Co-op Fortnight: The Midcounties Co-operative celebrates local change makers driving the future of Co-ops in the UK

As part of this year’s Co-op Fortnight celebrations and its theme of ‘Co-op Heroes’, The Midcounties Co-operative is shining a spotlight on the people powering community-led enterprise. Since pledging in 2022 to create 50 new co-ops by 2027, the Society has already helped bring 31 to life – each one a testament to building a fair economic system within community at its heart.

Working alongside co-operative development organisations Plunkett UK and Co-operative Futures, the Society has supported a diverse array of new businesses across its trading area – from community-owned pubs and shops to composting collectives and organic farms.

At the heart of this initiative is a belief in fairness, ensuring that communities can directly improve the services and spaces that matter most to them, whilst reducing inequality and boosting the local economy. In 2022, the Society made a pledge to create 50 new co-operatives as part of Midcounties’ broader mission to build a fairer and more democratic economy through co-operative enterprise.

Two examples of the new co-ops which have been created since 2022 include:

In Northamptonshire, ‘co-op hero’ Mel Cooper manages the Westbury Community Shop. Under her leadership, and the support of Plunkett UK, the shop has become more than a retail space – it's a hub for local produce, community cinema, and social inclusion. The shop also partners with a nearby special educational needs school to provide work experience placements for students with disabilities and additional learning needs.

Meanwhile in Oxfordshire, The Wolvercote Mill has been transformed from a former sales office into a community-owned space for wellbeing, creativity and co-working. Spearheaded by local couple Lorna and Roger, the hub now hosts affordable lunches from a community café, arts and crafts classes and volunteer-led services that connect residents across generations.

With a new government now committed to doubling the size of the co-op sector, The Midcounties Co-operative says it will keep investing in helping the sector to grow, including offering funding, mentoring and bespoke business support, and policy advocacy delivered in partnership with national co-operative bodies.

Peter Westall, chief values officer at The Midcounties Co-operative, said:

"When we made our 50 co-ops pledge, we wanted to show that fairness can be more than a value – it can be a business model. These co-operatives are proof that when you give communities the tools and support, they can create businesses that are resilient, ethical and designed to meet local needs. We’re not just supporting organisations, we’re helping build a fairer economic system, one co-op at a time.

"With each new enterprise, we see the transformative power of co-operation led by passionate individuals within our communities – from tackling isolation and food waste to creating new work opportunities for young people. That’s the long-term impact of this pledge, and we’re proud to stand behind it whilst celebrating the remarkable individual local heroes who are instrumental to bringing these new co-ops to life."

To learn more about Midcounties’ 50 New Co-ops pledge, you can read its full report here.