Where this idea came from: This idea is a local interpretation of a project that originally came out of a Yurt (a kind of nomadic tent) in the Campaigns Field, Green Gathering Festival (The festival is itself a Cooperative). The collective known  as "Coop-Camp" sought to inform festival attendees about setting up cooperatives, including worker cooperatives, housing cooperatives, social centres, community land trusts as well as converting existing businesses into worker cooperatives. This service was provided through sharing information and experience, connecting people up and  running workshops to explore the ideas that were brought to the tent, After the festival different members of the collective "mentored"  a good many of the ideas into existence. We aim to do the same from the cooperative that is now the Star and Shadow Cinema.

Workshop providers and future workshops: A local collective set up for for the same purpose as Coop Camp and to bring together expertise and experience to mentor and  connect up cooperatives that emerge from the workshop. If you cannot make it the workshop will be repeated in time. Other workshops are planned including:  (2) Business Conversions and strategies for worker takeovers and inspiring socially useful production in existing businesses and organisations, (3) Creating Social Centres, (4) Cooperative Housing, and (5) Cooperative entities formed around Community land trusts, allotments, small holdings and woods.

Other Aims: We want to celebrate all cooperative forms of organisation, but principly we want to set about creating entities in this first workshop that generate an income for those who set them up and become the workforce without a boss. Income can mean, a substantive income  (a ' real ' living wage. At the moment the Star and Shadow does not employ anyone, but there is scope around the "space" and beyond it within a City that ha designated itself a "cooperative city" where this kind of business is prefered and a supported.

Who should attend: People who are employed and are fed up with having a boss or working within a hierarchy, people who need an income besides what the benefit system provides in order to make ends meet all who would rather work at their own pace and ethically and equally with others, students who are looking to find something more alternative than your universities employability agenda, star and shadow volunteers/workers anyone with a collective orientation to produce. At present we are not planning a creche but if you have an idea how we could do one for a repeat workshop that is a cooperative please contact us.

Participation in the workshop requires you to be aged 16 to 99+, be able to understand the processes taking place,  otherwise  we are inclusive. The Star and shadow has a changing places toilet and wants to be inclusive you are welcome regardless of Race, Class, Gender, Disability (including neurodiversity), immigration status  LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and more. 

Workshop Content:

Introduction : people, conduct rules, our principles, method, resources, acknowledgements.

What is a worker coop, Developing an idea, and a getting a cooperative together., Developing a business plan, Finance, Legal forms and registering the cooperative, starting trading, Running the business.and working together (day to day). 

Cooperative principles under which we  endeavour to support you, sources of support and resources which are extensive. Sources of help and resources (free and expansive), including model policy's, keeping proper records and accounts, that are a compliant to both companies a house and HMRC.

All in two hours. The workshop will start promptly at 1pm, if you want to obtain refreshments in the Star and Shadow Cinema Cafe arrive at least 20 minutes early.

Just turn up, its free