Nominations are now open for Co-operatives UK’s Co-operative of the Year awards. The awards are a chance for the people who are running, working in and using the UK’s co-operatives to nominate and vote for their favourites.
Over the previous two years, 110 co-ops have been nominated and 37,000 votes cast. Nominations are being accepted until 30 April, and like last year there are three categories:
The leading co-operative of the year award is for co-ops with a turnover above £30m.
(2016 winner: Central England Co-operative.
The growing co-operative of the year award is for co-ops with a turnover between £1m and £30m.
(2016 winner: Phone Co-op)
The inspiring co-operative of the year award is for co-ops with a turnover of up to £1m.
(2016 winner: Riverside Housing Co-operative, part of Redditch Co-operative Homes)
Related: Central England, the Phone Co-op and Riverside Housing Co-operative named Co-operatives of the Year
“Co-ops right across the UK are making a difference to people’s lives every day – whether it’s allowing them to take control of their livelihoods, get ownership of their local areas, have a voice in the decisions made by big decisions or to create affordable housing together,” said Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operatives UK.
“Our annual awards are a chance to celebrate what co-ops are doing and, most importantly, for the people who know them best – their staff, their members, their customers – to decide which is most worthy of the Co-operative of the Year crown.”
The winner of each category will receive publicity and the option of £1,000 of business support, says Co-operatives UK, as well as “the kudos of being voted one of the three best of co-ops in the country”.
- Nominations are open until 30 April. Once a shortlist has been drawn up, the winner in each category will be decided by an open online vote, and the winner announced at Congress, in Wakefield, on 30 June. Click here to nominate a co-operative for the awards
