Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society

What is a Co-operative?

A Co-operative is an organisation owned and run for its members' mutual benefit.
There are many types of Co-operative:

1. Retail Co-operatives - are different from any other retailer because:

a) They are owned and controlled locally by their members - ordinary customers, not big investors. They therefore have a deeper understanding of the requirements and concerns of their customers, and communities in which they trade.
b) They are more involved in the local communities, by offering local services and donating to and encouraging community groups to succeed in their projects and goals.
c) There is a democratically elected Board of Directors, drawn from the membership, who set the Society policy and who are elected by
the members.
d) Members get the opportunity to express their views and concerns through annual and half yearly meetings, run democraticallly.

2. Housing Co-operatives
Housing controlled by the people who live there. People living in the premises jointly own and control the co-op, this in turn controls and manages the premises. Members are at one and the same time landlord, manager and tenant.

3. Community Co-operatives
Businesses set up to provide services and benefits and employment for a local community or neighbourhood, often where there is a gap in the local economy. Profits are recycled for community benefit. Members are usually anyone in the community. Often also known as community enterprises.

4. Worker Co-operatives
Businesses owned by people who work in them. Control is democratic: one person, one vote. A wide range of legal structures are available for people setting up or converting to worker Co-operatives. Advice is needed to help you decide on the right structure. For example Co-operatives may be partnerships, or companies with or without shares.

5. Credit Unions
Financial Co-operatives which bring people together to save, borrow at low cost rates, and manage their finances.

6. Agricultural Co-operatives
Where the workers and/or farmers are the members, typically they join together to market produce and buy fertilizer etc.

7. Financial Co-operatives
Which offer financial services to their members e.g. Credit Unions

8. Co-operative Development and Support Agencies
Which promote and support Co-operatives e.g. Co-active Limited and Regional Co-operative Councils.

9. Co-operative Auxiliaries
Organisations affiliated to the Co-operative Movement e.g. Co-operative Women's Guild and Co-operative Party.

10. Co-operative Federations
Organisations which support a federation of Co-operatives e.g. The Co-operative Union, The United Kingdom Co-operative Council, Councils, The European Committee of Consumer Co-operatives, The International Co-operative Alliance.

11. Co-operative Education
Organisations which promote and support Co-operative education e.g. The National Co-operative Education Association and The Society Studies.
What makes all Co-operatives special is that they all adhere to the same 7 basic principles that they run their organisations by.
Click here to view Co-op values and principles.

Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society - at the heart of essex	marketing@chelmsfordstar.coop
Society Registered No. 973R Essex