Workshop: Is starting a co‑op or community business right for you? SHEFFIELD

In South Yorkshire and thinking of starting a community business? Or looking for a different approach to your existing business or community venture? Do you want it to be inclusive, democratic and empowering for everyone involved? Yes? 

Plunkett Foundation has teamed up with Co-operatives UK to deliver this FREE Is starting a co-op or community business right for you? workshop on 5 March 2024, 10am‑12pm at the Gardeners Rest in Sheffield. 

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of co‑ops and community businesses, as well as their purpose and benefits. You’ll also find out if your business or community enterprise idea suits a shared ownership model.

Completely FREE to attend, this session is part of the ‘Discover Co-ops’ series brought to you by the Business Support for Co‑ops programme delivered by Co-operatives UK in partnership with The Co‑operative Bank.

Why co‑ops and community businesses?

All kinds of enterprises operate as co‑ops or community businesses – pubs, energy suppliers, taxi firms, bookstores, community gardens, wine sellers, farms, sports clubs and much more. 

They are run by their members, who can be customers, employees, residents or suppliers – and who have a say in how the business is run, making it a fairer, more collaborative and democratic way of doing business. 

It’s a resilient business model too. Co-ops are more than twice as likely to survive the early years of trading when compared to other start-up businesses.

What to expect  

The workshop will be led by a local community business expert. People from nearby organisations will also share their experiences of starting and running a co-op or community business. 

This informative, interactive and fun session will give you a more in‑depth understanding of co‑operative and community businesses, as well as the next steps for starting one. It will cover:  

• A brief history of co‑ops  
• The different kinds of co‑ops and community businesses – and which might suit you best  
• What membership means – the benefits of co‑ops and community businesses
• The strengths of co-ops/community businesses versus traditional business models  
• Co-op values and principles   
• Co-op facts and figures – how many there are and in which sectors  
• More about the Business Support for Co‑ops programme  
• Case studies of successful co‑ops/community businesses in a range of sectors 
• The different legal forms a community business can take  

The details 

• Date: Tuesday 5 March 2024
• Time: 10am-12pm 
• Place: The Gardeners Rest, 105 Neepsend Lane, Sheffield, S3 8AT

Join us 

To sign up for the workshop, follow the BOOK HERE link, fill in the form – and we’ll see you in Sheffield! Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment!  

Can’t make it? We are running workshops in partnership with co‑op experts throughout the country, so check our Discover Co‑ops page to see if there’s another session at a time and location to suit you.