British Wool: championing farmers and workers with expert HR support

British Wool is a farmer-owned co‑operative that collects, grades and markets wool on behalf of its members across the UK.

With depots stretching from Scotland to Kent, the organisation handles wool from around 30,000 registered members, grading it and selling it at auction. This gives them the advantage of pooling their wool to make up the large quantities required for commercial lots, which they may not be able to do on their own. 

“We’re a non‑profit organisation working for farmers,” explained Sarah Kershaw, Head of People. “We sell the wool, take our overhead costs and the rest goes back to the farmers.”

As a co‑operative, the organisation exists to support members rather than external shareholders. And it also invests in shearing training for its members, keeping alive an essential agricultural skill. 

“We work for farmers,” Sarah said. “Everything we do is about supporting members and creating value for them.”

With around 120 permanent employees and an additional 40‑50 seasonal workers during peak periods. With operations spread across a wide geographic network of depots, managing people effectively is a key part of maintaining consistent service delivery.

“People are central to how we operate,” Sarah said. “We want our teams to feel supported, engaged and able to do their jobs well.”

As the organisation’s dedicated HR lead, Sarah oversees the full employee lifecycle – from recruitment and onboarding through to employee relations, performance management and complex people matters. Having access to Co‑operatives UK’s HR Package has become an important and valued extension of that role.

Sarah particularly values the personal, friendly and accessible support she receives from Co‑operatives UK’s HR experts Gary Morrison and Kate Fielding. 

Because British Wool operates across multiple sites with a varied workforce, people issues often need resolving quickly.

“In HR you’re often dealing with situations that don’t have a straightforward answer,” Sarah explained. “Having someone like Gary who understands the context and can quickly talk things through is invaluable. It gives you confidence in the decisions you’re making.”

Sarah says the advice is always practical and grounded. “Gary is a fantastic support – friendly, helpful and down to earth,” she said. “He delivers great advice without using legal jargon.”

She also values the consistency and accessibility of the wider Co‑operatives UK team.

“If Gary isn’t available, there’s always someone else in the team who can step in and help. That continuity and responsiveness is really reassuring, particularly when something needs dealing with quickly.”

Alongside day‑to‑day advice, British Wool has also used Co‑operatives UK’s support to develop policies covering dignity at work, drugs and alcohol testing, workplace conduct and social media use. 

The support has helped British Wool ensure its people processes are fair, consistent and aligned with best practice, while protecting the interests of its farmers. 

“We’re creating a robust HR framework with the best interests of the members at heart,” Sarah said. “It’s about getting the balance right – protecting the organisation, supporting our people and maintaining high standards across the business.”

Sarah also makes regular use of Co‑operatives UK’s online HR portal, which hosts a wide range of guidance and resources. “There’s a whole library of templates, policies and diagrams showing processes and guidance on what you need to be doing. It saves me time because it means I don’t have to create these things from scratch.”

For Sarah, the biggest benefit is having trusted support from people with extensive knowledge of both HR and co‑operative organisations: “It feels like they really understand us and how we operate,” she said.

By combining practical expertise, accessible advice and a strong understanding of co‑operative business, Co‑operatives UK is a trusted partner helping British Wool strengthen its people practices while delivering value for members.

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