conference

Co-operators urged to Think, Walk, Talk co-operative

Ed Mayo, newly-appointed secretary general of Co-operatives UK, will be leading the clarion call when members of the co-operative movement are urged to Think, Walk and Talk Co-operative at a conference in January.

Co-operative Futures 2010 will be held in Swindon on Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30 and the event aims to inspire delegates to develop ever more co-operative ways of doing business.

“The idle thought that inspired the theme of the conference was ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could buy everything I needed from a co-operative?’” explained Jim Pettipher of co-operative development agency Co-operative Futures, which is organising the event.

“And the more we thought about it, the more we realised that we probably could buy most things we needed from a co-operative, if only we knew about the co-operatives and made a bit more of an effort to buy co-operatively.”

Ed Mayo will open the conference by making the case for co-operation – why choose the co-operative business model and why choose to do business with other co-operatives?

Following the opening address, Siôn Whellens of design and print co-operative Calverts will be delivering a JFK inspired session: “Ask not what other co-operators will buy from you, but what together we can do to deliver a co-operative life.”

In the first afternoon session, Vivian Woodell, founder of The Phone Co-op, will lead a workshop about the company’s existing affinity scheme, which pays co-operatives commission on business from every new account they recruit. Delegates will be asked how the scheme could be better and how it might offer a model for trade between other co-operative businesses.

Then Ben Rieveley, internet manager at The Co-operative will talk to delegates and sound them out about The Hive. The Co-operative has nearly 10,000,000 members and they have asked for an online co-operative space where co-operators can join groups, discuss and debate issues, learn about one another’s co-ops, arrange events, share knowledge and do business with each other.

The conference will close with a Question Time session, featuring a panel made up of the day’s guest speakers, and hosted by Jo White, of Co-operative Futures.

Co-operative Futures 2010 will be held at Alexandra House, a purpose-built residential conference facility near Swindon. Attendance costs just £100 per delegate, including lunch, while accommodation packages are available to 150 early bookers.

The conference is organised by Co-operative Futures, a specialist co-operative business consultancy, which works to encourage and support co-operative and community owned businesses. strongly supported Co-operative Futures was set up by the Midcounties Co-operative Limited,, which continues to be a strong supporter of co-operative development.

To book a place at the conference, or for more details, email info@co-operativefutures.coop or call 0845 456 2506.

Pictured: Ed Mayo, newly-appointed secretary general of Co-operatives UK