When you mention a Co-op, it’s very likely that the first thing which comes to mind is the convenience shops and supermarkets that we have all come to know and recognise.

Yet, this is just one part of a whole Co-operative pie. A Co-op can be any business, whether that is a healthcare centre or a bank, a social community hub or a chain of small cafés – a Co-op is a business which is owned and controlled by its Members. 

It means that everyone who becomes a member has a vested interest (a share, you might call it) in the business. In having a share, you also are entitled to your views and a say in how the business operates, and how profits are shared.

Above all, what makes a Co-op unique is the values that it follows: