Co-operating for community resilience
Nelson Organic Green Grocer shareholder numbers have doubled in the year after the new community co-operative took over the reins of the iconic Tasman St store.
Former long-term store owners, Seager and Sue Mason, invited people to take shares in the business in late 2015. It moved into community ownership last April.
Co-operative trust chairman, Mark Alison, said running the coop had been a learning curve for shareholders, but it was working well.
Around 100 shareholders had bought into the store which specialised in organic grocery, beauty and food lines, a cafe, bulk buying for shareholders and provided a home for community workshops and gatherings.
Enthusiasm and the sense of being able to collectively find the knowledge within to solve challenges helped ease the way forward, he said.
Alison quoted US TimeBanks founder Dr Edgar Cahn saying, ‘‘we have what we need if we use what we have’’.
He is to present at a seminar about co-operatives and the regional economy being held at the Nelson- Marlborough Institute of Technology on Saturday.
Organised by the Nelson Loan Enterprise Trust the day offers a chance for interested people to learn more about housing, consumer, worker and producer cooperatives
Saturday’s seminar will see presentations by Craig Howard of Marlborough Grape producers. Frans Muter of Tui Community’s Tui Bee Balm, Jim Small of Christchurch’s Peterborough Housing Co-op and Nelson Organic Co-op.
The day starts at 10am and features an afternoon film and workshops.
For further information contact the Nelson Loan Enterprise Trust: 548 7284/ 021 0272 8008.