Western Co-op helps bring Christmas Cheer to Cotteridge John Cooper, resident of Cotteridge writes how Central England Co-op supported the local community with a donation to ensure the Christmas lights in the area were able to be lit this past Christmas. Cotteridge is a small corner of Birmingham but, thanks to Central England Support, this year is making
Community A Christmas Co-op History Shaz Rahman, Western MCC member writes about the final Co-op History Group meeting of the year. "For the final meeting of the year the Co-op History Group had a Christmas party at the home of two of the members of the group. The group took the chance to reflect
Community Table Tennis comes to Great Barr On Wednesday our new Table Tennis Member Group started at the Great Barr Co-op Rooms on Walsall Road, Great Barr, Birmingham. The Member Group offers a fun and friendly atmosphere for the beginner alongside qualified coaches for any member who wants to progress their skillset in the sport. Shaz, Western
Western Central England Co-op Supports Tamworth School To Promote Wellbeing Champions Recently the Western Member and Community Relations Officer James Knight joined forces with Progressive Sports and St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School to promote Wellbeing Champions in school. The objective is to train students from each year group to help support and lead the message on well being within
Community Men's Voices Event Brings Men Together To Talk About Issues Men Face In The Modern World On Tuesday 16 November Central England Co-op hosted our 3rd annual Men's Voices Event at Burton Albion Football Club to celebrate International Men's Day (19 November). The event attended by over 100 men is held for men to talk about issues that affect them in the
Community Exploring Co-operative History from the Black Country and Beyond Richard Bickle from the Birmingham Co-op History Group hosted an online discussion with Co-op History fanatic Chris Shelley and representative of the Black Country Living Museum Clare Weston in a discussion about Black Country Co-op History. The discussion started with Chris talking about the history of the Halesowen and Hasbury
Community Brum Co-op Fest brings people together to celebrate co-operation Recently Co-ops across Birmingham came together to celebrate Co-operation with Co-op BrumFest. Shaz Rahman member of the Western MCC and many Co-ops in the area tells his story of the event below. Over the weekend of the 17th to the 19th of September, Brummie co-operators gathered at the Warehouse Café
Western Co-op Gardening Club Visit Masefield Community Garden Recently the Co-op Gardening Club visited a local community garden. Club Member and Western MCC member Cath Palgrave shares the clubs visit. One of the biggest successes of Central England Co-op members groups is the South Birmingham Gardening Club. This longstanding group organises talks, plant swaps and garden visits for
Community Colleagues and Members support Birmingham Pride This last weekend saw Pride celebrations return to the streets of Birmingham. The event attended by colleagues and members of Central England Co-op to support the diversity and inclusion of our Society. The event saw us join the Community Garden Green area to promote Central England Co-op, talk about membership
Western Lichfield Community Games are back!! The weekend of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September sees the return of the Lichfield Community Games to Beacon Park in Lichfield. The event supported by Central England Co-op Member and Community Council (MCC) for the last 4 years returns to inspire the everyone in the community to try something
News Wythall Transport Museum set to host Co-op heritage weekend This weekend, a special Co-op Heritage Weekend will take place at Wythall Transport Museum to mark its 140th anniversary. The event comes after, 140 years ago, a group of Midland Railway workers formed the Birmingham Industrial Co-operative Society to supply themselves with good food at fair prices. Today that business
Community Artefact Launches Co-op Principles Art Exhibition Shaz Rahman, Member and Community Council member for Central England Co-op has written a blog about our involvement with local Co-op Cafe Artefact. Artefact [https://www.artefactstirchley.co.uk/] is a collective of artists and creative people who have formed a workers co-op in South Birmingham. With support from Central
Community Co-op Heritage Weekend at Wythall Transport Museum Central England Co-op has a rich heritage reaching back into dozens communities across the country where people came together to supply themselves with honest goods at fair prices by forming their own local co-operative societies. Join us at Wythall transport Museum to celebrate the 140th anniversary of one of those
News Dozens of youngsters in Birmingham enjoy inspiring celebration of sport backed by Central England Co-op Central England Co-op sponsor special sporting event in Birmingham.
Community Holiday Hunger Program helps Support Families in Staffordshire During the first four weeks of the summer holidays the Western Membership and Community Council (MCC) teamed up with Progressive Sports and FareShare Midlands to help support younger people in the area. Progressive sports run Holiday Camps in the area during the summer holidays. The days are filled with fun
Community FREE Bike Maintenance Event in Cotteridge, Birmingham on Thursday 26 August Central England Co-op have teamed up with a local worker coop the Bike Foundry to put on FREE bike maintenance sessions at our store in Cotteridge. The event will take place between 10.00am and 4.00pm. Bring your bike, have it checked by the Bike
Community Central England Supports Geocaching event in South Birmingham On Saturday the 14th of August. I supported members of the Geocaching Association of Great Britain (GAGB), with an event Cotteridge Park. Geocaching is an activity where people find pre-set GPS co-ordinates in what can be described as a treasure hunt. Items will be set at the GPS locations and
News Co-op customers help fund nutritious food to keep children fed at summer holiday projects Money donated from Central England Co-op's Christmas campaign help FareShare Midlands provide food for pop-up food markets at summer camps
Community School children take part in healthy activity Six schools in Staffordshire took part in healthy activity events in the final term of the school year. The initiative came about through our ongoing relationship with James Austin, Lichfield School Sports coordinator. The events were offered to the schools and allowed individual classes to take part in safe '
Our Board of Directors Birmingham Film Co-op organise a Just Film Festival for Co-op Fortnight Below is a blog from Central England Co-op Western MCC Shaz about his experience during the awards ceremony of the Just Film Festival organised by the Birmingham Film Co-op. The Just Film festival concluded on Sunday the 4th of July with a hybrid awards ceremony conducted at the Warehouse Café
Western Elected members from the west midlands join regional Co-op AGM This week saw the Annual General Meeting of Co-operatives West Midlands. This Regional Co-operative Council exists to support and promote Co-op business and enterprise in the West Midlands. The meeting was held online with over 20 co-operators in attendance and used a new video conferencing platform 'Online Meeting Co-operative&
Community Elaine Dean Co-op voices women’s event Elaine Dean who is the current Vice President of Central England Co-op (amongst many other Co-op leadership roles) was interviewed by Rebecca Harvey from Co-op Press and Sarah Alldred from Co-op College about her life as a co-operator. It was great to hear from Elaine directly about her experiences in
Community Lights, Camera, Co-op for Co-operatives Fortnight! Starting on Friday 18th June, Birmingham Film Co-op are working with Central England Co-operative and Co-op News to bring you a special fortnight of films all available to watch from the comfort of your home. Films enrich our lives - they educate, entertain, delight and transport us. But the films
News Central England Co-op unveil special portrait and join celebrations to mark 250th birthday of pioneering co-operator How Central England Co-op is marking the 250th birthday of Robert Owen
Community Join us in celebrating the 250th anniversary of Robert Owen We are supporting a special virtual event on Friday 14 May - book your free place now.