It’s Cooperative Fortnight!

It’s Cooperative Fortnight, between 21 June to 4 July 2021.

We’re proud to be a co-op and proud to work with other co-operatives along the way. We have the support and brilliant business advice of Co-operatives UK. The Co-op Foundation have recently lent us funds to pay off some of our loanstock. Cooperative and Community Finance and ICOF have lent us money to purchase our premises. Infinity foods are an investor with and are our main supplier for food and toiletries. We work with SACDA (Southampton Area Cooperative Development Agency) to help promote co-ops locally. We would like to thank all these organisations for their support.

Although we are currently undertaking a plan to convert our business model from a Members Cooperative to a Community Benefit Society we still plan to run the business by the 7 co-operative principles and 10 cooperative values. To find out more about our reasons for converting and to get involved please do click through the link above.

There are seven co-operative principles that define how a co-op operates:  

A co-op is owned and controlled by its members. It exists for the benefit of its members, who may be customers, workers, suppliers or the wider community.

1. A co-op is democratic – this means every member has an equal say in how it’s run and how profits are used.
   

2. Every member contributes financially in some way – from buying products, working for the co-op, investing in it or deciding how to spend its profits.  
   

3. A co-op is an independent business, owned and controlled by its members.
   

4. It offers education and training to everyone involved, so they can develop the co-op and promote the benefits of co-operation.
   

5. It co-operates, works with and supports other co-ops.
   

6. A co-op supports the communities it works with.

The co-operative values

There are 10 values that all co-ops are based on

1. Caring for others

2. Democracy

3. Equity

4. Equality

5. Honesty

6. Openness

7. Self help

8. Self responsibility

9. Solidarity

10. Social responsibility

 

We are open:

Monday - Saturday

10am - 4pm

We are back open six days a week, with the whole store open for browsing. We will still of course be taking customer orders and you will still be able to buy food and cleaning products online through our online store. 

We are able to be open 6 days a week again because of your consideration and care whilst in the shop. Keep doing what you’re doing and leave that extra space, sanitise those hands and pull on that mask. We know you’re smiling underneath it :) 

You will see we have a QR code at the door, if you have the NHS COVID-19 app downloaded to your smart phone please scan this as you enter the shop.