Co-operatives 2010

Chelmsford Star, the retail co-operative society based in Mid-Essex, has been honoured with a national Co-operative Award.

Winyates Co-operative Housing, one of five self managed neighbourhood co-operatives supported by Redditch Co-operative Homes in Redditch, Worcestershire, has been honoured with a national Co-operative Award.

The Handmade Bakery in Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire - an innovative community supported artisan bakery - has been honoured with a national Co-operative Award.

Newcastle-based ethical investment co-operative, Shared Interest, has been honoured with a national Co-operative Award.

Cambridge based business, Delta-T Devices, a co-operative business specialising in instruments for environmental science, has been honoured with a national Co-operative Award.

Southampton based co-operative, whomadeyourpants?, formed to empower marginalised women by providing flexible employment, education and a social and community space, has been honoured with a national Co-operative Award.

Latest figures from Co-operatives UK reveal that co-operative businesses in the UK have pushed up their combined turnover by some 15.8% to almost £34 billion – during the same period UK GDP decreased by 4.9%.

With government confirming its commitment to co-operation, Co-operatives UK, the national trade body that campaigns for co-operation, will reinforce the message that There is an alternative… at Co-operatives 2010 - in Plymouth this weekend.