Meet the advice team
We know co-ops. Our expert co-operative advice team support co-ops with governance, new registrations, conversions, HR, culture and performance, membership strategy and much more.
John Atherton
John has been supporting co-ops and community businesses for over 15 years, with his first job in Rochdale of all places! Now focusing on membership, strategy and his passion for worker co-ops, he has been a director of a law centre, a community transport operation and Co-operative and Community Finance.
As part of the management team at Co-operatives UK, he leads our membership and events team. He believes our mission is to unite members, helping them to connect, learn and inspire each other. In his spare time, John was a founder member and still supports the Worker Co-op Solidarity Fund – and you may find him running in the fells above Rochdale, where he still lives.
Jenny Holsgrove
Jenny’s experience of forming communities, culture change and engagement in the workplace stems from her PhD in community formation. She has presented her research at national and international conferences. She has worked with Local Government and the NHS, supporting organisations to develop and enhance their working environments to build a strong working culture.
As a member of the management team at Co-operatives UK, she helps organisations create cultural shifts so that they can work more effectively and cooperatively. One of her favourite things to do outside of work is to unpick the plot of books at her community book club.
Emma Laycock
Emma has been advising co-operatives and mutuals of all sizes on all aspects of governance for over 20 years. As the head of Co-operatives UK’s Advice Team she leads on our chargeable services work and, alongside the rest of the team, ensures that we are the place for our members to find the advice they need. Emma is the author of the Co-operative Code of Governance and specialises in offering expert advice to co-operative boards. She is Co-operatives UK’s Interim Society Secretary.
Tim Knowles
A qualified solicitor specialising in employment law in co-operatives for more than 15 years, Tim has unique and substantial additional expertise in employee relations, collective bargaining, recognition and industrial action, and an in-depth understanding of HR policy, reward and benefits strategies.
Linda Barlow
Linda is a Chartered Legal Executive and specialises in corporate and charity law and governance. As part of the advice team at Co-operatives UK, she works with a range of organisations from co-ops to charities advising on legal structures, governance and corporate compliance. Linda delivers Co-operatives UK's director and secretary training programme and has authored many of Co-operatives UK's governance guides. When not advising on corporate law, Linda enjoys crafting and is currently studying towards her level 2 qualification in British Sign Language.
Kate Fielding
Kate is an experienced HR professional with almost 10 years' experience in HR policy, reward and employee relations in co-operatives. A chartered member of the CIPD specialising in all things policy, Kate is well placed to provide expert advice, guidance and support on all aspects of the employment journey.
Gary Morrison
Gary has a wealth of experience in the field of employment law, having previously worked as an ACAS officer and for the Employment Tribunals before qualifying as a solicitor at DWF solicitors.
Gary has worked as a solicitor with the Co-operative Group and many independent co-operatives as part of the Co-operative Employers Association and is a very experienced Employment Tribunal advocate and his knowledge and experience extend to all aspects of employment law including complex areas such as TUPE and discrimination.
Dane Pollard
Dane works in our Advice team and is the first point of contact for all governance and legal enquiries. Dane specialises in providing advice and guidance to new start co-operatives and mutuals looking to incorporate and supports all types of co-ops with their governance arrangements, processes and policies. Dane also acts as account manager to members that have set up in the last two years and provides guidance to them on all aspects of their governance calendar. He has many years of experience dealing with customers in the retail sector as well as clients in the corporate world.
Richard Self
Our Agriculture Manager, Richard Self, boasts more than 30 years of experience within the farming, food and land-based industries. Richard heads up the £2m EDGE Apprenticeships scheme at Anglia Farmers and was formerly Regional Manager and national lead on training development at European Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP). Rural Business Manager at Business Link Suffolk and a Manager at FMTS, a subsidiary of Fram Farmers.