Co-operatives to organise organics debate

Unicorn Grocery and the Kindling Trust are to hold an event - Global Crisis: Organic Response - featuring key food activists from the organic movement. It will be an evening that looks at why organic production is not seen as a more crucial element of our response to climate change and the impact of the economic crisis.

It will feature presentations and question time with Patrick Holden, Director of The Soil Association; Susanne Padel, Research Associate of The University of Wales; Lawrence Woodward, Director of Elm Farm Organic Research Centre.

The event is at the Mechanics Institute, Manchester, on Monday 27th April, 6.30 to 9.3o. Free entry.

For further information ring 0161 226 4440 or visit www.kindling.org.uk or www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk

Ged's Cow! - worker co-operative's winning photo

In September 2008, Ged Cruice was quietly ruminating in the Land Rover of his worker co-operative, Environmental Fieldwork, somewhere in a boggy field in Greater Manchester. To his surprise a black and white visitor joined him to chew the cud and have a spot of lunch. Ged's work over that week opened up the glorious countryside for less able people. Now everyone can experience all this nature up close and personal with Daisy the cow and other domesticated ungulates.

The photo is the North West winner of the Social Enterprise Coalition's photo competition. It is being exhibited at the Contemporary Urban Centre in London, will be framed and hung in the Office of the Third Sector's offices and is available as part of The Times Online's slideshow here.

www.environmental-fieldwork.co.uk

Dulas develops solar powered DVD player

Dulas – a worker co-operative of engineers, project managers and consultants developing renewable energy technology – has developed a solar powered DVD player for campaigning organisations to use in remote areas.

Dulas originally developed the prototype for SafeHands for Mothers, a campaign that provides support and training to frontline health workers in countries where maternal mortality and morbidity rates are high.

The solar DVD player can be used in remote areas where there is no electricity supply. Local health workers use the DVD to provide training in all aspects of pregnancy from prenatal to postnatal care.Dulas – a member of Co-operativesUK and winner of the Queens Award for Enterprise in 2004 and the Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy 2008 – works all over the world, helping to get renewable energy technology to those who need it.

As well as solar DVD players, Dulas manufactures and supplies solar-powered vaccine fridges for the safe transportation of vaccines to remote areas in Africa, Asia and Latin America and supplies water pumping systems and rural electrification for off-grid villages in remote areas across the world.

http://www.dulas.org.uk/

Jack Drum gets Art Council support

Jack Drum Arts – a North East based artists’ co-operative – has received generous Arts Council funding, enabling them to offer two new shows for young audiences (and their families) to venues and festivals across the UK.

The funding will enable the co-operative to contract a new ensemble of actors for 3 months, employ a guest director and designer, and give performances to 700 children and go on tour.

There are two shows on offer. ‘From Cinders to Tatters’ explores the different versions of Cinderella inspired by Bartolome Esteban Murillo’s extraordinary genre paintings of street children in 17th century Seville, and the rich traditions of Gypsy Romany Travellers.

‘The Three Bears Out & About’ explores what happens when we do something we shouldn’t do or when we go somewhere we shouldn’t go? It puts a new twist on a familiar tale exploring what it feels like to enter the unknown, to be out of your comfort zone.

http://jackdrum.co.uk/

Community investment seminars

Community owned enterprises will benefit from an exciting new government-backed initiative which aims to stimulate investment through community share and bond issues - Community Shares - promoting enterprise, equity and engagement through community shares and bonds.

Community investment is different. Instead of turning to the private sector and wealthy individuals for support, community investment is about engaging communities to invest in themselves. By harnessing the collective investment powers of whole communities, large amounts of capital can be raised in small sums from members of the community.

This new two year action research project will create a more robust evidence base on the potential for community share and bonds issues to increase community empowerment, grow social enterprises and support wider Government objectives. It will support 10 enterprises raising equity in this way.

Awareness raising will take place in London on Wednesday 22 April 2009, Birmingham on Tuesday 28 April 2009, Manchester on Wednesday 29 April 2009.

Cost is £30 inc. VAT (£25.50 plus VAT) includes all materials, lunch and refreshments.
Bookings for the seminars can be made online at http://www.communityshares.org.uk/

Free advice for new community hydros

Due to overwhelming interest in community owned hydro schemes, Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) is running a series of free workshops for community groups wanting to set up small-scale community owned hydros.

“These workshops will provide people with an A-Z to setting up a community hydro scheme, from having the initial idea through to producing green electricity" says Steve Welsh of h2oPE.

Click here to read more

Call on G20 to put people first

Co-operativesUK is encouraging its members to support calls on G20 leaders, when they meet in London on 2 April, to put people first by providing decent jobs and public services for all, an end to global inequalities of wealth and power, and a green economy.

In a week of action in the run up to the G20 Summit, development NGOs, trade unions, faith groups, anti-poverty campaigners and international social movements are uniting to make their voices heard. The Put People First campaign is being led by the long-standing Oxford-based worker co-operative, New Internationalist.

“Co-operatives are founded on values of equality and solidarity and they believe in social responsibility, caring for others and protecting the environment,” says Dame Pauline Green, Chief Executive of Co-operativesUK. “The G20 Summit in London is a terrific opportunity to get our message across that more should be done to end global inequality, provide fair employment opportunities for all and help protect the planet.

Click here to read more

http://www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk/

BrightKidz - 5 years keeping children safe

Kettering-based worker co-operative BrightKidz celebrated its fifth anniversary yesterday with gifts of soft toys in fluorescent jackets for children at a local school.

BrightKidz provides information about walk to school schemes and supply fluorescent, reflective products for children as well as products to promote walking, cycling, road safety and sustainability events and campaigns.

In just five years it has grown from a home-based, one-woman project to an established, self-sustaining worker co-operative employing nine staff and offering hundreds of exciting 'high vis' products.

BrightKidz founder Alison Holland said, "To mark our fifth anniversary of trading we presented children from Park Junior School – actually our very first customer five years ago – with toy high vis puppies, reflectors and pencils."

The co-operative works directly with thousands of local children, teaching them how to be safe and seen and encouraging them to get involved in walk to school schemes. Clients include many local authorities, members of the public, schools, businesses such as The Co-operative Group and the Department for Transport.

Alison says, “I think our success is due to the fun way we make it safer and more attractive for parents to let their children walk and cycle, which is good for everyone. We hope the next five years will bring us even more success."

http://www.brightkidz.co.uk/

First Fairtrade Palestinian olive oil

A co-operative has launched the UK's first Fairtrade olive oil made in Palestinian farms. Zaytoun's Fairtrade, organic olive oil is a high quality product that offers small-scale farmers, often working under extreme conditions, a fair price, a chance to expand and improve their production, and the opportunity to sustain a livelihood with dignity and security.

Zaytoun is a distinctive business - it's a co-operative which has the Palestinian olive oil producers and farmers on its board, directly having a say over the direction of the business in the UK.

As Cathi Pawson, co-founder of Zaytoun says, the business is all about creating international links through trade rather than aid. "Aid donations, while necessary, rarely foster foundations for long-term prosperity and social revitalisation. To date, our trade with the Palestinian people has brought well over £1 million to their economy, and support for rural society."

As Abu Suleiman, one of the Zaytoun Palestinian farmers producing the oil says: "The olive trees root and anchor us in our land, provide a sense of belonging, home and hope. Investing in olive oil is investing in our future."

http://www.zaytoun.org/

Wool Clip bucks the economic trend

The Wool Clip is a Cumbria-based co-operative of sheep farmers, spinners, dyers, knitters, feltmakers, weavers and other wool workers set up in 2001 in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis to add value to local wool and to market members' products.

Since then it has been selling yarn and woollen goods from its shop in The Priest's Mill at Caldbeck. However, growing demand for Wool Clip's products has led to the co-operative moving into larger premises.

When a larger unit in The Priest's Mill became available, Wool Clip grabbed the opportunity to expand, opening their new shop in February this year.

"I don't know whether it is a return to traditional crafts by younger people or the option of cheaper winter warmth from throws and scarves, hats and bed socks," said one founder member, Pam Hall. "We have had lots of new interest."

The expansion comes quickly after Wool Clip won the North West Women in Business 2009 social enterprise award in January.

http://www.woolclip.com/