Hello! Please introduce yourself.
Loomio Helper Bot Mon 12 Feb 2018 3:26PMPublicSeen by 130Nathan invited me on here as I've expressed a few ideas in the past about the role of co-ops in solving problems in various industries. I've tried to keep abreast of some discussions on here and send apologies for not participating as much as I would like.
Some context: I set up this multi-stakeholder co-op www.retrofitworks.co.uk having identified this legal model as ideal for the aims of the business, not with an eye on setting up a co-op of its own sake. The model seems to be working; recent contract award to renovate 1,000 privately owned homes from the Mayor of London and starting large schemes in Devon and Oxfordshire this year. Turnover likely to be £0.5m this financial year with income for our members up at £5m.
I have been thinking on your question about the role of cooperative development programmes. I’ve also been dwelling on the void left by C and Local Government in many sectors. My view is that this is actually about ‘cooperation’ rather than it being about ‘cooperatives’. In one of Nathan's workshops we are asked ‘why are lots more co-ops not being created in the face of government roll back and the failure of capitalism?’, and ‘why are co-ops not seen to be a standard business model from which to choose’. Why not go with this situation rather than try to change it – much like I did with RetrofitWorks i.e. realise that there was a need to bring together the organisations or people around the market failure, then happily found the cooperative model as the answer.
So change the whole narrative from
‘We love co-ops, come and start one’
To
‘Let’s solve problems together, seek creative ways to collaborate, and we offer some commercial models to make it work (which is v likely to be a cooperative)’
I've got ideas on how to do all of that, but given my limited time available will need pointing at the most useful thread here on Loomio?
Cheers all.
Russell
07904 224410
Greg LaudemanWed 24 Jun 2026 7:01PM
Hello! Greg Laudeman, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, instigating a community tech co-op to make it easy and economical for members to access, own, and use free open source software, including developing capabilities to customize, develop, support, etc., FOSS, and provide private, secure alternative to Big Tech. I've done lots of broadband and similar planning for electric co-ops and similar. Interested in what we might learn from y'all in the UK.
Northern Corridor Community VolsSun 22 Feb 2026 8:11PM
Hi there - I'm Claire and working on developing a co-op of social enterprises in West Central Scotland. We are a mix of CICs, SCIO's and Development Trusts looking to partner in procurement and CSR fulfillment, any pointers or advice much appreciated
StuartSat 4 Jan 2025 3:12PM
@Martin Meteyard Thanks for that I've sent through an applicaition
Martin MeteyardSat 4 Jan 2025 1:57PM
@Stuart This opportunity might interest you(though I have no connection with them): https://about.openfoodnetwork.org.uk/join-our-team/
StuartFri 3 Jan 2025 11:04PM
Hi I'm Stuart, I'm an ERP System Developer and Open Source developer looking towards trying to contribute to collaborative efforts pro-bono with a view to eventually joining and working for/starting collabs. I'm ASD so one of my problems is meta-recursion I keep going to start then I want to look at the biggest existing collabs to join because otherwise these projects are likely to infinitely splinter. If any IT focused devleopers for this or any coops see this and want something doing let me know.
RobFri 3 May 2024 10:50AM
Hi,
My name us Rob Callender, we are starting up Pelican Cooperative which aims to change behaviour towards capital - towards seeing it as a commons suited for collective management - by establishing a network of saving clubs, a credit union and a coop investment fund. We're hoping to connect with others working in this area so we don't duplicate work and also to get better knowledge around fiscal hosting as a cooperative.
Rob
BlaiseThu 29 Feb 2024 4:37PM
Hi all! I'm on my last semester of college, but I've been working on starting a worker cooperative (IndependUS) in Missouri that provides SaaS solutions for crowdsourcing digital resource collections and community collaboration (FreeSourceful). I'm interested in all things co-op, and hope to get involved with this community in the future.
GrahamMon 16 May 2022 12:25PM
Hi Douglas, welcome and thanks for posting here. Intrigued to learn more about
Brickless. and would very much welcome your involvement with the planning for the Ways Forward 2022 conference, if that's of interest. Don't know if you will be at the Union Co-ops event at Wortley Hall this Fri/Sat?
Douglas RacionzerSun 15 May 2022 9:25PM
Good evening comrades. Really inspired to attend the recent Workers Coop Weekend and to be a proud founder of the Brickless Coop. I work at Hackney Cooperative Developments supporting social entrepreneurs in the borough and am currently supporting the formation of Cooperate Islington, a new CDA in London.
Nicholas Frealand ·Mon 29 Jun 2026 1:25PM
Thanks to Graham for adding me.
Hello everyone, Nicholas here from www.therapy.coop , looking to give and get support from fellow coops where possible.
In solidarity