Do you want to see thriving businesses, sustainable community initiatives or improved facilities for local people? 

Do you run a community activity, are you wanting to start a business, do you want to pass your business on to your employees?

Then you will want to know more about what co-operatives can offer you.  ‘A co-operative future for Raunds’ is working in Raunds and the surrounding area to make people more aware of co-operative options and to support the development of new co-operatives to benefit your community. 

We hope that you may want to find out more and get involved.

• For information on the project look below or download the leaflet here
• Free seminar on an 'Introduction to Co-operation' on 18th May in Raunds - download the flyer here
• Informal open evening to explore co-operative ideas for Raunds and area - 8th June from 6-8pm at the Saxon Hall - download the flyer here
• Information on Starting a Co-operative - download the booklet here
• Funding available for co-operatives - The Midlands Co-operative have a fund for new or existing cooperatives.  New co-operatives can apply for up to £5,000 and existing co-operatives can apply for up to £20,000. The application form can be downloaded here.

Who is funding the project?
Midlands Co-operative Society is providing the initial funding until September 2010 and Enterprise Solutions Northamptonshire will continue to provide support after that date. 

Who is running the project?
Enterprise Solutions Northamptonshire is running the project in collaboration with people within the Raunds community.  Enterprise Solutions Northamptonshire is a small independent co-operative and social enterprise development agency.  For more information see www.enterprise-solutions.org.uk

What are co-operatives and how might they relate to me?

Co-operatives are about people collectively ‘doing it for themselves’. 

They are enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled by a group of people.  These people may be people who work for the business, customers or users of the services or members of the local community or people who run their own businesses and come together to, for example, jointly market their business or a combination of these.  

They engage people in their own solutions and enable members to share the risks and development costs of the business. They also draw from the knowledge, skills and expertise that diverse members bring.

Co-operatives provide their members with mutual support. They link members together so that they can help one another - perhaps by sharing ideas, costs, resources and equipment.

Co-operatives retain the profits within the community and reinvest them into the business or for community or environmental benefit. 

They can be very community based or more business oriented.  Examples of activities that can be formed and run as co-operatives include:

•    local community centre
•    care service
•    local food or agriculture co-operative
•    an artists co-operative
•    community or local transport
•    community owned shop or pub
•    renewable energy scheme
•    neighbourhood nursery
•    retail
•    manufacture
 
What funding is available for co-operatives in the Raunds area?
The Midlands Co-operative Society have a fund, ‘supporting the development of co-operative enterprise in Raunds’ (this is not to be confused with the Community Dividend fund).  New co-operatives can apply for up to £5,000 and existing co-operatives can apply for up to £20,000.  You can apply for the start-up funding and then for the development funding once you are established.  Other funding may be available to you as a co-operative including opportunities for loans through co-operative loan funds.   The application form can be downloaded here.

What is the project doing?
The ‘A co-operative future for Raunds’ project is:
•    Raising awareness of opportunities and options for setting up co-operatives through local contacts, local media, open meetings and website
•    Responding to enquiries from people who are interested in finding out more
•    Running ‘workshops’ for people to find out more about what running a co-operative is all about
•    Supporting groups to set up co-operatives
•    Assisting with funding applications for the Midlands Co-operative Society fund

How can I find out more?
Contact Enterprise Solutions Northamptonshire at the contact details below.


Enterprise Solutions Northamptonshire
214a Kettering Road, Northampton NN1 4BN
Email:    sarah@enterprise-solutions.org.uk or enterprisesolutionsnorthants@yahoo.com
Tel.:        01604 259700