Newsletter 21 June 2020
Here's a quick update from Chorlton and District Co-ops - organised by and for local co-ops and co-op members.
Local Community Fund
Apply now for a grant of up to £7,000 or more for your community project.
Applications are open for 'Round 6' of the Co-op Local Community Fund. This pays out 1% of the spend by local members on Co-op own-brand products - shared between three projects. In Chorlton it's worth around £7,000 over one year.
But hurry - you only have until 28 June to make your application.
Applications are welcomed from charities, co-operatives, social enterprises and other not-for-profit groups. You need a bank account.
We've put a guide together here on how to apply quickly.
Co-op AGM
We asked a question about Fairtrade at the Co-op AGM
The Co-op held its AGM on 6 June - on-line of course. There's usually a question from Chorlton members at the AGM, and this year was no different.
We asked: "This Fairtrade Fortnight there seemed to be fewer products, no promotion of the discount, and nothing in stores to say that the Co-op is a champion of Fairtrade. What's gone wrong?"
Chair Allan Leighton and chief executive Steve Murrells responded - you can see the response here (3 and a half minute video)
Cooperative Fortnight
Why we should 'build back better' using cooperatives.
Cooperative Fortnight starts tomorrow 22 June. As usual Cooperatives UK has published its report on the state of the cooperative economy. The report headlines the fact that new cooperatives are almost twice as likely to survive their start up phase as new companies.
The Greater Manchester Cooperative Commission is making this point strongly - when we think about how to make our economy more resilient we should be looking at cooperatives.
On-line lecture
In previous years we've organised an event in Chorlton to coincide with Cooperative Fortnight. Alas this year we haven't. But if you'd like to learn more about cooperativism you can attend a virtual lecture by Sonja Novkovic, from Saint Mary's University on 'Humanism, participation and co-operative governance' from the UK Society for Cooperative Studies.
Chorlton Bike Deliveries
Following our report in the last newsletter on a brilliant first month for Chorlton Bike Deliveries, the group will now start collecting food that would otherwise have been wasted from all three Co-op stores in Chorlton. The food is taken to food projects like Emmeline's Pantry.
Thanks again to the Co-op for paying for the hi-viz jackets.
Chorlton Coronavirus Community Response
Chorlton Coronavirus Community Response is a Facebook page where people are organising help for the most vulnerable people in the community. If you're a Facebook user you can see it here
Key information from the group:
- Here is a map of the local support groups
- And here is a list
- And here is a form to give information about a group that isn't listed
(you can see these even if you're not a Facebook user)
Unicorn news and initiatives
Unicorn is now opening on Mondays for timed entry. The initial trial went well but rather than lengthen queues on other days, the workers at Unicorn have decided to open on Mondays for timed entry only.
Details of Unicorn opening hours here.
Co-op news and initiatives
Community Shopping Scheme
The Co-op Community Shopping Scheme provides people who must stay at home with a way to pay for shopping bought by a volunteer or friend. A special shopping card can be loaded with money by telephone and then used in the Co-op. To get a card (or top one up), just call 0800 029 4592.
Coop on-line ordering and deliveries
You can now order on-line from the Co-op - for home delivery (usually same day!) or pickup from Whalley Range.
It's a great way of getting food at lower risk to you and store colleagues.
Next meeting 11 July - by video
We held our second Chorlton and District Coops meeting by Zoom video on 9 May and it went really well.
Our next meeting will be on Saturday 10.30 - 11.30 am 11 July by Zoom.
How to join by Zoom
Follow the link below to register and for details.
We're Chorlton and District Co-ops - local Co-op members making our voice heard in the Co-op and working with other co-ops in the community. We hold short informal meetings every two months and we organise local activity around issues like Fairtrade. We recently changed our name (again!) from the Chorlton Co-op Cluster.
Anyone who is interested in co-ops and co-operation is welcome to join us.
Shaun Fensom