Avon Co-operative Development Agency
Brave Ltd, The Coach House, 2 Upper York Street
Bristol BS2 8QN
Tel: 0117 989 2536
Fax: 0117 944 5661
email: info@avoncda.coop
CDA (Brave Ltd), formerly known as Avon CDA, is delighted to announce the launch of a new one- year pilot project, which will offer a rural co-operative and social enterprise development service.
In partnership with Bristol's Social Enterprise Works (SEW) the project will improve the reach of both support organisations into isolated rural areas in the West of England. It will ensure that a 'free at point of use' programme of specialist co-operative and social enterprise advice is available throughout rural areas surrounding the urban conurbations of Bristol, Bath and Weston Super Mare - support which is currently unavailable outside Bristol.
The partners will provide a tailored start up programme to groups wishing to form a social enterprise - for example a co-operative, credit union, development trusts, community business or community interest company - which will include advice sessions, group training, facilitated peer learning, case research, governance support, access to legal advice and a registration service for incorporation of all types of social enterprise using nationally recognised model rules.
In addition, the partners will provide a tailored programme of support to any existing or emerging social enterprise operating within the same rural areas to assist them to become stronger, more accessible, increase trade and achieve their goals.
CDA (Brave Ltd) has recruited Kate Whittle to provide strategic and practical support to prospective, new start and existing co-operatives located within the LA areas of Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Kate has more than 20 years' experience in the co-operative sector, both in the UK and overseas. She has worked with co-operatives in rural East Sussex and Leicestershire, as well as rural peasant co-operatives in the Dominican Republic. Kate has also worked with credit unions in Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and rural mid-Wales. Kate says: "I am very pleased and excited at the prospect of working with rural communities in the West of England to explore and develop the potential of a range of co-operative models for rural businesses."
The project webpage can be viewed at www.avoncda.coop/ruralenterprise
For more information, visit the website www.avoncda.coop or contact us by telephone 0117 989 2536 or email: info@avoncda.coop for more information.