Local co-operatives
Pages providing a listing of co-operatives grouped by trade sector.
The "Directory of Local Co-operatives and Social Enterprises" is
also available as a pdf file (800 Kb) by following
this link.
Co-operatives UK has a searchable national listing of co-operatives online
at www.uk.coop.
HOUSING & NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES
BATH HOUSING
CO-OPERATIVE LTD
Bath Housing Co-operative was
founded in 1979 and initially housed
its members exclusively in short-life
property. During the 1990s, the cooperative
also purchased four small
properties and is currently looking
forward to entering into direct leases
of further properties with various
local authorities. The membership
comprises people who would find
it difficult or even impossible to
ever buy property on the open
market and most of whom are not
entitled to public housing. Currently,
membership stands at around
12. Bath Housing Co-operative is
controlled by Ordinary General
Meetings and a Sub Committee
composed only of its members.
Whilst maintaining its current shortlife
programmes, it aims to house
all of its members in secure, longterm
housing. Being a small co-op,
vacancies do not arise very often, as
members, once housed, tend to stay
in co-op managed properties.
Contact: Gillie Plumridge,
5 Beckford Gardens, Bathwick,
Bath, BA2 6QU
COG HOUSING
CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED
Cog Housing Co-operative is based
in Easton, Bristol and it aims:
1. To secure and maintain good
quality, affordable, autonomous
housing for rent.
2. To make its housing as
environmentally sustainable
as possible.
3. To remain a small-scale
community organisation.
We bought our first house in June
2005, and have learned a lot about
DIY since then! We currently house
4 members.
Contact: The Secretary, 5 Daisy
Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6JS
Tel: 0117 951 1611
email: coghousingcoop@yahoo.co.uk
CO-HOUSING BRISTOL
We are a co-operative who aspire
to be a mutually supportive, diverse,
and socially inclusive community.
We aim to balance the benefits of
co-operative living with the needs
of families and individuals. We will
collectively build and manage an
intentional neighborhood of homes
which is socially, environmentally
and financially sustainable.
Contact: Neil Whitehead, 32
Westminster Road, Whitehall,
Bristol, BS5 9AW
Tel: 0117 9048611
email: nw007@blueyonder.co.uk
website: www.cohousingbristol.org.uk
ECOMOTIVE LTD
Information on sustainable and
affordable selfbuild homes.
Contact:
email: info@ecomotive.org
website: www.ecomotive.org
ECOSULIS
View full listing under GOING GREEN
KEBELE COMMUNITY
CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED
The Kebele Community Co-op
exists to:
1. Provide a welcoming space
within the local community
that encourages mutual aid,
empowerment, self-organisation,
sustainability and resistance to
oppression. It will do so by making
available its resources, facilities &
information, and through its own
non-hierarchical, not-for-profit
self-management.
2. To provide affordable, selfmanaged
housing for co-op
members, dependent on the coop’s
available space, finances and
agreement.
Contact: Natasha Machin, 14
Robertson Road, Easton, Bristol,
BS5 6JY Tel: 0117 9399469
email: kebelesocialcentre@riseup.net
website: www.kebelecoop.org
MINA HOUSING
CO-OPERATIVE LTD
Members In Need of
Accommodation (MINA) Housing
co-operative was set up with the
aims of providing self-managed
housing for a small group of single
people in Bristol. MINA Housing
co-operative is non-profit-making,
run voluntarily by its tenants
through direct participation. In
July 1999 MINA obtained a lease
and took on management of a
number of council flats. Tenants are
responsible for day-to-day running
of the Co-op including repairs,
maintenance and administration.
Currently working on a small scale
with 8 tenants, MINA has recently
completed the purchase of their
building from Bristol City Council,
and MINA is hoping to expand in
the future, as well as make links
with other housing and workers
co-operatives in the Bristol area.
MINA would be willing to provide
help and advice to individuals or
groups wishing to form housing
Co-operatives, and would also
be willing to take on properties
to manage.
Contact: Lizzie Forder,
19H Mina Road, St Werburghs,
Bristol, BS2 9TA
Tel: 0117 3770497
email: little_lizzi@hotmail.com
SOMEWHERE CO-OPERATIVE
HOUSING ASSOCIATION
Somewhere Co-operative Housing
Association was set up in the late
1970’s by a group of people who
were disillusioned with private
rented accommodation and who
wanted to take control of their
housing conditions and to live
co-operatively. We normally have
around 17 housed member and
sometimes a few non-housed
members. The age range of those
housed is from very young to
over 60. Currently, the co-op
owns two shared houses and five
flats/maisonettes. These were all
purchased and developed with
public funding and are in the
Southville, Bedminster and Knowle
areas. Additionally we have a long
lease on two houses owned by
Bristol City Council. We manage
all of these properties ourselves
via regular evening meetings and
by working in our own time. Our
members have to be seriously
committed to the idea of cooperative
management. Gaining
membership can take up to three
months and is not linked to
tenancy vacancies.
Contact: co-op members,
25 Dean Lane, Southville,
Bristol, BS3 1DB
Tel: 0117 983 7485
STAMBROOK RESIDENTIAL
MOBILE HOME PARK
The co-operative was set up
in 2001 to maintain and operate
the Stambrook Residential
Mobile Home park site as a
residential facility.
Contact: Colin Gray,
Stambrook Park, 9 Steway Lane,
Batheaston, Bath, BA1 7HR
Tel: 01225852811
WAY AHEAD - HOUSING AND
SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Wayahead provide housing and
support for young people aged
16-25. By providing temporary
shared and self-contained housing
we offer appropriate support to
enable young people to achieve
their potential and independence.
We also provide a floating support
service to young people who have
their own tenancies or in bed and
breakfast accomodation across
the city of Bristol.
Contact: Denise Tombs, Kingsley
Hall, 59 Old Market Street, Old
Market, Bristol, BS2 0ER
Tel: 0117 3178800
email: enquiries@wayaheadhousing.org
website: www.wayaheadhousing.org.uk
WINDSOR TERRACE
HOUSING CO-OP
Tony and Randi fell in love with a
five-storey listed Georgian house
in Clifton, and wanted a way of
investing their pension that would
permanently provide affordable
housing for a number of people,
rather than merely eventually
swell the profits of an annuity
company. Turning the house into
a co-operative and registering it
as a Community Interest Company
seemed a good way of achieving
this. We are currently lobbying
the government to allow co-ops
and social housing enterprises to
operate SIPPs (Self Invested Pension
Plans) to make ethically investing
in social/community housing easier.
We have for the past three years
been working at building up a
shared vision, learning to live
together and collaborate, taking on
responsibilities and starting to build
up capital strength together. At
the moment we have 9 members
living in 4 flats. We aim to expand
into different residential properties
as finances allow, with creative,
healing and workshop facilities.
The preserving and strengthening
of community are a central part
of our vision.
Contact: Jenny Spinner, 3 Windsor
Terrace, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4LW
Tel: 0117 9251788
email: jennyspinner@greenhealthwatch.com
IN THE GARDEN
EASTSIDE ROOTS
Eastside Roots is a workers co-op
and community garden centre.
They developed out of a Bristol
Permaculture Group idea to provide
a ‘gardening hub’ for the local
community while at the same time
rejuvenating a piece of derelict
land in Easton and next to the
Stapleton Road train station. They
have rejuvenated the gardens next
to Trinity Community Arts Centre
through their regular volunteer
workday on Thursdays, where they
have grown a variety of plants,
veg, fruit, flowers etc; saved seeds
for next year; created beds, paths,
rainwater collection system and
they are also planning to build a
low impact structure and peace
garden. Eastside have also run a
series of one off workshops (bench
making, polytunnel construction,
fruit tree pruning, compost
loo construction, compost and
wormeries) and the local Somali
Community Centre has been giving
great practical input too. There’s
plenty of opportunity to help out
and to gain skills and knowledge
about horticulture and sustainable
living and meet other like-minded
people. Eastside Roots hold
volunteer days at Stapleton Road
from 10.30 - 4.30 every Tues, Wed
and Friday and from 12-5 every
Thursday at the Trinity garden.
Contact: Nick Ward, Trinity
Community Arts Centre Trinity
Road, Bristol, BS2 0NW
Tel: 07810 806 354
email: nickpanward@yahoo.co.uk
RIVERSIDE GARDEN CENTRE
View full listing under SHOPPING WITH A DIFFERENCE
KIDS & YOUNG PEOPLE
BATH PARADE GUIDES
View full listing under LEISURE
BUDDIES & CO. LSK LIMITED
Buddies & Co. provide quality
childcare to children from 4 to
11 years old. The service includes
breakfast, holiday and afterschool
clubs. All staff are childcare
qualified and provide activities
ranging from sports to arts and
crafts. Buddies & Co. follow the
Government’s ‘healthy eating’
programme, so all snacks provided
are healthy and nutritional. Please
contact for further information.
Contact: Sarah Smith, C/o Air
Balloon Hill Infants School, Hillside
Road, St George, Bristol, BS5 7PB
email: buddies307@yahoo.co.uk
IAP SERVICES LTD
View full listing under BUSINESS SERVICES
LITTLE RAINBOWS
PRE-SCHOOL CIC
Little Rainbows Pre-School provides
quality pre-school education
to local children aged between
two and five years, with a strong
emphasis on learning through play.
Contact: Emma Duncan-Gibson,
172 Rodway Road, Patchway,
Bristol, BS34 5ED
Tel: 0117 9048232
email: littlerainbows@blueyonder.co.uk
website: www.littlerainbows.ik.org
SPARKS CO-OPERATIVE
We provide a variety of play and
daycare services for school aged
children 4.5 to 14 years.
We provide an after school club
term time in Sefton Park Youth
Centre for children that attend
Sefton Park Infants and Juniors and
Fairfield Senior School. During the
school holidays we run a full time
holiday club in Sefton Park Junior
School for all families in the local
community.
For further details or to arrange
a visit
Contact: Carole Theyer, Sefton Park
Youth Centre, Ashley Down Road,
Bristol, BS7 9BG
Tel: 0117 9076443
email: enquiries@sparksinc.co.uk
website: www.sparks-inc.org
THE FOSTER CARE
CO-OPERATIVE
The Foster Care Co-operative is
an independent not for profit
fostering agency offering quality
placements to Bristol and
neighbouring authorities. Children
and young people are placed on
a short or long-term placement
and are supported by qualified
and experienced socialworkers.
The agency is building a strong
and positive career group and is
constantly looking to add to its
numbers.
Contact: Jane Hardingham, Unit 56
Easton Business Centre, Felix Road,
Easton, Bristol, BS5 0HE
Tel: 0800 0856538
email: duty@fostercarecooperative.co.uk
website: www.fostercarecooperative.co.uk
WAY AHEAD - HOUSING AND
SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
View full listing under HOUSING & NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES
LEARNING
BAKER BROWN ASSOCIATES
View full listing under HELP FOR CO-OPERATIVES
BEAUFORT BUREAU LTD
View full listing under BUSINESS SERVICES
BRISTOL FOLK HOUSE
CO-OPERATIVE LTD
Garden and in-house café/bar
open daily. Centrally located, the
Bristol Folk House is a thriving
co-operative offering an exciting
programme of adult education
courses and workshops run by
local artists, published writers,
professional dancers and musicians.
There is something for everyone,
from languages to wine tasting,
yoga, songwriting and the very
popular pottery. You are welcome
to join the Co-op for a £6 annual
fee and become part of a friendly
and refreshing scene. Gardens
and in-house organic cafe/bar
open daily. Rooms to hire ideal
for parties, receptions, business
meetings etc. Music nights and art
exhibitions. Discover the Folk House
next time you’re in town.
Contact: Tina Gray, 40a Park Street,
Bristol, BS1 5JG
Tel: 0117 926 2987
email: info@bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
website: www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
BUDDIES & CO. LSK LIMITED
View full listing under KIDS & YOUNG PEOPLE
EASTSIDE ROOTS
View full listing under IN THE GARDEN
IAP SERVICES LTD
View full listing under BUSINESS SERVICES
JIGSAW CATERING
CO-OPERATIVE
View full listing under FOOD, EATING & DRINKING
SPIKE PRINT STUDIO
View full listing under ART & DESIGN
LEISURE
ATTIC FUSION THEATRE
CO-OPERATIVE LTD
View full listing under ART & DESIGN
BATH FRINGE LTD
Taking place between May and
June, Bath Fringe is one of the
largest festivals of its kind in the
UK. In venues, streets and parks all
over the city the best local, national
and even international performers
come together in an explosion of
artistic activity including music,
theatre, visual arts, comedy, kids
events, green events, and much
more. See www.bathfringe.co.uk,
Venue, and local press for more
details.
Contact: Wendy Matthews,
103 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BW
Tel: 01225 480079
email: info@bathfringe.co.uk
website: www.bathfringe.co.uk
BATH PARADE GUIDES
Bath Parade Guides (founded 1976)
is a co-operative of 25 professional
Blue Badge tour guides providing
tours of Bath/Bristol, the Cotswolds
and all points west. They offer:
• walking and coach tours
• introductory/highlight tours
• off the beaten track tours
• specialist tours
• tour planning, tour managers,
transfer services
• tailored tours to suit your
interests and time available.
Bath Parade Guides can plan your
tour, guide your tour, and make
your tour the best possible. For
further details, fees and bookings:
Contact: June Price, 11 Linden
Gardens, Bath, BA1 2YB
Tel: 01225 337111
email: bathparadeguides@yahoo.com
BRISTOL ROVERS SUPPORTERS
SOCIETY LIMITED
Contact: BRISTOL ROVERS
SUPPORTERS’ SOCIETY LIMITED
email: info@gastrust.org
website: www.gastrust.org
CIRQUE IDYLLIC
View full listing under ART & DESIGN
GYNORMOUS RAWKUS
View full listing under ART & DESIGN
THE CUBE
View full listing under MEDIA & PERFORMANCE
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