Podcast Episode 5: Community-Owned Business
The community ownership model provides communities with an opportunity to make a real difference in their place. It's a strong opportunity to shore up growth in rural communities - it's a model focused on communities working together, supporting the local supply chain and creating connection and spaces for communities that have seen their services dwindle in recent decades. With brilliant examples across the country, from community farms, shops and public houses, it is an episode about the power of the people.
In this episode we hear from George Ogier, Impact Officer, at Plunkett UK about the big challenges facing rural communities and the growing movement of cooperative businesses which are enabling people in their place to create their own futures.
And then you will hear from a brilliant northern example of change, from Colin Pollock from Bishop Wilton Community Shop & Cafe, on the reasoning and purpose behind their community action.
Place is important to me, so I go hyper local into deepest East Riding territory to talk in this episode to talk about a project which I think is a shining example of how community and volunteer work can deliver real change in a positive way. Full disclosure from me here, I spent my toddler years in Bishop Wilton, a village that was an important place for my parents to start their married life together. I'll therefore dedicate this to my late Mum who was always struck by how that community supported her. She was always very thankful for their community spirit which endures to this day. In fact she was crowned Miss Bishop Wilton Show Queen in 1974 which was one of many accolades she would garner through her life.
Thank you to the Bishop Wilton team including Colin and Anna and of course, Annina who in the early stages of the project chatted to me on a village stall when I was out walking with the dogs. We had a lovely chat about the project, my connection and it sounded to me, even in those early days, that it would be a brilliant outcome.
There are challenges and pressures in all communities, but here we have some great insight into how rural communities can work together, mobilise themselves to create a greater sense of good that creates a thriving economy and acts as a more democratic model for delivery where everyone can fairly invest.
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