Co-op News November 2022

WORKER CO-OPS
Queer co-op venue calls
on community to save it
from closure
Bonjour, a worker-owned queer club and
community space in Glasgow, is calling
for support to save it from closure.
In an online statement, Bonjour said
that since it opened its doors in 2021, it
has "weathered various storms", with the
rising cost of energy being the latest.
"Recently, these financial factors have
hit us hard. We have struggled to absorb
the costs of backdated rent payments
resulting from the pandemic, unforeseen
closures related to plumbing issues on
Saltmarket and the high cost of security
staffing - something which is essential to
our venue in order to keep our community
members safe."
Due to these pressures, Bonjour, which
prioritises underrepresented groups in
the LBGTQ+ community, such as people of
colour, trans and nonbinary people, and
queer women, will now only be open for
events, and has increased drinks prices.
"The co-op board is assessing all
options to save the business," it added.
"We're facing the reality that we may have
to close. We have no intention of giving up
without a fight and we're reaching out to
ask for help."
As well as holding fundraising events,
Bonjour has launched a membership
scheme to raise funds, in returns for
benefits including access to exclusive
digital content, a quarterly zine and riso
prints.
Bonjour is also encouraging supporters
to get in touch with their MSPs and MPs.
"We want [MSPs and MPs] to
understand how much Bonjour means to
the community and ask that Scotland does
more to support co-operative community
driven businesses like ours," said Bonjour.
To support Bonjour visit ko-ji.com/
bonjourglasgow
October Books makes a call for more member investors
October Books, an independent bookshop
which is now a community benefit society
in Southampton, is running a £175,000
share offer to secure its long-term future
and expand its services. Alongside the
share offer, it is converting £171,346 of
existing loans tock to shares. bit.ly/3fena6u
Central England shoppers save 100,000 meals from waste
A partnership Central England Co-op and
food saving app Too Good To Go has now
saved over 100,000 meals from going
to waste. The scheme, run by a number
of retail co-ops, allows customers and
members to purchase bags of discounted
food which would otherwise go to waste.
It is in operation across all the retail
society's 260 food stores.
Organiclea community farm hosts pre-school visits
North London worker co-op OrganicLea,
which grows food on a 12-acre at Chingford
in the Lea Valley, is holding winter
Forest Time sessions for pe-schoolers,
with woodland activities. Sessions take
place Friday and Tuesday mornings
9.45am - 11.45am, offering a naturebased
exploration based in free play &
community-building, using crafts,
stories, songs and games. bit.ly/3/bTfM9
Southern launches rehab scheme for retail offenders
Southern Co-op has launched a
partnership with Portsmouth Council, the
police and charity the Society of St James,
which will use positive intervention
to tackle retail crime. It will appoint a
"navigator" to work with local services
to identify prolific offenders, and offer
treatment and support to break free from
a cycle of offending.
Radstock Co-op gives £25k to food causes from bag levy
Somerset retail society Rads tock Co-op has
distributed £25,000 to local food causes
from the Sp carrier bag levy. Organisations
receiving support include schools, food
pantries and community gardens. CEO
Don Morris said: "The aim is to empower
and educate the local community to
become self-reliant while ensuring they
have access to essential food supplies."
NOVEMBER 2022 I 13