Common Ground
Colchester
A Community
Cooperative
"There is a strong need for such a collective space, a creative 'hub' & safe space for networking, idea sharing, socialising & building community cohesion"
Common Ground Colchester was created to meet common social, economic and cultural needs of its members and the wider community, as well as carrying on business and trade to benefit members and the wider community through economic and social returns.
Shared ownership harnesses innovation
Profits are shared between people who have a stake & say in how the co-op is run, end of year financial meetings will provide an opportunity for members to make decisions about profits as well as assessing progress, evaluating targets & social impact. Members hold one vote regardless of how many shares they own.
Colchester already has a strong social movement scene & our offering is continuing a legacy which includes spaces & projects such as The Waiting Room, Colchester Food Coop, The Makerspace & Bennison Farm Community Supported Agriculture, as well as a number of locally organised festivals & well supported markets, a number of thriving locally owned independent businesses, charities, CICs & social enterprises, a lively creative scene & diverse network of local artists. Through our residency at The Minories, Common Ground Colchester provides a hub to serve as a melting pot for all of the above, as well as providing affordable nourishing food, cooked by local people, inspired by local produce, supporting local growers & land-workers, contributing to the local food economy & paying local people a real living wage alongside the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the wider community.
"We believe such a hub can serve as a hive & fertile ground for cross-pollination of ideas & creative collaboration whilst boosting community spirit & cohesion. The co-operative model empowers local people & gives the people closest to the community the collective power & autonomy over something meaningful in their local area & lives"
Common ground co-op is designed to meet the needs of the community & is democratically managed with an open & accessible membership policy.