Cooperatives Yorkshire and Humber

Co-operatives YH Report to Members at its Annual General Meeting

Over 50 people attended Fast Forward 09, held in Sheffield last month. Participants heard from a thought-provoking panel of speakers including Bob Cannell (SUMA), Cath Muller (Footprint), Alex Sobel (SEYH) and Shaun Cohen (Yorkshire Forward). Co-operatives YH Annual General Meeting received an annual activity report, including details of promotional activity such as regional events, newsletters and a new website. The last 12 months has seen steady growth and development of Co-operatives YH. The full report to members is available at www.cooperatives-yh.coop/node/210.

Members elected a Board of Directors as follows: Jean Miller (Chair) – National Guild of Co-operators; Pete Teleha (Secretary) – SUMA wholefoods; Graham Mitchell (Vice Chair) - MC3 and Slaithwaite Cooperative; Alan Dootson (co-opted) (Treasurer) - Sheffield Co-operative Development Group; Bob McAteer – South Yorkshire Credit Union; Robert Pepper – Huddersfield Supporters Trust; Steve Thompson – North Regional Board, the Co-operative Group; Vic Berry - Agency for Community Empowerment. John Goodman (Co-operatives UK) and Linda Gomila (the Co-operative Group North Region) regularly attend Board meetings. www..cooperatives-yh.coop/about-co-operatives-yh

Advice & Training: Free support for co-operative enterprise
Up to four days free consultancy support for new and existing co-operatives is available from a programme funded by the Co-operative Group. The Advice and Training programme enables co-operatives throughout the region to receive expert support to develop as successful co-operative businesses. The programme is managed by Co-operative and Mutual Solutions, and involves several other experienced co-operative consultancies including Co-operative Business Consultants and SECOD. Support can include help with business planning, feasibility studies, legal and governance advice. Co-ops can apply on-line to receive up to four days of support, plus all costs of incorporation. www.co-operative.coop/Enterprisehub/Advice-and training.

Social Enterprise Festive Network Meeting
15th December, 2pm at Riverside House, Sheffield. For all members of Generate South Yorkshire. Please book places on http://seyhfestive.eventbrite.com/

The Fair Traders Co-operative invites members and investors
The Fair Traders Co-operatives is "a fair trade community cooperative, accountable in all we do and selling a quality range of affordable ethical products that have a positive impact on people and the planet. Every product we sell, every supplier we work with will have undergone our own sustainability assessment minimizing damage to the environment and assessing their level of lasting economic benefits." Wooldale Co-operative Society are supporting this new co-operative which has just launched its share offer. The Fair Traders Co-operative is based in Holmfirth and welcomes members worldwide - united in a desire to exercise 'consumer power' to fight climate threat and help those less fortunate than themselves. Contact info@thefairtraderscooperative.co.uk to receive a share offer document to invest from £20 upwards.  www.thefairtraderscooperative.co.uk

Co-operative Fortnight
Co-operatives UK is launching Co-operative Fortnight, which will run from June 19th to July 3rd 2010. It is intended to be a groundbreaking initiative in which people from across the co-operative movement are brought together and mobilised to promote the relevance and success of co-operative business. The model for Co-operative Fortnight is based on Fairtrade Fortnight, Co-operative Week in Canada and Co-op Month in the USA . At a central level, Co-operatives UK - with key members and sponsors – will develop the Co-operative Fortnight brand, theme and key messages and a set of resources. These resources will then be made available to co-operatives and their members to use to promote co-operation at a regional and local level. At this stage we want to get ideas from members of Co-operatives UK about key messages, activities and possible resources that you would want as part of Co-operative Fortnight. It will only take a few minutes to complete this short, and incredibly helpful, survey. http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform-formkey=dEp6TTJJVmVfcXBfODY2T2FwWkZ3N0E6MA

Social Enterprise YH members elect a new Board of Directors
Graham Mitchell, vice chair of Co-operatives YH, has been elected to the Board of Social Enterprise YH. Other Directors successful in the contested election held at SEYH's AGM earlier this month are: Neil Berry - Development Trusts Association; Neil King - CERT; Morgan Killick - ESP Projects; Paula Denison -SESC; Kathryn Sowerby - Goodwin Development Trust; Colin Harrison - Electroville; Tosin Okuzu - Activ8 Leeds; Gary Whitaker - Active Regen. www.seyh.org.uk

SocIal EnteRprises European NEtwork for Training: IRENE.T
The Co-operative College are pleased to inform co-operatives of their
involvement in a transnational project along with 14 european partners.
IRENE.T invites social enterprises to join the network and reap the benefits over the next few years. The vision of the project is to be 'The Place in Europe where Social Enterprises and Training meet'. Contact Chris Cooper on www.irenet@co-op.ac.uk or visit www.irenetwork.eu

Global recognition for co-operatives
The Co operative Press and The Phone Co-op were recognised as outstanding co operatives at the dotCoop Awards held during the International Co operative Alliance General Assembly in Geneva , last month. The Co-operative Press Limited, received its award in acknowledgement of its overall contribution to the co operative movement in the UK and the world as the oldest co operatively-owned newspaper. The dotCoop Global Awards are given to those co operatives who demonstrate a strong commitment to the co operative business model. DotCoop also looked for co ops whose missions and practices clearly demonstrate co operative values, especially in their websites. The three overall winners in the large, medium and small categories respectively were Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative, a fertilizer production and distribution cooperative with some 55 million members; National Cooperative Grocers Association, a co operatively owned trade association for US food co ops; and Pachamama Coffee Cooperative, a co operative owned by 150,000 coffee farmers worldwide.

Co-op Housing Commission calls for housing co operatives in every town, village and community.

The national Commission on Co operative and Mutual Housing has called for residents of every town, village and community in England to have access to co operative or mutual housing options as part of the mainstream housing system by 2030.The call is made in the Commission's final report 'Bringing Democracy Home' after 18 months weighing the evidence provided by independent research and hearings with political parties and civil servants, the financial sector, co operatives (including Co-operatives NW hearing), housing organisations, local authorities and key individuals.

Commission Chair and Building Societies Association Director-General, Adrian Coles, explains: "The Commission's report concludes that the English housing system would be an ideal policy arena in which co operative and mutual approaches could be expanded to bring the UK in line with most other European countries which have far more developed sectors. Unlike the UK with 0.6 percent of housing as co operatives or mutuals, in Sweden it's 18 percent, 15 percent in Norway , 8 percent in Austria , 6 percent in Germany and 4 percent in Ireland ."Independent research for the Commission has found that co operative and mutual housing has consistently produced a range of benefits including above average resident satisfaction ratings and sound housing management performance. Benefits extend beyond the performance indicators: people who live in democratically owned or managed housing take more responsibility, and feel a greater sense of belonging, identity and ownership. www.ccmh.coop/news/launch-final-report

Welsh Assembly group forms to find co-operative solutions
Welsh Assembly Members of all parties have come together to find co-operative solutions to Wales' economic challenges. The Assembly Cross-party Group on Co-operatives and Mutuals was formed on 25 November. The group will meet regularly to address topics such as Farmers' Co-operatives, The Welsh Housing Mutual, Mutual Funds for small business investment and the Credit Union movement in Wales .

Co-operative Trust schools form national network
A special network to support the rapidly growing cooperative trust school sector was formally launched at a conference in Manchester last month. In the 18 months since the first cooperative trust school was established at Reddish Vale, near Stockport , 26 schools have formed 15 different trusts and a further 120 schools are committed to the idea. Each trust is set up as a cooperative and in turn each one will be a member of the network, which is also being established as a cooperative with the school members driving the network. The network will enable heads, governors and representatives from existing and prospective cooperative trust schools to share experiences, best practice and develop ideas and services for member schools. Speakers at the conference included: Steve Munby, Chief Executive, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services; John Chowcat, Chief Executive, Association of Professionals in Education and Children's Trusts; Phil Revell, Chief Executive, National Governors Association and Karen Mort from the Foundation & Aided Schools National Association.

Co-operative sectors in Scotland, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland

Co-operative Development Scotland have published a report titled ‘A comparative analysis of co-operative sectors in Scotland , Finland , Sweden and Switzerland ’, written by Johnston Birchall. The report was commissioned to increase knowledge of how co-operative sectors developed in Scotland and three comparator countries. It enhances understanding of the opportunities and challenges for developing co-operatives in Scotland . www.cdscotland.co.uk/cds-research

UnLtd Advantage Growth and Replication training programme
24th and 25th February 2010, Tiger 11, Leeds, LS11 8ND.
UnLtd Advantage are offering "The Ultimate Growth and Replication ‘Two Day Intensive Development Programme’ for Leaders & Senior Managers wanting to take their Social Business to the Next Level". This two day intensive training programme will be invaluable if you are seeking to diversify and increase your product range, to disseminate good practice or to franchise your enterprise or organisation. Cost: £250 (including full two day programme, overnight accommodation, meal and evening networking event). Contact fernyates@unltd.org.uk, 01274 750 630 to obtain a booking form and programme. www.unltd.org.uk/advantageevents

Funding: UnLtd Sport Relief: Make It Happen Awards
This programme has funding for young people (11 to 21 year olds) to start up their own social projects using sport, recreation and the arts. Between £500 and £10,000 is available. The aim of the programme is to stimulate young people to become social entrepreneurs and help improve their communities by giving them money to start their own social projects. The programme is open to young people who are 11-21yr olds, would like to run their own project using sport and recreational activities or the arts and can make a difference in their community by solving issues and bringing people together. Contact Lucy on 07545 933 816 or lucywood@unltd.org.uk. www.unltdsportrelief.com

Funding: Cultivating Enterprise programme
The Cultivating Enterprise programme is designed to contribute towards growing the next generation of community enterprises. The programme provides support to community enterprises at the earliest stage of development, offering a flexible package that can be customised to meet the specific needs of development trusts and other community organisations. Its focus is on 'prebusiness support' and in ensuring that community organisations have the internal capacity to successfully embrace enterprise. The primary benefits of the programme are: A specialist diagnostic assessment; Dedicated business support from our SFEDI* accredited social enterprise advisors; Access to financial support up to £5,000; Signposting to other sources of funding; Access to other DTA resources where appropriate (e.g. small grants for visits, mentoring arrangements). www.dta.org.uk/enterprise

Co-operatives Yorkshire & the Humber is funded by the Co-operative Enterprise Hub.