OurCoop supports development of 36 new local co-ops through important partnerships

Since 2022, OurCoop has supported the development of 36 new member-owned businesses in communities across the UK through its work with co-operative development organisations, Plunkett UK and Co-operative Futures.  

OurCoop’s support has included providing funding, training, and general business advice, helping these co-operative businesses to grow and support their local communities through direct economic impact as well as by identifying and tackling social, economic, and environmental issues.     

By facilitating the formation of new co-ops, OurCoop has strengthened the wider co-operative movement and allowed community-owned businesses to focus on a long-term view rather than short-term profits.  

This forms part of OurCoop’s commitment to support the UK Government’s pledge to double the size of the co-operative economy. The scale and breadth of the new Society - formed in January 2026, bringing together Central Co-op, Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star - allows OurCoop to contribute significantly to this goal, including through a procurement collaboration which has saved Independent Societies more than £30 million annually through collective purchasing.

With the support of OurCoop, Co-operative Futures has helped to register three new co-ops and support four others take ownership of assets within the community over the last year. In 2025, Co-operative Futures gave over 2,000 hours of guidance to various community-run businesses.    

In 2025, Plunkett supported 34 new community-owned businesses, including six community-owned pubs and four community-owned shops across the OurCoop trading area. Nationally, 46 new community-benefit societies were also registered in 2025 using Plunkett UK model rules.

This comes during Co-op Fortnight, an annual celebration of co-operative businesses which this year focuses on the theme of co-operating to change the world. During Co-op Fortnight, colleagues from OurCoop are taking part in Plunkett UK’s Chilterns Challenge 2026 to raise funds to support rural communities through co-operation.

The Fox Inn in Ryton, Shropshire is one of the local community-owned organisations supported by Plunkett UK and OurCoop in the last year. When the much-loved pub closed unexpectedly, over 210 local residents came together with the help of Plunkett - demonstrating the importance of the space, raising funds, and bringing the pub back through community ownership.  

Now a vital social hub, The Fox Inn provides a place for residents to come together, reducing feelings of isolation and fostering a sense of belonging within the community. A certified ‘Warm Hub’ during the winter period, the pub opens twice a week to offer free tea and coffee and a safe, warm space for all.

Meanwhile, through the Society’s work with Co-operative Futures, OurCoop has supported a community co-op, Wylderne, to buy The Wilderness Centre in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

The Centre has operated as an outdoor education venue since 1969 and holds a special place in the memories of generations of local residents. It offers children and adults activities ranging from raft building, rock climbing, mountain biking and hill walking, to exploring nature in the ancient forests. Community ownership means this treasured place can be safeguarded for generations to come.

Mike Pickering, Head of Sustainability at OurCoop, said: “The theme of this year’s Co-op Fortnight - ‘co-operate and we can change the world’ - really gets to the heart of why we’re so passionate about supporting local co-ops.

“Community-owned businesses like The Fox Inn and Wylderne are invaluable to their local areas, having a real impact on social and environmental matters that mean the most to residents. We’re proud to partner with great organisations like Plunkett and Co-operative Futures to enhance the difference co-ops are able to make and support the wider co-operative economy.”  

David Oliver, Chair of The Fox Inn, said: “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of Plunkett and OurCoop. The advice and support we’ve received has been invaluable - whenever I picked up the phone, they always guided me towards the right advisor and provided genuinely useful insights. Everyone involved has been incredibly supportive and helpful throughout.”

Jo White, Executive Director at Co-operative Futures, said: “Supporting community co-operatives, such as Wylderne, puts power directly into local hands, enabling people to shape and sustain the places they call home. When communities co-operate, we build a fairer, more resilient future for everyone.”

As well as helping co-ops within local communities, OurCoop continues to work with Plunkett UK, Co-op UK and Co-op Party to influence public policy to support the co-op economy.