Help from Co-operatives UKJuly 2nd, 2012 6 comments

Co-operatives UK is at the heart of a national network of co-operative specialists working to develop more and stronger co-operative enterprises. They are your first port of call if you are thinking of starting a co-operative and provide a range of publications and online tools, developed by co‑operative specialists, so you can run your co‑operative well.

 

They provide really good, free, downloadable step by step guides to making your enterprise idea a reality, so you know what to expect and who to talk to at each stage of development. To contact the legal team call 0161 246 2900 or email them at legal@uk.coop.

Once your co‑operative is up and running you can apply for membership of Co‑operatives UK. An overview of member benefits is available here.

 

 

 

Co-operatives UK are not to be confused with the Co-operative Group, a commercial entity that includes the supermarkets etc. However the 2 organisations do work together, and the Co-op Group offer some support too.

For example, at the moment the Co-op Group’s Enterprise Hub offers 4 days of free business advisor time to fledgling/developing co-ops, using local independent business advisors.  They also say that “Loans are available without security or personal guarantees”.

 

If you have received help from this organisation, please let us all know what you think of their services using the rating and comments below…

 

Websites: www.uk.coop and www.co-operative.coop

Main image source: OrganicLea market stall (a co-op) courtesy of Sophie Tomlinson

 

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Tags   Cooperatives

6 Comments

1. 

   Geoff Ryall

   July 22, 2012 at 4:40 pm · Reply

   Just to emphasise – in the text – although the Co-operative Group is a commercial entity it is run on completely different lines from the Big Four supermarkets as it is run by its members for the benefit of its members. It has no shareholders. Any profit is divided amongst its members.

2. 

   Laurence Snook

   July 24, 2012 at 2:35 pm · Reply

   After the four days of hub advice I still need more. Where can I find someone to help to organise, set up, register and get going?
   The main problem seems to be over the complexity of community shares needed to fund the Community Supported Agriculture structure we find essential to progress and skilled knowledge seems not to be readily available and the Hub advice and now Unltd seem to be reluctant to help further.
   Anyone know of someone who can advice on this and all other issues for setting up a BenCom?
   Thanks

3. 

   Admin (Shane Hughes)

   July 24, 2012 at 4:48 pm · Reply

   The Soil Association has a small team supporting people who want to set up CSA http://www.soilassociation.org/communitysupportedagriculture I might sound silly now but what’s a BenCom?

   Also Growing Communities have their start up programme http://www.growingcommunities.org/start-ups/ think you’ve just missed one event but may be others…

   There’s also Making Local Food Work http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/

   ….oh and nearly forgot… for just 30 quid we’re going to have some great sessions on ‘how to set up a food enterprise”, from people who are doing it as well as some support orgs. If you haven’t already, see https://www.facebook.com/events/300532413364824/

4. 

   Chris

   July 24, 2012 at 7:41 pm · Reply

   Hi

   I’d suggest using the somerset.coop CSA rules (they are fab!):

   http://somerset.coop/sites/default/files/IPS%20Model%20rules%20CSA.pdf

   http://somerset.coop/somersetrules

   They are for a IPS bona fide co-operative rather than a IPS bencom but I think a bencom is the wrong model for a CSA project:

   Industrial and provident society (IPS) community benefit society (also known as ‘society for the benefit of the community’ or ‘bencom’), Industrial and provident society (IPS) co-operative (also known as ‘bona fide co-operative’) are the two main co-operative legal structures. The difference between the two is in the stakeholder groups that the society is set up to benefit. An IPS co-operative is set up to benefit its members, whereas a IPS community benefit society is set up to benefit the community more widely, whether people are members or not. http://www.getlegal.org.uk/the-legal-journey/legal-forms-in-detail/industrial-and-provident-societies.html

   This matter was discussed at length in Sheffield when http://hazelhurst.coop/ was set up, see:

   http://wiki.transitionsheffield.org.uk/Hazelhurst_CSA_Rules

   And on the matter of bencom vs bona fide co-op:

   http://wiki.transitionsheffield.org.uk/Talk:Somerset_Rules_CSA#Dividends

   Hope this helps!

   Chris

5. 

   Chris Hull

   July 26, 2012 at 8:59 am · Reply

   Hi Lawrence,

   I helped set up Norwich Farmshare, which is a CSA. WE have been running for just short of 18 months, and have 105 members.
   Your welcome to give me a call and have a chat if it’s of any use.

   01603 664928

   Chris

6. 

   rajiv

   May 5, 2013 at 9:37 am · Reply

   We have set up a cooperative (4 of us) we got support from Coop UK in order to help us setup and take our documentation to the next level.
   We need help to raise some Finances to take our first baby steps (we are South-east based, Berkshire)
   Any suggestions where can we access some initial grant / funding from.

   Our Business is Conflict Resolution / Mediation.
   Many thanks friends