Is starting a co‑op right for you?

Are you in Preston or Lancashire and thinking of starting a business? Or looking for a different approach to your existing business or community venture?

Co‑operative and Mutual Solutions has teamed up with Co‑operatives UK to deliver this FREE Is starting a co‑op right for you? workshop on Saturday 9 March at The Mandala in Preston. It will run from 10am to 1pm, followed by a buffet lunch until 2pm for everyone who attends.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of co‑ops as successful, values‑based businesses as well as their purpose and benefits. Find out if your business or community enterprise idea suits the co‑op model.

What to expect

The proposed content and running order of the workshop:

• A Co-operative Story – Daniel Heery, Charge My Street
• The Co-operative movement, Co-operatives UK, the Co-operative Business Development Programme, supported by The Co-operative Bank
• The co-operative sector – with examples of well-know brands, co-op pubs, worker co-ops, community energy/climate change co-ops and arts/crafts co-operative consortia
• Local co-operative story: Brookfield Retrofit
• What does membership mean? Ownership, benefits to members, members as a common resource
• The co-operative business model – value driven businesses
• Different sorts of co-ops and different legal forms – not one size fits all
• Q and A

The workshop will be followed by a buffet lunch for everyone who attends.