Sheffield Student Housing Co-op
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co-operation grew from workers groups to reach across the globe

Here are some facts about the current state of the co-operative movement:

"over 3 billion people secure their livelihoods through co-operatives"

"75% of all fairtrade goods are produced by co-operatives"

"in the uk, the co-operative economy has grown by 21% to £35.6 billion since the start of the credit crunch in 2008"

"over 1 billion people worldwide are members of co-operatives"

"there are more than 12.8 million members of co-operatives in the uk - That's one in five of the uk population"

timeline of the co-operative movement

industrial revolution

The industrial revolution and the increase in mechanisation changes GB’s economy, threatening many people’s livelihoods. Social and labour movements spring up to respond to these problems. 





robert owen becomes manager of new lanark

New Lanark was a cotton mill in Scotland. Owen was a social reformer who managed to improve the welfare of the mill’s employees as well as making the mills run more successfully as a business. Owen was a utopian activist who had a great influence on the whole co-operative movement.


the ROchdale pioneers 

The Rochdale society of equitable pioneers formed. Importantly, they developed the Rochdale principles by which they ran the co-op. It is these principles that formed the blueprint for the future of the co-operative movement.



c.w.s.

Over 300 hundred individual co-ops joined together to form the Co-operative Wholesale Society. The CWS enabled small co-ops to come together to buy things cheaply in bulk. Later, CWS also starting producing their own goods to sell.





co-ops go global

Co-ops spread through Europe and the world and are particularly successful in Denmark, USA, Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. 










co-op political party formed (uk)

To start with, the party existed to represent the co-operative movement in the field of politics. Soon after the party expanded its goals to spread the co-op ethos across the whole political spectrum and aligned itself with the Labour party.



Industrial and Provident Society Act 

In the 1965 act (UK) co-operative societies could be registered as Industrial Provident Societies and are therefore exempt from corporation and capital gains tax.. This law, as well as others, made it financially viable for normal people to come together to form housing co-ops. Radical Routes, a federation of independent co-operatives, work together to develop sustainable methods for individuals to raise the finances and begin their own co-operative.

resurgence of co-ops

A resurgence in small food co-ops, especially in the USA and UK, and the tides of consumerism switch back to valuing organic and local produce.







students for co-operation

Students for Co-operation forms in the UK to support students in creating all types of co-operatives. There are already bike fixing, food and recycling student co-operatives. Currently there are groups in Sheffield, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Aberdeen all trying to make student co-operative housing a reality.
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Fenwick Weavers Society 

Fenwick Weavers Society forms, the first documented co-operative consumer society. In a consumer co-operative the consumer’s of a shop’s produce are the members, they collectively own and run the co-op shop for the mutual benefit of all. The local weavers in Fenwick started selling oatmeal at discounted prices to the co-op’s members.




Over a hundred co-ops formed

However, most of the co-ops up until now were not financially successful over a long period of time.


co-op finance

Credit unions were created in Germany whilst building societies and other forms of mutual savings accounts began to emerge in Britain. Credit unions normally have a strong emphasis on their local surroundings and run as not-for-profits, which means profits go towards paying for their services and to reward their members, instead of profit going to external shareholders.

co-op women's guild

1883 saw the first meeting of the co-operative Women's Guild. The guild was influential in fighting for women’s working conditions, health, women’s suffrage and pacifism. Alice Acland edited a column called 'Women's Corner' in the Co-operative News. Starting with its first meeting of 50 people in Edinburgh, over the next 30 years the guild grew to 32,000 members. The guild's objectives were to establish minimum wage and maternity rights. The guild introduced the White Poppy to promote pacifism and to raise awareness of the conditions that give rise to war.

student housing co-ops
emerge in the usa

Many of the first student housing co-ops in the US were formed specifically to provide for alternative groups in society. There were housing co-ops for for women and vegetarians, other co-ops were aimed to provide alternative dorms for students unable to attend university because of the housing costs.

john lewis partnership

In an experiment to increase business prospects the John Lewis Partnership starts to issue shares of its profit to its workers, as well as organising shorter working hours and more holidays. Needless to say the experiment and John Lewis grew to be one of the biggest employee owned businesses with over 70,000 partners.




nasco formed

NASCO (North American Students of Co-operation) was formed to provide to provide resources, communication and support for all student co-ops in the US and Canada.







THe co-operative group

CWS merge with CRS which gives birth to The Co-operative group (UK). The co-op group has over 7 million members and 100,000 employees in diverse areas including: Food, Financial Services, Pharmacy, Funeralcare, Legal Services and Online Electricals. 








SOURCES:
http://www.uk.coop/2012/about/surprising-facts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_cooperative_movement
http://www.uk.coop/document/john-lewis-partnership-model-explained
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25001444

What is Sheffield Student Housing Co-op?
We are students and graduates from Sheffield University. We have set up a housing co-operative to create a positive place for students to live. By working together we can bring down rents, provide a better quality of housing and give students the freedom and responsibility to look after the place where they live.
Find Out More:

What is a student housing co-op?
The vision for SSHC
Ways for you to get involved
SSHC resources
Get in touch:
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Email us at studentcoopsheffield@gmail.com

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Find us on facebook

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Tweet us @SSHCOOP