Imagine not having a boss?! Working it a different way

During the COVID‑19 pandemic, we've seen some inspirational stories of co‑operation. For Co-op Fortnight we've collected just a few of those inspiring stories from co-operatives across the UK. Find out more about Co-op Fortnight and get involved at uk.coop/fortnight

Special thanks to Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative, LILAC Co-Housing, The Larder, Calverts, The Co-op, Greencity Wholefoods.

Listen to more episodes and subscribe at morethanashop.coop. Transcripts of the episodes are available: www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Climate change and climate justice is the focus of the latest More Than a Shop podcast episode. 

In Speaking up for our planet: turning talk into action, Elizabeth Alker talks to Disruption Doctor, speaker and activist Samantha Moyo and Louise Marix Evans, Director of three community energy organisations/projects (Community Energy North and Pennine Community Power). The episode also features the tree planting organisation, Treesponsibility.

Listen to the episode and subscribe to future episodes at morethanashop.coop. Transcripts of the episodes are available: www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop 

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Special thanks to:

•  Samantha Moyo – www.samanthamoyo.co.uk and watch Samantha’s TEDxBrighton talk ‘Deepen Your Understanding of Decolonisation’ – www.ted.com/talks/samantha_moyo_deepen_your_understanding_of_decolonisation
•  Louise Marix Evans – quantumst.co.uk, powerinthecommunity.wordpress.com
•  Treesponsibility – www.treesponsibility.com

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The latest More Than a Shop podcast explores the changing landscape of UK high streets.

Elizabeth Alker is joined by industry experts – Central England Co-operative‘s Chief Executive, Debbie Robinson, and the IGD’s Head of Shopper Insight, Rhian Thomas – who talk passionately about how the high street is still relevant.

We also hear how Headingley Development Trust has inspired community ownership as a way of taking control of the local high street, creating jobs and securing its future. 

Listen to the episode The future of the UK's high streets and subscribe to future episodes at morethanashop.coop. Transcripts of the episodes are available: www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop 

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Special thanks to:

•  Debbie Robinson, Central England Co-operative – centralengland.coop

•  Rhian Thomas, IGD – igd.com

•  The team at Headingley Development Trust – headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk – and The Headingley Greengrocer – theheadingleygreengrocer.co.uk

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Food glorious food is the focus of the latest More Than a Shop podcast episode. 

In Digging in: the local food revolution, Elizabeth Alker talks to vegetable gardener, YouTuber and author Huw Richards and Incredible Edible’s Clare Negus. We also hear from the fantastic community-owned and run Radcliffe Market.

Listen to the episode Digging in: the local food revolution and subscribe to future episodes at morethanashop.coop. Transcripts of the episodes are available: www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop 

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Special thanks to:

•  Clare Negus, Incredible Edible (Heaton Park group) – www.incredibleedible.org.uk

•  Huw Richards – www.youtube.com/channel/UCeaKRrrpWiQFJJmiuon2WoQ

•  Radcliffe Market Community Benefit Society – www.radcliffe.market

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The fifth episode in the More Than a Shop podcast series is now live and explores something we all, sadly, will inevitably face in our lives.

Elizabeth Alker discusses end of life – how to talk about it, how to plan for it – with Co-op Funeralcare’s Raegan Drew and Methodist minister, writer and filmmaker Kathleen Loughlin.

We also hear from a Death Café in Manchester. Death Cafés exist all over the world, creating a safe, informal space for people to talk about death and grief.

End of life and death are difficult topics to consider and talk about under normal circumstances. This episode was recorded in normal times and we wanted to stress that it does not reflect current funeral restrictions in place or other impacts being felt in society because of the pandemic.

Listen and subscribe to future episodes via morethanashop.coop. A transcript of the episode is available here: www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop 

Special thanks to:

• Raegan Drew, Co-op Funeralcare: www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare
• Kathleen Loughlin: www.kathleenlacamera.com/
• Death Cafe Chorlton – deathcafe.com/deathcafe/5590/ – and the Death Cafe network – deathcafe.com

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The latest episode of podcast More Than a Shop explores the need for new conversations, support networks and funding focused on mental health across the UK. 

Whilst this series was recorded and produced before the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues raised will be more pertinent than ever.

One in four people experience a mental health problem in any one year. Series presenter Elizabeth Alker chatted to two people heavily involved in delivering mental health services – at a local level and nationally: Rachel Summerscales, formerly of Hulme Community Garden Centre in South Manchester, and Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at mental health charity, Mind. Mind recently launched a charity partnership with The Co-op. In this episode, you also hear from London’s Lifeafterhummus Community Benefit Society.

Listen and subscribe to future episodes via morethanashop.coop. A transcript of the episode is available here: www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop 

Special thanks to:
•  Rachel Summerscales, formerly of Hulme Community Garden Centre – hulmegardencentre.org.uk – now of Phantasmagoria – www.facebook.com/MagicalSuitcases
•  Stephen Buckley, Mind: www.mind.org.uk
•  Lifeafterhummus Community Benefit Society – www.lifeafterhummus.com

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

More Than a Shop presenter Elizabeth Alker chats to two people convinced that the UK economy would be transformed if more businesses were worker and employee owned. Hear a fascinating discussion between Elizabeth and Beau Bulman from Suma – Europe's largest equal pay employer – and James Wright, from Co‑operatives UK - the UK's national association of co‑operative businesses or all shapes and sizes. The episode also features Leeds Bread Co‑op – a worker owned co‑operative bakery in Leeds.

Subscribe to future episodes wherever you get your podcasts or find out about the More Than a Shop podcast at morethanashop.coop. A transcript of the episode is available here: https://www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop

Special thanks to:
•  Beau Bulman, Suma: www.suma.coop
•  James Wright, Co-operatives UK: uk.coop
•  Leeds Bread Co-op: leedsbread.coop

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

More Than a Shop presenter Elizabeth Alker chats about the music industry with BBC 6 Music's Chris Hawkins and Terry Tyldesley from Resonate, the ethical music streaming co-op. The episode explores challenges facing musicians and ways to challenge the 'norms' that have emerged in recent years and decades that make it such a difficult industry to breakthrough. The episode also features an interview with The Trades Club, one of the UK's most popular independent venues, which is owned and run by the local community of Hebden Bridge.

A transcript of the episode is available here: https://www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop

Special thanks to:
•  Terry Tyldesley, Resonate, the ethical music streaming co-op – resonate.is – and on twitter.com/kat_five
•  Chris Hawkins, BBC 6 Music – www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072l8y
•  The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge – thetradesclub.com

Subscribe to future episodes wherever you get your podcasts or find out about the More Than a Shop podcast at morethanashop.coop.

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Presenter Elizabeth Alker chats about the challenges facing education in the UK The Co-operative College's Principal and CEO, Cilla Ross, and poet and performer David Scott AKA ARGH KiD. The episode also features an interview with the Principal of Leeds Co-op Academy, Jonny Mitchell – who also featured in TV series 'Educating Yorkshire' – and students from the school. A transcript of the episode is available here: https://www.uk.coop/resources/more-than-a-shop

Subscribe to future episodes wherever you get your podcasts or find out about the More Than a Shop podcast at morethanashop.coop.

Special thanks to:

• The Co-operative College: www.co-op.ac.uk
• ARGH KiD: www.arghkid.com
• Leeds Co-op Academy: leeds.coopacademies.co.uk

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, Co‑op News, The Co-operative College and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust.

The series is presented by Elizabeth Alker. It is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.

Please note: The More Than a Shop series was recorded before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Presented by BBC broadcaster and journalist, Elizabeth Alker, More Than a Shop welcomes guests with something new and radical to say about the big issues of the day and doing business the right way.

Each episode covers a big topic from climate change and food, to mental health and education. The chat is lively, energetic, sometimes controversial, always entertaining – in the spirit of the worldwide co-operative movement.

Co-ops proudly offer radical alternatives to mainstream ways of getting things done. They are indeed so much more than a shop. Find out more at morethanashop.coop

More Than a Shop is a collaboration between Co‑operatives UK, The Co‑op, The Co‑operative College, Co‑op News and The Co‑operative Heritage Trust. This series is produced by Geoff Bird on behalf of Sparklab Productions.