Regather: building a brighter, fairer future

Founded in 2010, Regather is a Sheffield based community benefit society (CBS) on a mission to transform the local food system. 

As well as running a veg box scheme and organic farm, it provides an event space, gardening service, community projects – and more. In short, Regather works to create a better, fairer food system that’s rooted in community ownership and environmental sustainability.

After converting to a CBS in 2018 – with support from co‑op expert Mark Simmonds – the organisation has steadily grown in ambition and continued to be a local force for good. It has also been a finalist in the BBC Food and Farming Awards.

But a turning point came in 2024, when the landlord unexpectedly announced plans to sell the building Regather had occupied and lovingly improved and maintained for more than 15 years.

“This was a building the community had helped transform from a derelict space. It’s full of our blood, sweat and paint. Losing it would’ve been devastating,” said Regather Director Gareth Roberts. 

So the team sought help from the Business Support for Co‑ops programme, delivered by Co‑operatives UK in partnership with The Co‑operative Bank – and was awarded support from their long‑time collaborator Mark Simmonds. 

“We’ve known Mark for years,” said Gareth. “He knows Regather. That familiarity was key. We’d already done some groundwork for a share offer, and he helped us pivot toward the Community Ownership Fund (COF) grant application when the opportunity came up.“

The COF bid process was far from straightforward. It opened and closed quickly, and for a time, progress on applications stalled altogether. But in November 2024, Regather received the news they’d been hoping for: their COF application was successful.

“I cried when I found out,” Gareth recalled. “A quarter of a million pounds to secure the building where we’d poured 15 years of effort – it was emotional. This wasn’t just about bricks and mortar. It was about securing our future.”

Alongside the COF grant, Regather brought in match funding from social investment specialists, the Key Fund. The combined funds have secured the building and provided a budget for renovations.

Now that Regather owns the building, they have ambitious plans. Renovations are scheduled to complete by September 2025. They’ve also begun early-stage planning for an extension on adjacent local authority‑owned land, currently home to their community apple press.

A future community share offer is on the cards too – to help fund the extension, focusing on access improvements, energy efficiency measures and enhanced heritage conservation.

There are also plans to secure the land at Regather Farm, where they already hold a long-term tenancy. Their vision includes installing a solar barn and building capacity for an electric vehicle fleet.

Owning their premises has already changed the nature of conversations Regather is having with partners and funders.

“It’s amazing how attitudes shift once people know you own a building. You go from a vulnerable tenant to a secure, asset-based organisation. That opens doors. Funders now talk to us about development rather than just survival.

“This has been transformational. Not just for us as a team, but for our members, our customers, our community. We've secured more than a building – we've secured everything we've built inside it.”

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