industries from agriculture to banking and insurance,
housing, healthcare, retail, motoring, and fisheries. My
organisation has almost one hundred co-op members which
I work with directly. I am involved with co-operatives from
across the globe learning from the leaders in other countries.
WHAT IS YOUR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE
EXPERIENCE?
By its nature, working in the co-op movement is an
international endeavour. I am fortunate to work with
co-ops all over the world, including across Asia-Pacific. In
Australia we have always sought to draw from co-operative
best practice around the world. I have worked for the ICA
meeting co-operators from all over the world, and visiting
co-operatives in Sweden, France, Switzerland, Italy, UK, and
USA. I have spoken at ICA General Assemblies in Singapore,
I am co-vice chair of the ICA Cooperative Identity Advisory
Group (CIAG) working with colleagues from across the
world who are passionate about the Co-operative Identity
and how we can promote it. Co-operatives continue
to be disadvantaged by their lack of visibility right at
the time when they should be the preferred way to do
business. I would start by insisting on clear and consistent
communication about the influence and reach of
co-operatives and their power to do good.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO HELP THE ICA GROW THE
CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT?
Increasing the number, size and reach of co-ops will be at the
heart of what I would do. We must compete successfully. We
need to grow co-ops, grow the Alliance, and grow awareness of
our way of doing business. In Australia, I have demonstrated
I can achieve this by ensuring co-ops have better access to
capital and a more favourable policy environment. I have
grown the number of BCCM members ten-fold.
WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT THE ICA
DURING YOUR TERM?
The ICA needs to change radically and rapidly to meet the
pressures their members face and needs energetic leadership.
We should be at the top table in global conversations
with governments, opinion formers and international
organisations, demonstrating clearly what co-operatives can
do and why they should be treated the same as any other
type of business. The ICA needs to communicate better and
promote co-operatives effectively and consistently in all parts
of the world.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENABLE GREATER CO-OPERATION
AMONG CO-OPERATIVES?
Building on the strength of the regions and sectoral bodies
of the ICA, my plan is to foster deeper engagement between
co-operatives. A strong communication strategy will
encourage greater co-operation built on understanding more
about our movement.
THE 2022 ICA ELECTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE ICA GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON 20 JUNE IN
SEVILLE, SPAIN. THREE CANDIDATES ARE STANDING FOR THE ICA PRESIDENT POSITION AND 22
CANDIDATES ARE STANDING FOR 15 SEATS ON THE BOARD. FOR EXTENDED INTERVIEWS WITH THE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND Q&AS WITH EACH OF THE BOARD CANDIDATES, VISIT THENEWS.COOP/
ICAELECTIONS2022 >>>>>
JUNE 2022 | 47

intergovernmental meetings to promote the place of
co-operatives, including the launch of the international year
at the UN, the Addis Ababa conference on development,
and G20 summits.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO HELP THE ICA PROMOTE THE
CO-OPERATIVE IDENTITY?
JEAN-LOUIS BANCEL
current vice-president of the ICA,
nominated by Coop Fr, France
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN CO-OPS?
I was a civil servant at the Ministry of Finance; in 1993, I
was secretary general of the Groupement des Mutuelles
d’Assurances. In this capacity, I was involved in the
construction of the International Cooperative and Mutual
Insurance Federation (ICMIF) and the relaunch of the
ICA which was in a critical situation. Since that time I have
constantly engaged in the defence and promotion of cooperatives
in my country and in the world.
WHAT CO-OPS ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH?
After managing mutuals, for 16 years I was manager of the
benchmark bank for players in the social and solidarity
economy in our country. I am the president of our national
[co-op] federation (CoopFR). I created the Coop des Communs,
a structure to bring together the world of the commons and
that of co-operatives. I am also a co-founder of the Global
Innovation Coop Summit (GICS) to promote international
meetings between co-operators of all ages to reconcile cooperatives
and modernity.
WHAT IS YOUR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE
EXPERIENCE?
I have a long experience in the sector: I was president of
ICMIF, then president of the International Association
of Cooperative Banks. I was president of Cooperatives
Europe, and finally, I am a member of the ICA board
with different positions: vice-president, and president
of the Principles Committee. I have participated in many
of the ICA conferences and international summits and
By helping ‘real’ co-operatives to fight on equal terms against
‘false’ ones. Structures use the co-operative name without
being one. It is necessary to use means such as labels or
certifications so that the public perceives the concordance
between the label and the content. We will need all cooperative
leaders to lead this collective action. This does not,
however, prevent us from reflecting on the ways of expressing
our co-operative values and principles today in order to adapt
to changes in the world.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO HELP THE ICA GROW THE
CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT?
From experience, I know it is necessary to gather human
and financial resources. I would contribute work with the
European Commission to obtain a second multi-annual
partnership of several million euros, and would increase
our capacity for action with intergovernmental development
operators, such as the World Bank. In these institutions,
co-operatives are no longer in the front line as a tool for
social progress and ecological transition. I will also put my
experience as a banker to mobilise financial resources.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENABLE GREATER CO-OPERATION
AMONG CO-OPERATIVES?
Concrete actions are worth more than fine words. First of all,
by reinforcing a better knowledge of the co-operators among
themselves. Hence the desire to recreate the equivalent at the
Quebec International Summit of Cooperatives with the GICS.
WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT THE ICA
DURING YOUR TERM?
First of all, it will be necessary to carry out the mandate of
the General Assembly of Kuala Lumpur on the revision of the
ICA. I want to give the floor back to the members to ensure
that “unity is strength”. The concrete project that I would
like to see carried out in the field of education would be an
international training of leaders, in particular the younger
generations, to ensure transmission. I dream of a co-operative
INSEAD [a leading graduate business school].
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SEVILLE WILL BE PRECEDED BY AN INTERNATIONAL GATHERING FROM 19-22 JUNE,
HOSTED BY THE SPANISH CONFEDERATION OF WORKER COOPERATIVES. FOR THE FULL PROGRAMME AND TO
BOOK, VISIT SEVILLE2022.COM
48 | JUNE 2022

DIARY
Do you have a co-operative
event – taking place in
person, online, or as a
hybrid – to be featured?
Tell us at:
events@thenews.coop
UK Co-operative Congress
17-18 June (Birmingham, UK)
Under the theme ‘Empowering
Co-operation’, Congress aims to bring
together those working to build a fairer
economy to share ideas, get inspiration
and take action.
s.coop/2zybp
UK Co-op Fortnight
20 June - 3 July
Two weeks of co-ops of all shapes and
sizes coming together to show the power
of co-operation.
s.coop/2zycc
ICA General Assembly and event
19-22 June (Seville, Spain)
Hosted by the Spanish Confederation of
Worker Cooperatives in Seville, the event
will include workshops, a gala dinner,
tours, and the ICA General Assembly.
bit.ly/3IhUvqu
Rochdale Pioneers Museum Focus Group
22 June (via Zoom)
The museum is looking for guidance
on how more people can be involved
in selecting objects for display, and
exploring its collections, and wants input
from its users around the world.
email museum@heritagetrust.coop
Co-operative Solutions – Fuel Poverty
30 June 2022 (Online)
Co-operatives East Midlands & Cooperatives
West Midlands host this online
event 9.30am, following the AGM of CEM.
jdevilliers@btinternet.com
International Day of Co-operatives
2 July
International Day of Co-operatives events
2 July (Hebden Bridge, UK)
10.45am: Co-operative heritage walk led
by co-op historian Andrew Bibby. Free.
Meet foyer of Hebden Bridge Town Hall.
1.30pm-4.30pm Conference: Co-operatives
work! Another economy is possible, plus
workshops and stalls, at the Waterfront
Hall, Hebden Bridge Town Hall. Free, with
pre-booking advisable
7.30pm Co-operation Concert with the
Commoners’ Choir. Trades Club, £9/£6.
Day’s events organised by Calderdale Cooperative
Association.
caldercoops@gmail.com
Playground for the New Economy
12-14 July (Devon)
Stir to Action’s Playground for the New
Economy Festival is returning to its
residential campus at Selgars Mill in Mid
Devon for three days of panels, workshops,
open space, virtual reality experiences,
sustainable food, and live music.
stirtoaction.com/festival
Co-operative Press AGM
25 July, 6pm (Online)
The annual meeting of Co-operative Press,
the co-op which publishes Co-op News.
thenews.coop/AGM2022
UKSCS Annual Conference
26-28 August (Lincoln)
The first in-person UK Society for
Co-operative Studies conference since
2019 will take place at Lincoln University
and explore the theme: Consumer cooperatives:
past, present and future.
bit.ly/3EU3ahM
World Credit Union Conference
17-20 July (Glasgow)
The World Council of Credit Unions will cohost
its conference with the Association of
British Credit Unions Limited (ABCUL).
wcuc.org
Co-op Party Conference
8-9 October (Leeds)
Co-operative Party’s showcase and the
largest political online gathering of the
year for the UK co‐operative movement.
party.coop/event/annconf022
ICMIF Centenary Conference
25-28 October 2022 (Rome)
The ICMIF Centenary Conference will be
hosted by the Unipol Group, an ICMIF’s
founding member, in Rome, where the
organisation was formed.
icmif.org/icmif-conference/
50 | JUNE 2022

17–18 June 2022
The Eastside Rooms
Woodcock Street
Birmingham B7 4BL
Book your places now at
www.uk.coop/congress
#COOPCONGRESS