Telford & Wrekin Council has set out to become a “Co-operative Council” to build a new partnership between local people and public services to:

• Improve and bring together services
• Involve local people and employees more in planning and running services
• Encourage people to do more to help their own communities

I am delighted to have been invited to join the Co-operative Commission advising the Council.

You too can have your say on how Telford and Wrekin can become a co-operative council by coming to a meeting of local residents on

Thursday 15^th December 2011 at 6.00 pm

Meeting Point House, Telford Town Centre

Please book your place by completing this form and sending it in

Community Forum registration form – Dec 2011-1

or by emailing  admin@raf-t.org.uk or telephoning 01952 210559

All co-operators welcome

Thanks to everyone who participated in the social media campaign promoting Wellington as a safe place to shop after the EDL demonstration disrupted our town.  A call to have a super shopping Saturday went out on Twitter and a Facebook page was set up. Posters were printed and Sounds in The Square produced entertainment to make the day go with a swing. A happy, community spirited shopping day was enjoyed by all. Sometimes the risk of losing something makes you appreciate it all the more.

We love Wellington

Enjoyed watching the Wrekin Barrel Race even though it was raining heavily.

A great event with a real sense of place. It involves carrying beer up The Wrekin in honour of a two-century old tradition where ale barrels would have been hauled up the county landmark to oil the rowdy Wakes celebrations at the top.

A great time was had by one and all at the CEIA

(Community Empowerment In Action) Street

Party in Regent Street. Hundreds turned out

for a multicultural Fun Day

The Wrekin Co-operative Allotment Society is looking to rent or purchase a piece of  land in or around Wellington to use as allotments. If you can help please let me know

www.wrekincooperativeallotmentsociety.co.uk

A seed swap is being held at Wellington Market for green fingered gardeners on Saturday 23 October. Organised by the Wrekin Co-operative Allotment Society, the event is being held to enable keen gardeners to swap seeds and save on the costs of raising new plants.

Helen King, chair of the newly formed allotment society said, “Everyone is welcome to come along and bring any seed that they have saved from this year’s harvest. We are hoping people will bring a wide variety of flower and vegetable seeds on the day to swap for other seeds of their choice. There will also be tips and hints on how to dry and store seeds and it’s all free of charge.”

The Wrekin Co-operative Allotment Society has already attracted interest from over forty residents in the Wellington area who are keen to take up allotment gardening. A campaign was launched earlier in the year by Paul Kalinauckas to get more allotments after he found waiting lists closed to new entrants. He said, “I have been surprised by the high level of demand for new allotment sites. Most of the existing ones have long waiting lists and some people have been waiting for several years. There has been an upsurge in interest in home grown vegetables and this seed swap is a great opportunity to get some free seed and learn how to grow them.”

Pupils from the Sutherland Business and Enterprise College, a Co-operative Trust School, will also be at the seed swap with a variety of chutneys produced from vegetables grown in their school allotments. The event is supported by the Wellington Market Company and runs from 10.00am to 12.00pm.

Wellington’s famous Literary Festival runs from 2nd to 26th October 2010. Alexei Sayle on Saturday 23 October at the Memorial Hall, Wrekin College is bound to be a sell out so book your tickets now on 01952 567697 - free of charge

Full details of the Festival Programme are available by clicking the following link:

http://www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk/Festival+2010.htm.

A good time was had by one and all on The Wrekin at a BBQ on Friday 27 August 7.00pm at The Halfway House.

Sponsored by The Wrekin Co-operative Party, this was a great opportunity to meet other co-operatively minded people in a fun, social atmosphere. All proceeds went in aid of Telford Tigers, our latest co-operative, set up to run and manage our local ice hockey team.

Could this become an annual event?

If you would like to join the new Wrekin Co-operative Allotment Society please contact me. The Council has a legal responsibility to provide sufficient allotments for local residents. However due to the increased demand for allotments there are now long waiting lists.

That is why we have formed our own Allotment Society to rent 4 acres of land near Wellington with wonderful views over the Shropshire Countryside. You are welcome to join the team of volunteers  setting  up an Allotment Society to convert the land into Allotments.

If you are interested in being part of this exciting new project to run and manage our own site with space for fifty new allotments please contact me.

Greenwood Craft Co-operative

An exhibition to showcase local co-operatives was held in Wellington Market on 19 June, the launch day of the first national Co-operatives Fortnight.  The event was part of a major sector-wide campaign to spread the message about co-operatives.

Sponsored by the Co-operative Group, this is the first time since the co-operative business model was developed in Rochdale over 165 years ago, that the entire movement has celebrated the role of co-operatives nationwide.

“Co-operatives Fortnight is a celebration of an alternative economy and a chance for local consumers to buy co-operatively, bank co-operatively, invest co-operatively and work co-operatively,” said organiser Paul Kalinauckas, chairman of Co-operatives West Midlands. Exhibitors at Wellington Market included the Wrekin Care Co-operative, Greenwood Craft Co-operative, Sutherland Co-operative Traders and Sustain who promote local food co-operatives. There was also  a special guest appearance from Roary the Tiger, mascot of the newly formed co-operative Tiger Tracks, who run the Telford Tigers Ice Hockey Team

Mr Kalinauckas added “The time really has come for a new agenda of co-operation, with Co-operatives UK already highlighting the co-operative alternative across many sectors of society – from pubs to football clubs, healthcare to agriculture, credit unions to community owned shops”