No. 171 THE SHEFFIELD CO-OPERATIVE PARTY NEWSPAPER THE CO-OPERATIVE PARTY CELEBRATES ITS CENTENARY 100 YEARS OF CO-OPERATION A WARM WELCOME TO THE BEST WISHES: A MESSAGE SHEFFIELD CO-OPERATOR TO THE CO-OPERATOR Shefeld Co-operative Party published was only in power for 6 years) it could be Te frst edition of the Shefeld Co-op- the Shefeld Co-operator every month considered that the Labour Government erator carried this message; from May 1922 to July 1939. Tere were made a good start. But that has now all 170 editions in all, with a circulation of been overturned, even the most bacon- “All good wishes to the “Shefeld 30,000. Tis edition, the 171st, has been sidered that the Labour Government Co-operator” for a useful and prosper- published to celebrate the centenary of made a good start. But that has now ous career in carrying the message of the Co-operative Party 1917 - 2017. all been overturned, even the most ba- co-operation to the electors of Shefeld. During the 1920s and 1930s the sic services have been privatised, run for Te voters of this country have listened Co-operator not only criticised the pow- the purpose of generating private wealth, long enough to the voice of the capital- ers that be, but put forward constructive undermining the integrity and quality of ist preaching through press and Parlia- suggestions to the end that “the Co-op- the services. Te public are paying com- ment the false doctrine of self-interest erative system should be substituted for pany shareholders, middlemen; a dream and proft-making, which is destroying the Competitive one in local and nation- come true for the rich and idle. the world. It is time for co-operation to al afairs.” Perhaps the most successful example speak in the home and the house. May of common ownership, although some- it have a strong voice in the “Shefeld COMMON OWNERSHIP thing which has now been lost is Mu- Co-operator.” nicipal Ownership. In the 1890s Shef- - A. Honora Enfeld. (National Secre- Te need to encourage community in- feld tramways (later buses), markets, tary, Women’s Co-operative Guild). itiatives as an alternative to private in- electricity, water, education, parks, and terests is as vital today as ever. In 1652 council housing and services were all in Tough twritten almost 100 years ago, at the time of the English Revolution, municipal ownership. Tey were owned Honora Enfeld’s words are just as relev- Gerrard Winstanley wrote a pamphlet and controlled by the people of Shef- ent today as they were then. entitled ‘Te Law of Freedom’. In his feld through their elected council. It view, true human dignity would be pos- is important to note that until recently, sible only when communal ownership people working in these services were was established. Land was in the hands directly employed by Shefeld Council. CO-OPERATORS ELECTED of the inheritors of the Norman inva- Tis promoted integrity, quality, prop- sion. Tis gave them complete power to er working conditions, and none of the control people, increase their personal shoddiness of proft driven enterprises. IN RECORD NUMBERS wealth and in turn further increase their Te ratepayers did not have to pay mid- power. Te victims of this were the peo- dlemen (profteers). Municipal owner- Following a strong 2017 General Elec- co-operative values at Westminster. ple, the 99%. Land has the capacity to ship was helped by certain well meaning tion campaign, a record number of MPs produce food, but ownership gave the individuals who made gifts to the people from the Co-operative Party have been NOT WAITING FOR WHITEHALL landowners the power to withhold pro- of Shefeld, people like J.G. Graves. elected to Parliament. Not only did the duction, and the people were starving. In the years between the wars, the party retain all of its existing MPs on in- It is important to remember however, Winstanley’s view, novel at the time, was Conservatives and Liberals joined forc- creased majorities, it was able to add nine that Labour did not win a majority, and that people should lay claim to land, cul- es to campaign for the city to get rid of further co-operative voices to parlia- the Conservatives are still in governmnt, tivate it, and eat. the council employees and instead to ment, making the Co-operative Party the albeit propped up by the Democratic Ownership gives political control. It contract private businesses to deliver third largest party in Westminster with Unionist Party of Northern Ireland, with can be in the hands of private interests to services. Te electorate resolutely voted 38 MPs. a slim majority. increase personal wealth at the expense Labour and kept the afairs of the city in Among those elected were Tat is why the Co-operative Party of the 99%. Or it can be in communal public control. Shadow International Development have decided that it is no longer appro- ownership where work carries integrity Common ownership has not endured. Minister Kate Osamor, who held Ed- priate to “Wait For Whitehall” to make because the outcome of that work sup- Political resistance by private interests monton with 71.5% of the vote, and Jon the necessary reforms to local govern- plies genuine needs, and surplus is not campaigning through the Conservative Ashworth, the Shadow Health Minister ment. At its June conference in Birming- needed to pay idle speculators. Party have proved too great. But this who held Leicester South with 73.5%. ham, the Party launched its “6 Steps to Keir Hardie, frst Chair of the Inde- should not signal defeat for ‘collectivism’. Te Party was able to welcome back Building Community Wealth,” a policy pendent Labour Party (founded in 1893) Centralised public ownership is not the David Drew, who returned to Parlia- document which outlines the ways that and also the frst Chair of the Labour only way (although it has an important ment as the Member for Stroud, having local authorities can adopt to co-opera- Party made clear in his book ‘From Serf- role to play). previously held the seat from 1997-2010. tive approaches to working. Tis includes dom to Socialism’; “Te economic object New MPs included Ged Killen (Ruth- adopting Co-operative Polical Lead- of Socialism, therefore is to make land THE CO-OPERATIVE PARTY erglen and Hamilton West) and Paul ership at Council level, creating new and industrial capital common proper- Sweeney (Glasgow North East), who Co-operative Development Groups and ty, and to cease to produce for the proft Tere is a valuable role for the co-opera- together form a frm base for a progres- Anchor Institutions, and using progres- of the landlord and the capitalist and to tive model of collective ownership. It has sive revival in Scotland. Joining them are sive procurement. begin to produce for the use of commu- proved successful in challenging the mo- Anneliese Dodds (Oxford East), Alex At the recent Labour Party Confer- nity.” nopoly of private enterprise in the 19th Norris (Nottingham North), Luke Pol- ence, Shadow Chancellor John McDon- But how can communal or common and 20th centuries. lard (Plymouth Sutton and Devonport), nell promised that if Labour were to win ownership be organised when there is Tere was an urgent and immedi- Jo Platt (Leigh), Lloyd Russell-Moyle an election, he would oversee a huge ex- so much resistance from private inter- ate need for co-operatives when private (Brighton Kemptown), and Alex Sobel pansion of the co-operative sector. ests? Te Labour Party got its chance commerce and industry were abusing (Leeds North West) Te Co-operator encourages all of its in 1945 and introduced nationalisation their monopoly power. Te Movement’s All of of the successful candidates readers to read this document, and for which served a valuable purpose, but it strength has been built upon group sol- should be applauded for their fne eforts Shefeld Council to consider ways in had its faws. In the circumstances, and idarity and support for other co-opera- throughout the election campaign, and which it can adopt some of its sensible within the time scale available (Labour tives, promoting social wellbeing, deliv- should be further encouraged to spread and level headed proposals. together? Joined up Heritage is working THE CO-OP PARTY HAS to develop a strategic plan for heritage STRONG ROOTS IN SHEFFIELD LETTERS TO THE EDITOR across the city and raise funding for train- A JOINED UP HERITAGE not alone. Tere are over 2,000 events ing groups in the skills needed for run- “Co-operation is a theory of society STRATEGY FOR SHEFFIELD a year. Many cities across the globe ning their local groups. Heritage Lot- and therefore a legitimate basis for a have used heritage and the reuse of the tery funding to provide apprenticeships political party.” I was trying to visualise in my mind buildings to spark regeneration. Across in building restoration and retro-ftting what it must have been like at the start Shefeld there are good examples of this (making a building greener). Arts fund- Tis quote was made at the Swansea of the Co-operative Party. As a histori- such as Portland Works and Regather. ing to help create local festivals. Using Congress of the Co-operative Move- an I know that in 1917 times were hard. Others wait in the wings such as Save heritage to boost neighbourhood morale ment in 1917, by Mr W T Allen, Chair Te war was obviously not going to end Mount Pleasant, Friends of Meersbrook and encourage tourism as Manor Lodge of the meeting, where the Co-operative quickly and for many the constitutional- Hall and Friends of Abbeyfeld Park. has. Reftting buildings with profes- Party was created. Te Co-operative ly illegal conscription the year before had Joined up Heritage grew from discus- sional kitchens that can be used both for Party is the political wing of the British caused uneasiness in many areas. Wom- sions after Le Tour about how poorly private enterprise and social enterprise, Co-operative Movement. It believes in en were pushing for the vote. Very vola- the Co-operative Values and Principles tile times and many must have thought and how they can be used for the beneft not the most appropriate time to make of all communities. changes to the political system, but from Te opening of the Rochdale Pi- the poor’s point of view there was no oneers Shop in 1844 was a political stability. I am old enough to remember statement, they wanted to provide pure the signs of poverty in the 1950s. My and unadulterated produce, at honest parents had the marks of TB and my weights and measures, for their mem- teacher clear signs of childhood rickets. bers. Te Pioneers eschewed party pol- And in the late 60s as a nurse I saw the itics in their Societies at frst, preferring fear in people’s eyes of being in hospital. to do it themselves. After all they could It brought images of the Workhouse to not vote, and were barred from holding them when hospitals were the last resort political meetings. and it was unlikely they would leave But the argument in the Movement alive. went on, 1890’s Scottish CWS Chair Te “hipster” generation with and Congress President William Max- co-working spaces, shared ownership, well stating that he did not seek “to in- and community shares are well aware of troduce politics into co-operation, but the technicalities of setting up co-op- I am most anxious to see co-operation eratives even if they don’t always call introduced more into politics” them that. Tat is because the system of Te Party was created because of co-operatives was a good idea and still the gross unfairness and attacks on the is. It is not only in developing countries Co-operative movement. Local traders that we need more co-ops, it is in this and politicians set up anti co-operative city. Te Co-op Party and the co-opera- groups, these later became Chambers of tive movement is as relevant to creating Commerce. a fairer society today as it was 100 years Tings came to a head in the First ago. Tere are major inequalities with- MOUNT PLEASANT: A COMMUNITY GROUP HAS BEEN FORMED World War, local draft boards called in the city and for many the chance of TO TRY AND SAVE AND RENOVATE THIS LOCAL LANDMARK. up men from Co-operatives and spared lifting themselves out of poverty seems their own staf in private business. Gov- mere fantasy. Even if they do fnd a job, Shefeld’s venues were marketed and raising skills level, and encouraging local ernment refused to use the vast expe- the low wages and the high cost of travel how we as heritage groups could im- enterprise. Te refurbishment skills that rience of the Co-operative Movement means their situation changes very little. prove on that. It became obvious that we apprentices learn could be applied else- on bodies such as Food Supply ignor- Yet city planners continue to focus on had several problems in Shefeld. Her- where to bring old houses up to mod- ing calls for rationing and fair distribu- work being in the centre and housing on itage organisations had been relying on ern standards. Tey could also work in tion of food. Te Excess Profts tax was the outskirts. Lottery funding in the main, but fund- co-operative housing schemes to supply threatened, “a bill to tax the members Within Shefeld there is a shortage of ing was often refused due to lack of in- housing to those on low income who do dividend.” skills in the building and catering trades. frastructure and strategic thinking. Even not qualify for social housing, possibly Working in areas of high deprivation in if funding was achieved the amount was small units centrally, so placing housing Wales and Glasgow, Oxfam has found often too small to make a long lasting where the work is, not several miles out. that many of the poor lack the self conf- impact and help create the infrastructure By using a variety of funding schemes dence to change things. So for many the that would make it self sustainable. and volunteers and apprenticeship frst step has to be raising self esteem, We have in Shefeld a wide range of schemes to kick start these hubs we then training in necessary skills to fnd heritage buildings owned by the Council would take the cost of running and re- employment, or to create their own em- such as libraries and buildings within lo- furbishing the buildings away from the ployment. With small amounts of seed cal parks. For many reasons they are in a Council and give local people the con- capital, Oxfam has managed to encour- poor state, but the Council hasn’t enough trol of their own neighbourhood. To age people to creating their own busi- available fnance to repair and refurbish change inequality in the city we have to nesses. them. Many of these buildings are in help strengthen people’s collective iden- Shefeld is rich in heritage, though areas of high deprivation. Research by tity, encourage them to be involved in if you looked at the promotional flms the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic planning decisions, help them gain con- you’d be hard put to fnd it mentioned. England amongst others has found that fdence and create the kind of commu- Tat is not because we have no venues historic buildings are important to lo- nity they want. We need to work co-op- that visitors fnd attractive. Te National cal communities and give them a strong eratively as a city to build a resilient Emergency Services Museum (NESM) sense of community identity. What is a economy. A difcult target I know, but for example, has seen paying visitor fnancial liability for the Council could it worked 100 years ago so why not now? numbers almost double from 38,000 to be a major asset to the community. - JOY BULLIVANT 80,000 in the past year, and NESM is What if we combined several threads A. V. ALEXANDER

So in 1917 members from the whole of the movement agreed, “that, in view of persistent attacks and misrepresenta- tions made by the opponents of the Co-operative Movement in Parliament and on local administrative bodies this Congress is of the opinion that the time has arrived when co-operators should se- cure direct representation in Parliament and on all local administrative bodies.” Te Co-operative Party was born. Shefeld can lay claim to one of the greatest Co-operative Party Politicians. Albert Victor Alexander, 1st Earl Al- exander of Hillsborough, KG, CH, PC (1 May 1885 – 11 January 1965) was a British Co-operative politician. He was elected for Hillsborough in November 1922, one of only four Co-op MPs. He was re-elected in 1923, 1924 and 1929. He would continue to represent Shef- feld, with one break, until 1950. He was three times First Lord of the Admiral- ty, including during the Second World War, and then Minister of Defence un- der Clement Attlee. His work is being carried on today by the 38 MP’s and over 500 Co-op Party Councillors around the country. To fnd out more about what we do today visit www.party.coop we can put you in touch with your local party. - JOHN BOYLE CO-OP PARTY SUPPORT AND PRINCIPLE SIX OFFICER 2 Reporting on the matter, the Shefeld Co-operator chastised the Citizens’ Par- ty, stating the likelihood that long after FREEDOM OF THE CITY FOR many of the “public” men who had pre- viously received the honour were utterly forgotten, “in perhaps 100 years’ time,” Edward Carpenter would be honoured EDWARD CARPENTER by a sculptured monument in a promi- nent Shefeld location. Particular ire was Tis year marks the 50th anniversary of for many of the social crusades of the Donald, who opened up to him about directed at Councillor Irwin Mitchell, the partial decriminalisation of homo- day, from land nationalisation to female the stresses of national leadership. who confessed after the vote that he had sexuality in Britain. In Shefeld, the oc- sufrage, and was an active member of never heard of Edward Carpenter. “Tese casion was commemorated with a series the Shefeld Socialist Society and the FREEDOM OF THE CITY be thy gods, 0 Ecclesall!” the Co-opera- of events in the last week of February, to Independent Labour Party. tor exclaimed. coincide with LGBT+ History Month. In June 1928, the year before his death at Te elitist attitude of some Council- Hosting academics and writers, flm A POLITICAL RADICAL the age of 84, Labour councillors moved lors of the day in regards to titles was showings, and activity sessions, the to award Carpenter the Freedom of the confrmed two years later, when Richard weekend culminated with a Full Moon Appalled by the grinding poverty and City of Shefeld, along with the Labour Bennett, the Prime Minister of Canada, “Tea Dance” hosted by DJ Wendy and sickness of Shefeld residents, in 1887, MP Cecil Wilson MP, Alderman J.G. and James Scullin, the Prime Minister of the Out Aloud! LGBT choir. he and other members of the Socialist Graves, and Alderman Henry Stephen- Australia were awarded the Freedom of One of the highlights of the weekend Society took over the old debtors’ jail on son. the City for services to the Empire. Both was Sally Goldsmith’s lecture – support- Scotland Street, opening the downstairs were accomplished men, but it is cer- ed by the Friends of Edward Carpen- foor as the “Commonwealth Café”, tain that neither contributed anything of ter - on the relationship between famed which gave assistance to the local poor note to the cultural life of Shefeld, as Victorian writer and political activist and hosted lectures by notable radicals, Edward Carpenter had. Edward Carpenter and locally born ra- such as Annie Besant, and the anarchist Carpenter has been repeatedly redis- zor grinder George Hukin. Carpenter Peter Kropotkin. covered in the years since his death. In is known to the LGBT+ community as Tough never directly involved with 1972, Rony Robinson, the Radio Shef- an early advocate for sexual equality: his the Shefeld Co-operative Party, Car- feld presenter, staged Edward Carpen- writings on “homogenic” love and his penter had been inspired by the exper- ter Lives! the frst new play staged at open espousal of a homosexual identi- imental co-operative agricultural associ- the Crucible. In 1979, Noel Greig in- ty often put him at odds with the more ations he’d encountered on his trips to troduced Carpenter to the Gay Liber- conventional radical Labour community Europe. He later lectured on the idea ation Movement in his play “Te Dear of the time, but they have helped him of an economic transformation, fuelled Love of Comrades,” produced for the achieve lasting fame. by co-operative banks, unions and so- Gay Sweatshop. And in 2009, the frst A native of Brighton, and Fellow of cieties that could generate social forms full length biography of Carpenter, Shei- Trinity College, Cambridge, Carpenter of wealth. On the liberation wing of the la Rowbotham’s A Life of Liberty and travelled the north for many years as a socialist movement, he disliked state in- Love, was published by Verso. lecturer, making Shefeld his base. Re- tervention, believed that change could In this celebratory year, almost ninety ceiving an inheritance from his late fa- only grow out of existing roots, and “vol- years since his death, it is time to heed ther, he moved to Millthorpe, a farming untary collectivism,” and like Kropotkin, the call of the Shefeld Co-operator and hamlet not far from Dronfeld, in 1883. believed that small-holdings encouraged erect a statue worthy of Edward Car- It was there that he wrote his most fa- enterprise, attention to detail and all- penter in the city centre, and correct a mous books, including Towards Democ- round skills. historic injustice by rewarding him post- racy, a narrative poem inspired by Walt Such was Carpenter’s repute inside EDWARD CARPENTER humously with the Freedom of the City. Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. Carpenter and outside the Labour movement that Tis is the task that Friends of Edward twice travelled to the United States to on the eve of his seventieth birthday – So often a formality, the application was Carpenter have chosen to undertake. visit Whitman, and later published an and again on his eightieth – he received rejected after councillors from the Citi- Tey can often be found at the Mugen account of the days they spent together. a letter of congratulations signed by over zens’ Party – a Conservative/Liberal co- Tea House, located on Scotland Street, Making a career as a market gardener, 200 notable fgures, including Ramsey alition – refused to vote on the matter. just a stone’s throw away from the site of selling his produce at Chesterfeld, Car- MacDonald, Rabindranath Tagore, and Tough all the Labour councillors voted the old Commonwealth Café. Why not penter consciously attempted a “simpli- Bernard Shaw, expressing the “feelings in favour, a decision was made that the join them in singing Edward Carpen- fcation of life” which challenged the in- of admiration and gratitude” with which vote had not been quorate. Te Citizens’ ter’s well known hymn “England Arise!” dustrial triumphalism of the 1870s and they regarded his body of work. Carpen- Party refused to comment on their rea- - CHRISTOPHER OLEWICZ 1880s. A vegetarian, he was an advocate ter frequently corresponded with Mac- soning for refusing to vote.

WELCOME Labour and Co-operative candidates. -CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Te purpose of the Co-operative Party is to defend and promote co-operatives. ering goods and services which the com Te co-operative style of common own- munity has a need for, the commitment ership is very diferent from the national- CO-OPERATIVELY OWNED AND MANAGED HISTORIC BUILDING WITH isation of the 1945 Labour Government of members, education and social recrea- tion and the equitable distribution of any or Municipal Socialism. It is rooted in AMPLE CAR PARKING, CREATING THE RIGHT WORKING ENVIRONMENT surplus. Vitally, co-operatives and their collective self-help and social enterprise property are owned by the members and and governed by the members through their agreed constitution. All co-opera- HIGH PROFILE UNITS TO RENT FOR NEW AND ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES that gives democratic control provided CO-OPERATIVELY OWNED AND MANAGED HISTORIC BUILDING WITH that there is good governance and mem- tives are guided by the same values and ber participation. Unfortunately, some principles which apply throughout the co-operatives got very big and distant world. AMPLE CAR PARKING, CREATING THE RIGHT WORKING ENVIRONMENT from the members and co-operative cul- Co-operative awareness, education, activity and culture form the foun- A COMPLETE RANGE OF DIFFERENT SIZED UNITS TO SUIT ALL TYPES OF BUSINESS ture became eroded with the result that the Movement became marginalised. dation stones for building an alter- HIGH PROFILE UNITS TO RENT FOR NEW AND ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES native economy to capitalism. If you NEEDS, INCLUDING A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SUPPORT SERVICES As stand-alone businesses, co-oper- atives are neither secure nor part of a think that the commitment to this Movement towards a democratic and aim is worthwhile, join a co-opera- Switchboard & telephone answering collective economy. In a highly compet- tive and join the Co-operative Party. A COMPLETE RANGE OF DIFFERENT SIZED UNITS TO SUIT ALL TYPES OF BUSINESS itive world there are always private con- Voicemail cerns which are ready to defeat collectiv- NEEDS, INCLUDING A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SUPPORT SERVICES ist eforts, history has proved this. Tat is why the Co-operative Union was es- Conferences facilities & meeting rooms tablished; to co-ordinate and defend the Switchboard & telephone answering Co-operative Movement. Broadband internet access At an early stage in the development Voicemail of the Co-operative Movement, it was Yorkshire Co-operative On site ICT support agreed that there should be political Resource Centre neutrality. Tis avoided fragmentation Conferences facilities & meeting rooms between Owenite co-operators, and var- Excellent car parking ious other socialist groups and Chartists. Broadband internet access But there came a time during the First Members Lending Library Website hosting World War when the need for political and Co-operative Archive On site ICT support representation became urgent. Te Con- Wide range of optional services servatives and Liberals were using their political power to discriminate against Excellent car parking co-operatives in favour of private enter- NEW MEMBERS WELCOME

Email: [email protected] prises. Tis had the potential to destroy 011 4 2 8 2 3 1 2 3 Website: F a www.aizlewoodsmill.comxWebsite 011 hosting4 28 2 3150 the eforts of the Movement. In 1917, Te Co-operative Congress (the sover- Aizlewood’s Mill

Wide range of optional services eign body of the Co-operative Move- Nursery Street Aizlewood Business Centre, Aizlewood’s Mill, Nursery Street, Sheffield, S3 8GG ment, organised by the Co-operative Union) agreed to establish a Co-opera- Shefeld S3 8GG

Email: [email protected] tive Party. Te frst Co-operative Mem- Tel: 0114 282 3132 0114 282 3123 Website: Fa www.aizlewoodsmill.comx 0114 282 3150 ber of Parliament was Alfred Waterson, elected MP for Kettering in 1918. Te

Co-operative Party entered an electoral www.principle5.coop Aizlewood Business Centre, Aizlewood’s Mill, Nursery Street, Sheffield, S3 8GG alliance with the Labour Party in 1927, enabling the two parties to work together more closely and for Co-operative Party Party candidates to stand for election as

3 SHEFFIELD SHOULD PURSUE CO-OPERATIVE SOLUTIONS TO AUSTERITY BRITAN

In 2011, Labour Group Leader Julie Dore addressed a meeting of the Shefeld Co-operative Party. She spoke of the need for Shefeld to explore co-operative solutions to the austerity policies of the Coalition Government. Extracts from that speech are posted here, along with a critique by the Shefeld Co-operator

Tere is increasing evidence across a tives. Advantages are created by allowing for decades to run services. Schools have in Shefeld (and elsewhere) and fnd- range of disciplines that people are groups with a common interest or aspi- governing bodies, who help to make the ing out why they work, where they can co-operative as much as they are com- ration to work together. key decisions about how they are run. work, and who we can work with. We petitive. Over recent years, policy and Similarly, most parks are supported by need to talk to all “community groups” politicians have neglected this truth. • Trusted values and principles. Every bodies of local people called “Friends and other interested parties which in- Britain has therefore lost out by miss- co-operative benefts from our com- of ” groups who will organise clean ups, cludes staf who are currently employed ing some of the advantages of co-op- mitment to international Co-operative improve services and inform the coun- by the council. Tere may be services eration: opportunities for innovation, Values and Principles, the blueprint for cil about any issues. We also have many that are more appropriate than others business success and social responsibility a successful co-operative that has exist- examples of community groups and cit- for Co-operatives to provide and there that have not been taken. ed for over 150 years. A commitment izens working with us to run schools, may be staf teams that are more ready Tere is a spectrum of co-operation. It to ethics, community and governance children’s centres, sports clubs, housing to create co-operatives. is not that every business or service pro- means that co-operatives are trusted to estates, and environmental projects. Another untapped source may be aca- vider should be a co-operative or mutual. provide sensitive services to vulnerable Te fact is, without the help of “the demics such as the Universities and oth- But every business can share the bene- people. community,” we could not be as efective er local authorities who have established ft of co-operation if they work more as we are. A co-operative council en- Co-operatives who would be will to help co-operatively. • Creating value for business and mem- dorses the approaches described and en- us. One beneft of cooperation is an en- bers. Co-operatives create value for their courages residents to take a bigger role One of the major questions to be asked gaged workforce. We know that the UK members. When cooperation is the pri- in running and shaping local services. is: if non-elected residents/staf become has a very high degree of workers - 23% ority, it enables provision for the best responsible forrunning services, how do - that are not engaged in their workplace possible services for members and allows Why should we do this? you make them accountable? and that this comes at a cost. Te esti- the advantages of co-operation to shine mate of the minimum annual economic through. Local government faces huge challenges How is it going to save money? cost of this failure for the UK is around in the next decade caused by the interna- £36 billion. Co-operatives and/or co-operation de- tional recession and councils across the While delivering public services is at the Co-operatives give more opportunity liver a clear mission, better services and country are investigating ways they can heart of the co-operative approach, we for their employees, their customers and products, giving consumers power, nicer meet these fnancial challenges, while also know that a key issue will be the ex- their stakeholders to engage in the run- places to work, engaged staf and less so- still delivering the good-quality services tent to which we can make signifcant ning of the business because they control cial and environmental harm. citizens and businesses expect. fnancial savings. We need to ensure that the capital of the business. and they have Tere is good practice on some or oth- any changes to services are cost efective, an equal say in how it is used. er of these elements in plenty of work- How can we do this? as well as meeting local needs. places, but taken together they are what Any implementation of this new ap- Other advantages of cooperatives in- many would describe as the advantages We need lots of ideas and we need to proach to services will be explored by the clude: of co-operation. To safeguard services fnd out what other people think about Labour Group, and decisions to change and jobs we need to fnd other creative them frst and whether they will work. what we do will be agreed through the • Allowing communities and groups to ways to provide services and protect jobs. We need to set out our guiding princi- process of budgeting. We need to devel- take responsibility for their own needs. Because of this we can consider the op- ples around co-operatives and mutuals. op our understanding of whether this Communities can make a success of ser- portunities to deliver traditional council But we need people to give us their feed- way of delivering services is efective vices threatened with closure. Football services through co-operatives or mutu- back about how we turn them into real- and how it will save money but just as supporters can own their own clubs and als. ity. important if it delivers the local services communities can re-open pubs that are We have needed the support and We should start this consultation that local people need and want. closed if they work together as co-opera- partnership of organisations and citizens by reviewing current Co-operatives - JULIE DORE THE CO-OPERATOR RESPONDS In January 2011 Julie Dore addressed a and archives. It is owned by two thirds trafc lights. It had held the contract services are delivered in co-operation meeting of Shefeld Co-operative Par- library members and one third staf and since the days of South Yorkshire Met- with communities, as close as possible ty and spoke of the benefts of applying is called Explore York Libraries and Ar- ropolitan Council. Amey Construction to their needs and aspirations, and with co-operative principles to the way local chives. was successful in the Highway PFI bid, the maximum degree of community authorities work. Later that year when At the time of Julie’s speech, it was- which is worth something like £2.5 Bil- ownership. At a time when councils are Labour took control of the City Coun- pointed out that councillors needed to lion over 25 years. under fnancial pressure, the concept of cil, Shefeld became a signatory to the understand and commit to the co-op- TSC entered into a bid with Caril- a Co-operative Council helps to inform Co-operative Council Charter. However, erative strategy, but not only this, in lion, with whom they have had a bet- choices about priorities, how services can it did not follow up on this early involve- order for the council ofcers to imple- ter relationship than with Amey. Amey be delivered into the future, and how to ment, and is not currently a member of ment it a thorough training and change decided to self deliver. Tey took three achieve a balance between universal and the Co-operative Councils Innovation management programme would have trafc engineers from TSC into direct targeted services. Network (CCIN). to be implemented. Te importance of employment. Tere were eleven redun- Te City Council has been working in Co-operative action to defend peo- councillors and ofcers working to the dancies at TSC including some compul- partnership with local ‘Friends Groups’ ple from the consequences of recession same policy cannot be overestimated. sory, and the company has not survived, and other community groups for a long is nothing new to the Shefeld La- a sad loss to the co-operative movement time. Te co-operative model is a de- bour Group. In the 1980s the Shefeld OUTSOURCING SERVICES in Shefeld. Amey uses the services of velopment of this idea. It requires more Co-operative Development Group was Peek Trafc (Dutch) and Siemens (Ger- community commitment than residents supported by the Council and this helped In the past decade, Shefeld City Coun- man) for upgrading and renewal of traf- have been used to. Tis is a challenge to to create employment and bring some cil has engaged in an extensive out- fc lights. the Council, its staf, and local residents. buoyancy to the local economy. SCDG sourcing programme for the delivery of Environmental services are outsourced But if Shefeld is to take back control is still supporting the co-operative sector services. Tis process started under the to Veolia, which also controls the award from the stranglehold which private in the city. auspices of Chief Executive Bob Kers- of subcontracts. Green Estate, (a not- contractors have and become communi- Te Council faces difcult fnancial lake. Construction went to Kier, with its for-proft social enterprise in which the ty led, this challenge must be met. circumstances, forced upon it by nation- work coming out of the closure of the Manor and Castle Development Trust Other local authorities have made al government policy and has limited old council Direct Works Department. has an interest) lost a contract for the some real progress in this direction and choices about how to respond. By being Te contract to Kier is long term. Had re-cycling of green waste under a ten- their achievements can be an inspiration a Co-operative Council, Shefeld was Shefeld been a Co-operative Council dering process run by Veolia. Originally, to Shefeld. Co-operation is all about choosing a way forward which was con- at the time, perhaps co-operative organ- Green Estate and other groups were part mutual learning and teaching. Councils sistent with Labour and Co-operative isations could have been chosen to deliv- of Amey’s submission for the PFI but and all the co-operatives and communi- Principles. Twenty-two Councils came er this work. once they were successful Amey dropped ty groups make up a co-operative com- together to form the CCIN. Tere are Finance and administration has been all community groups. monwealth which has a collective wealth some Councils which are not members outsourced to Capita. Roads and trafc A co-operative strategy would sup- of experience. Tis is something which, of the CCIN but have chosen co-op- is covered by the Highway PFI dating port the Shefeld economy and would if shared, can beneft all. erative alternatives for the provision of back to 20th August 2012. Tat is when strengthen control and accountability on services. York, for example now has a Trafc Systems Co-operative Ltd (TSC) behalf of the people of Shefeld. Te es- co-operative which runs its city libraries lost its contract to maintain Shefeld’s sence of a co-operative Council is that 4 point out that he has spoken of creating ‘trustworthy, inclusive capitalism’ rather than, say, co-operative commonwealth. BANKING ON CO-OPERATION Te Customer Union for Ethical Banking has invited the Co-operative Group to help with the creation of a Te Co-operative Bank, established new, customer owned, democratic stake in Te Co-operative Bank. Tis is a long in 1872, is among Britain’s oldest shot. Indeed it may have been better for banks. Tis year it could be complete- the co-op movement if the bank been completely sold originally because since ly sold to the private sector. How did the hedge funds entered, disastrous bank this happen? results have turned the Co-operative Group’s profts to losses; it has written of the value of its 20% stake. Here in Shef- Under the ownership of the co-opera- feld we’ve seen Sunwin House close, the tive movement, Te Co-operative Bank Pinstone Street store sold to Budgens, weathered the recent economic crash and their huge Angel Street department while some banks only survived with store is largely unused, awaiting redevel- massive government intervention. Ten opment. As a whole, the UK co-operative came a disastrous merger with Britannia economy is in good health; its turnover Building Society, new tighter regulations is around £34bn per annum, and mem- revealing a series of failings, and a drug bership of co-ops last year rose 15% to scandal. By 2013 it was in meltdown, 17.5 million people. Te problem under and a majority of the bank was bought discussion is Te Co-operative Bank – out by hedge funds. Many customers lost and the fnance industry. trust, leaving in large numbers. As commentator Ian Snaith points Making matters worse, protests erupt- out, the UK has a very London-centric ed in 2015 when it began closing the ac- fnance sector. Te wealthy south-east counts of Cuban, Palestinian and Nic- seems like a diferent economy, almost araguan-linked solidarity groups, citing a diferent country, compared with plac- regulations on money laundering and FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK HAS SERVED es like Shefeld. Like a sponge it sucks ‘high risk’ countries. But supporters saw THE CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT. BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? in profts. It loves mergers and acquisi- a pattern behind the closures; anti-so- tions, particular specialties of the An- cialist infuences from US fnanciers. ment for Business, Innovation and Skills argue that non-co-ops can legitimately use glo-American approach to capitalism, Small volunteer-run groups were given (BIS) had been proposing to cut back the c-word, providing they satisfy certain valuing bigger as always better and plac- short notice to rearrange their banking on protections, but thankfully the names criteria. Tese include requirements to ‘ex- ing the fnancial bottom line above social, (often involving many standing orders), ‘co-operative’ and ‘mutual’ were retained ist in order to to discredit the co-opera- cultural or environmental needs. As a re- resulting in lost revenue, time and trust. on the list of protected terms, after a tive business model’ nor ‘mislead others sult we’re mostly customers of ‘national’ Organisations afected included sever- strong response by vigilant co-operators. as to whether the organisationpromote banks which are part of multinationals. ally locally, such as Shefeld Palestine (Incidentally the word ‘Shefeld’ also co-operative activity, ‘operate in line with Tis is not the same in many countries, Women’s Scholarship Fund, a registered stays on the list, quite rightly!) Howev- co-operative values, and not discredit the where small, local banks are common, charity supporting 43 women in their er, co-operative is only a restricted word co-operative business model’ nor ‘mis- to the beneft of regional economies. studies in Gaza. Sir Stephen Bubb, of at the point of company registration, or lead others as to whether the organisation Co-operative banks feature strongly the Association of Chief Executives of if used misleadingly to harm the public. organisation itself is in fact a co-operative’. among these, Europe’s alone having 159 Voluntary Organisations, called it a ‘lu- Buying out a co-operative and keeping However, giving the name ‘co-opera- million customers. dicrous way to treat charities.” the name is a loophole in the law. tive’ to a certain kind of group-working, Tere are voices calling for ‘real’ re- Te move had followed the hiring of To make it worse, Britain has no pre- started in the 19th century. For near- gional co-operative banks. Tey would David Bagley, former senior compliance cise legal defnition of co-operatives, un- ly two centuries, in good times and bad. exist alongside other mutual fnancial ofcer at HSBC. He had resigned fol- like elsewhere. Instead there are multiple Te Co-operative Bank’s majority share- organisations, the credit unions and lowing revelations that HSBC had laun- legal formats, with new variations often holders however, are trading on herit- those building societies which resisted dered money for Mexican drug cartels. developed. Tere’s global agreement that age; dropping the good-sounding name the Tatcherite temptation to convert He arrived in post with a ‘risk-averse’ ap- all must conform to the co-operative prin- would have lost them customers. But to to banks. Tere are interesting times proach. In a letter to the Cuba Solidar- ciples of the International Co-operative keep it, they must also support the move- ahead. Perhaps soon we will lose Te ity Campaign (CSC) the bank’s Chief Alliance (ICA). Tis defnition includes ment. Hence they are doing so; Booker Co-operative Bank, but instead Shef- Executive, Niall Booker admitted their joint ownership and democratic control. announced a £1m fund for Co-opera- feld might have a co-operative bank? account closure was due to ‘risk’ arising Neither of these apply to Te Co-oper- tives UK to support co-op development in from trade sanctions by the US Treasury ative Bank. Co-operatives UK and the the UK over three years. Tis is a signif Department’s Ofce of Foreign Assets ICA had to draft special guidelines to icant amount, and it would be cynical to Control (OFAC). Bowing to US extra- territorial legislation is arguably illegal under British and EU trade protection laws. Te CSC and the All Party Par- liamentary Group on Cuba appealed to CO-OPERATIVES AND THE INTERNET the UK government, but the accounts Te internet is so much part of life for-proft (capitalist) methods. software, and Linux operating systems remained closed. that many people are ‘digital natives’ in It’s more co-operative. Instead of copy as an alternative to Windows. Assessments to ensure account-hol- a world that didn’t exist for the previ- righting their creations, software devel- Everyone would like perfect software ers don’t fund terrorism aren’t based on ous generation. It infuences the way we opers deliberately make their computer and social media which doesn’t operate numbers; ultimately someone makes think, learn, earn, spend, organise and code transparent and free for others to by spying on them, but perhaps we need a judgment. An independent report communicate. use, adapt or improve. Tis overcomes a re-think. High tech inventions cannot commissioned later by Amnesty Inter- Fantastic technologies expected since solve all problems, but people co-oper- national described how the bank failed the early days of sci-f are now arriving; ating together often can. For example, to meet its own Ethical Policy com- holograms, videophones, talking com- co-operatively produced software called mitments (not least development and puters, robotic surgery and much more. Loomio is helping groups to work more supporting reduction of poverty in de- But the early optimistic visions of the efectively together, and it’s gaining veloping countries), concluding that the internet bringing a democratic utopia ground by recommendation. It’s been process followed was ‘chaotic’, with ‘risk were shattered – from the frst computer around since 2012, and grew out of the appetite’ and ‘global regulations’ cited as virus, through the ‘Millenium Bug’ years. decision-making processes of the Occu- key factors in the decision-making. Pro- Ten came the mixed blessings of social py movement. A free-to-start Loomio test group Save Our Bank believes that media and mobile apps, and the shock- group ofers secure space to have discus- there was no political intent behind the ing revelations from Edward Snowden sions away from the craziness of social closures, and that the bank is still worth and others about US/UK spy technol- media. It archives discussions, and al- fghting for, thanks to the remaining tiny ogies inserted deeply into the internet lows for online voting. It’s simple to use, Co-operative Group stake and its ethical from its inception. and it simply works. What’s more it’s commitments. CEO Niall Booker has Te disturbing reality of mass surveil- open source software, made by a work- promised to retain previous ethical com- lance has arrived, and Microsoft, Goog- er-owned cooperative social enterprise mitments, and they have been strength- le and Facebook are involved. Tey are various vulnerabilities, such as hidden in New Zealand. ened, not diluted, in recent years. so massively powerful that it’s hard not viruses, ‘backdoors’, or the collapse of Closer to home, Co-operative Tech- Following a survey that showed major to use their services, but there are alter- the company supporting it. Many open nologists (coops.tech) is a new networks customer support for the bank’s ethical natives. Te free/libre open source soft- source programs work fne for millions of dozens of UK tech worker co-ops. approach, it also cut investment in irre- ware (FLOSS) movement continues to of satisfed users. Tis came together in late 2016 at Wort- sponsible gambling, payday loans, and grow. It does so in a diferent way from Examples include WordPress website ley Hall, ‘the workers’ stately home’ and companies that don’t pay tax responsibly. includes Shefeld-based Webarchitects. But it is notable that there are now more Creating a fairer world includes the ethical providers around. Current ac- technical side, and they say that worker counts are now ofered by Triodos Bank co-operatives make ‘better workplaces, and some credit unions. Move Your better suppliers and better digital prod- Money gave Te Co-operative Bank an ucts’ . What’s more, there are no private ethical score of just 51 out of 100, critical shareholders extracting proft or direct- of the majority ownership in the hands ing operations. It’s a great example of of hedge funds. co-operation between co-operatives, and Even if Te Co-operative Bank is eth- it welcomes new members and customer ical, is it still allowed to keep the name, enquiries. Hopefully there will be many being 99% privately owned? Under UK co-operatively produced developments law, the answer is yes, but it’s complicat- in computing and the internet over fu- ed. Te Government’s 2013 Red Tape ture years. Perhaps the future of tech- Challenge included a consultation on nology is open source and co-operative?. permitted words in business names, and - JONATHAN COOK avoiding misrepresentation. Te Depart-

5 IN PROFILE: Tis edition of the Shefeld Co-operator was created by SHEFFIELD CO-OPERATIVE Principle5 - Te Yorkshire Co-operative Resource DEVELOPMENT Centre on behalf of the Shefeld Co-operative Party. GROUP For inquiries, letters and other correspondence please email: [email protected] Or write to: Principle5/Shefeld Co-operator, Aizlewood’s Mill, Nurs- ery St, Shefeld S3 8GG

Shefeld City Council played a major and to encourage the development of man for Trade and Industry, Gordon part in the establishment of the Shef- new worker co-ops. Examples of new Brown MP. Te frst tenants, Trafc feld Co-operative Development Group co-operatives at that time are Procon Systems Co-operative, joined Shefeld in late 1980. Tis was a time of growing in Darnall with 12 worker members Co-operative Development Group and unemployment in the city. Te strong la- and later, Trafc Systems Co-operative. the management company, Accountabil- bour and co-operative movement in the Some of the attempts to transform fail- ity Northern Limited (another worker city was resolved to fnd ways of saving ing industries into co-operatives failed. co-operative), who moved into Aizle- jobs and creating employment opportu- Trades union membership was a central wood’s Mill at the beginning of 1990. nities through co-operatives. Te SCDG requirement in the new co-operatives. Tis was shortly followed by a host of was founded as a Co-operative Develop- In the 1980s the political climate was other organisations, some co-operatives ment Agency by; becoming very challenging with job loss- and others traditionally structured, who es as labour intensive industry was clos- recognised the benefts of sharing work- • Shefeld City Council ing down. It was at this point that Ai- space. Whilst co-operatives had prefer- • Te Co-operative Party zlewood’s Mill came to the attention of ential terms, the occupants were increas- • Shefeld Trades Council Mike Bower, when passing the building ingly non co-operative businesses. • Te Co-operative Bank on his way to work. He formulated the In 1985 SCDG itself became a co-op- • Te two city co-operative societies idea of developing Aizlewood’s Mill into erative, owned by the co-operatives that (now amalgamated into the Co-oper- managed workspace as a central hub for it helped to set up. It is run by a manage- ative Group). the development and support of worker ment committee, the majority of which co-operatives in the local area. consists of representatives of Shefeld’s Te Labour Government in the 1970s Built over 150 years ago on the site of co-operatives who are therefore able to set up the National Co-operative De- the former nursery gardens of Shefeld control the work done on their behalf by velopment Agency with the purpose of Castle, it was one of the few buildings to SCDG workers. promoting the interests of the co-oper- survive the frst Shefeld Flood of 1864 In 1990 when Aizlewood’s Mill ative sector with government, local gov- and became an iconic landmark of the opened, there were 35 co-operatives in ernment and others. SCDG was born Shefeld skyline. It milled grain from membership. Tere are now 10, two of out of the national movement. the Lincolnshire cornfelds for over 100 which are not co-operatives (Shefeld Te SCDG Mission Statement de- years before eventually being sold twice City Council and the Co-operative clared that the purpose of the organi- in the 1960s and unfortunately reaching Bank), and currently more seats on the sation was to promote the development a state of dereliction in the 1980s. An Board than there are members. Now is of co-operatives and other enterprises ofer of £1 was made for the property the time for cooperatives to join SCDG which ofer people opportunities to in- which, after a short period of concern and to take an active part in ensuring crease their control over their working when another potential buyer surfaced that it continues to support the cooper- lives. It aimed to promote knowledge of with a substantially higher ofer, was ac- ative sector into the future. Membership and interest in co-operation and co-op- cepted. Just over £2 million pounds was is now available upon completion of an erative principles in worker co-opera- raised to pay for the renovations, from a application form and the payment of a tives, employee led businesses and social variety of sources including grants and £1 registration fee. and community enterprises. loans, and work began in 1988. Shefeld Today reported in 1981 that Aizlewood’s Mill was ofcially opened its services would provide “general in- in 1990 by the then opposition spokes- formation on forming a cooperative; de- man for Trade and tailed information on sources of fnance Industry, Gordon Brown MP. to form a co-operative; mutual assis- tance in negotiating loans; provision of information and access to co-operative education; specialist commercial and in- dustrial advice; close liaison with with the City Industrial Development Unit. Membership is open to co-operatives and other organisations, such as trade union branches and individuals desirous of furthering the principles of co-oper- ation. Subscriptions are: co-operatives £5.00. Other organisations and individ- uals £2.00 per year.” Between 30th January 1981 and 29th May 1981 SCDG organised fve pub- lic meetings where the following mat- ters were discussed: Financing a New Co-operative; Starting an Industrial Cooperative; Co-operative and Munic- ipal Housing; Inventors and Innovators’ Co-operatives; Community Co-opera- tives. Te SCDG was originally based in council ofces at Palatine Chambers, Pinstone Street. In the early days they had three paid workers, one of whom was Mike Bower, an experienced council leader. Te main focus at that time was to rescue closing factories by supporting the employees to form worker co-ops 6 BOOK REVIEWS

ationships between organisms in na- ture. Te latter section is particularly persuasive – altruism is apparent in na- ture, yet so much of our contemporary politics focuses on individualism. Discussing this point in a 2013 in- terview, Polyp explained: “One of the issues we try to tackle in the book is how profoundly mis- tood and underestimated co-operation within nature is. In the second edition of ‘Te Selfsh Gene’ Dawkins himself talks about how the concept of genetic ‘selfshness’ has been distorted and mis- interpreted. His book openly acknowl- edges that co-operation is a common, ubiquitous and successful evolutionary strategy, and simply seeks to explain how that’s possible, given that nature is amoral. It doesn’t anywhere say selfsh Te year 2012 was the United Nations behaviour is therefore fxed or inevita- International Year of the Co-operative, ble in people- quite the opposite...And and in celebration the Manchester based of course the historical section narrates political cartoonist and activist Polyp the story of the human co-operative released Te Co-operative Revolution, movement itself, also underestimated a four-chapter volume which charts the for its infuence and ubiquitousness.” history of the co-operative movement Te last of the four sections returns from its founding in Rochdale to the to Rochdale, at some point in the fu- present day. ture, as the employees of Rochdale Tough Polyp begins with the story of Aerotech, a parachute co-operative the Rochdale Pioneers, the Co-operative who have been contracted by NASA Revolution tells a much broader celebra- to provide parachutes for a manned tion of co-operatives and co-operation. mission to Mars gather at the Weavers’ Te story of the industrial workers who Arms - where the original Rochdale overcame much obstruction to start their Co-op meetings were held - to watch own shop is told sympathetically and the landing. highlights just how radical their under- Te Co-operative Revolution is not a taking was. wholly cohesive project, yet it provides Te rest of the volume focuses on con- an engaging argument for the co-oper- temporary co-operatives from around ative movement and its benefts, and is the world – from Co-op City in New increasingly relevant considering that York, home to 60,000 residents and its more and more people are attempting own police force, to FC Barcelona, one to create more sustainable business of the most sucessful football clubs in models. It is highly recommended. the world that is owned by 180,000 -CHRISTOPHER OLEWICZ members, and even the co-operative re- SUPPORT LOCAL CO-OPERATIVES Together we can build the co-operative movement in Sheffeld

Alpha Tenant Management Tel: 275 7439 Jamboree Arts Ltd Tel: 261 8600 Shefeld Credit Union Tel: 276 0787 Co-operative Ltd Marquees and event equipment hire. Savings products and low cost, afordable loans. Property Management company with room for hire. Lembas Tel: 258 6056 Shefeld Creative Guild: Alt-Shef: www.alt-shef.org Vegetarian Wholefood Wholesalers. www.shefeldcreativeguild.com Publicity website for alternative events in Shefeld. Bringing together creative enterprises in Shefeld. Otto Personal Management Tel: 237 2432 Beanies Wholefoods Tel: 268 1662 Actor’s management co-operative. Shefeld Money Tel: 399 5555 Wholefoods and greengrocers in Walkley since 1986 Fairer access to loans and other fnancial products. Pedal Ready Tel: 241 2775 Brambles Co-operative Tel: 279 7164 Urban cycle training. Shefeld Renewables Tel: 250 8367 Resources, information and meeting space. Renewable energy and environmental sustainability. Portland Works Tel: 275 9354 Change AGEnts: www.changeagents.coop Low-cost workshop space to small manufacturing Shipshape Health and Tel: 2500222 An older people’s participation co-operative businesses. Wellbeing Co-op Health and welfare service in Sharrow Co-operative Wealth: Tel: 218 0629 Principle 5: Yorkshire Tel: 282 3132 Open and honest advice about fnancial matters. Co-operative Resource Centre South Yorkshire Country Markets Co-operative education, training, and information. In- http://www.sycountrymarkets.co.uk Ecclesfeld Co-operative Tel: 246 9647 cludes a co-operative lending library. Food markets co-operative. See website for dates. Women’s Guild Womens Co-operative Education to encourage and Regather Trading Co-op Tel: 273 1258 Swann-Morton Tel: 231 4966 educate women to play a full part in the co-operative Social enterprise and co-operative development, fo- Surgical blades and other blade products. movement. cusing on creating employment. Te Roco Edumake Tel: 07583 445696 Share Instead Tel: 258 7073 http://www.theroco.org Open-source software for digital making and learning. Housing Co-operative Creative co-operative hub including cafe-bar, book- Housing co-op with occasional vacancies. Vistors wel- shop, and creative spaces. Fireside Housing Tel: 272 5908 come. Co-operative Union Street Tel: 399 2270 Housing co-operative in Burngreave happy to ofer ad- Shefeld Children’s Centre Tel: 279 8236 Working co-operative providing ofce space. vice to groups thinking of setting up their own co-op. Co-operative childcare for children aged 0-15 years. Webarchitects Tel: 276 9709 Gardeners Rest Tel: 232 2597 Shefeld Co-operative Tel: 282 3100 Co-operative Limited Community Society Ltd Development Group Web hosting, virtual servers and GNU/Linux sysad- Community owned pub in Neepsend. Co-operative development agency. min support services.

Hazelhurst Agriculture Tel: 07857 869740 Shefeld Community Tel: 276 6148 Wortley Hall Tel: 288 2100 Co-operative Transport Stately home owned by the Labour Movement. Venue Growing organic fruit and vegetables. Community transport services hire, weddings and union training.

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