Co-operatives UK has opened nominations for the Co‑op of the Year Awards 2021.
The awards are free to enter and open to all Co‑operatives UK members – or individuals associated with a Co‑operatives UK member.
This year’s categories are:
Leading Co‑op of the Year: For co‑ops with a turnover above £30m.
Inspiring Co‑op of the Year: For co‑ops with a turnover from £1m to £30m.
Breakthrough Co‑op of the Year: For co‑ops with a turnover of up to £1m.
Co‑operative Council of the Year: Open to any council in the Co‑operative Councils’ Innovation Network (CCIN) who has not won the award previously.
Co‑operator of the Year: For inspirational UK‑based co‑operators.
The awards – which return after the Covid-19 pandemic saw them cancelled last year – are once again sponsored by the Co-op Bank, whose managing director (SME) Catherine Douglas said: “These awards are a great opportunity for us all to celebrate how co‑operatives have supported their local economies and communities over the last year, particularly through the coronavirus pandemic.”
Related: Our report on the 2019 winners
The Co-op Council Award is sponsored by CCIN, whose chair Cllr Sharon Taylor said: “This award provides an opportunity to highlight the innovative ways that Co‑operative Councils have supported their communities throughout the pandemic, putting the co‑op values and principles into practice.”
The 2019 winners included the Co-op Group, South Tyneside Council, Bristol Wood Recycling Project and The Schools’ Energy Co-op were among the winners at last night’s Co-operative of the Year Awards. Lorraine Power from Leeds Bread Co-op and Daily Bread Co-op founder Roger Sawtell won new categories recognising individual achievement.
If you want to nominate a deserving co‑op or co‑operator you think deserves to win, you can fill in the online form and explain in 250 words or less why you are nominating the individual or co‑operative.
Nominations close midnight, 4 April.
