| |
|
Some Radical Routes Co-ops |
Brambles Housing Co-operative Brambles owns two neighbouring houses in inner city Sheffield. The co-op has been running since 1990, housing over 40 people during that time, with members staying from a few months to several years. There is room for ten members at any one time. The two kitchens have been designated for either vegetarian or vegan use. The gardens of the houses are home to various fruit trees, vegetable growing and a wildlife garden. The co-op provides members with a secure, supportive base from which they are active in the local community. Brambles acts as a focal point for various local projects / campaigns, as well as providing a free meeting space for local groups. It runs a resource centre for use by the local community, and a radical library. Castalyst Collective Catalyst Collective Ltd is a worker co-operative. They help people set up and register co-ops and in the last ten years over 75 housing co-ops, about 30 worker co-ops, a couple of charities, and a variety of different companies with co-operative aims have been registered through catalyst. They have worked with various existing co-ops, as well as groups intending to set up co-ops and on issues such as group-working, legal structures, conflict resolution, financial viability of proposals, co-operation and meeting skills etc. They love working with and promoting co-ops (especially ethical & eco-friendly ones), and have a wide variety of skills & knowledge available. In the summer Catalyst members can be found at festivals, working as part of 'Swarm' - a radical mobile info space. Cornerstone Housing Co-operative Cornerstone owns two large Victorian houses in Chapeltown, Leeds, which have space for 14 members and lots of animals. They have a shared focus on social and ecological justice and are all vegetarian or vegan. They are developing an ecological lifestyle, growing food in the gardens and setting up workers co-ops, including Footprint (a printing company) and Viridian Garden Services. Their small resource centre and cellars currently host Green Events, Leeds Earth First!, Rodent Rescue and Chapeltown Community Centre Action Group, as well other one-off campaigns. They are the publications and contact point for Radical Routes. One Community Limited One Community Limited is a housing co-operative that owns and manages the farmhouse at Keveral Farm near Looe in Cornwall. Keveral Farmers Limited, a workers' co-op, manages the land and farm buildings. Keveral Farm has been an organic community for twenty-five years, and the 27 acres of farmland is organically certified by the Soil Association. The farm was purchased in 1997 with the help of loans from Radical Routes and Triodos Bank after previously renting it from Patchwork Housing Association. Most income from the land comes from the sale of organic vegetables through a local vegetable box scheme, started in June 1997. There is also a camping area and a visitors' barn for courses, gatherings and holidays. The general aim of the community is to create a more self-reliant and sustainable way of life, and to share resources and experiences with others. Ringo Housing Co-operative Ringo Housing Co-op owns a large house in Brighton. It was the first housing co-op in the Southeast to take up a Radical Routes loan, perhaps because spiralling house prices were forcing people to move away in search of cheaper housing. Ringo houses 10 adults and 1 child, many of whom had been living in seriously sub-standard private rented accommodation. They now enjoy a semi-detached Victorian house with a very large garden and lots of fruit trees. The members are variously involved in allotments, permaculture, campaigning and home education. They also run a mobile kitchen for community events, and help to run a community centre in a nearby estate. Torch Housing Co-operative Torch is part of the Common Ground network of co-ops in Birmingham. It was set up in 1994 to house people actively involved in socially useful work. Torch has two properties, a five bedroom house, and a three storey building that houses up to ten people, with office space, community room and kitchen on the ground floor. These are used by the Common Ground workers' co-ops, and also by Radical Routes' investment and finance office. Upstart Workers Co-operative Upstart is a workers co-operative with charitable aims based in Yeovil, Somerset. Since 1998 they have been providing a range of training, consultancy and financial services to new and existing social enterprises. Their goal is to encourage the growth of 'clusters' of networked mutual enterprises, so that a sustainable and community-based economy can emerge. They research new business ideas, such as carpools, radical social clubs, renewable energy co-ops and commercial permaculture projects. Upstart provide high quality financial services to existing businesses, including many Radical Routes members. They are currently contracted to provide bookkeeping and other accounting assistance to Radical Routes. They run many training courses in all areas of co-operation and social enterprise. These include residential courses on 'How to set up a Housing Co-operative', free public events to promote the social economy and tailor made workshops for more mainstream businesses. Upstart members have considerable practical experience of the social economy between them, having founded and worked in many different co-operatives and credit unions. Wild Carrot Wild Carrot (Bridge Street Workers Co-op) was set up in August 1996 to take over an existing independent wholefood shop in Buxton, which had been about to close down. Instead of leaving Buxton and the surrounding area without an independent vegetarian and organic shop, a group of local people banded together, raised the necessary funds and purchased the business. The business is based on the underlying principle of a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle encompassing a very tasty eating experience! A strong emphasis is placed on organic, locally produced goods and fair-traded products, and the co-op does not stock products that are genetically modified or involve animal cruelty. They run an organic vegetable box scheme, sourcing much of the produce from a local co-operative which results in more competitive prices and a lot more fresh UK produce. |