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The Wales Co-operative Centre have started a new blog, looking at issues of poverty in Wales

The blog is now up and running on http://www.everyonesbusiness.coop/en/

My contribution is as below:-

Co-operating for self-employment

Nothing overcomes poverty better than well-paid work. It not only provides income, but it helps to develop people’s sense of self worth. A job provides our sense of identity. Even when unemployed we desire to be an unemployed something, not just a non-entity.

The fastest growing sector of our economy is the self-employed. Once derided by business development specialists as “lifestyle businesses” self employment is rapidly becoming a very large part of our economy. Continue reading →

My partner, Lynne, is going to walk the traditional pilgrim’s route across northern Spain, the Camino de Santiago from Leon to Santiago de Compostela, starting on May 3rd.

Although, like me, she’s not a Christian, she’s been drawn to the the idea of walking the Camino for some time, and finally decided to give it a go. The walk from Leon should take around 3-4 weeks. She doesn’t intend rushing it, she wants to enjoy the journey, meeting new people, seeing new sights, relaxing and enjoying the spiritual experience.

I’m the Vice Chair of the Cardiff YMCA Housing Association. They run the biggest homeless hostel in Wales, providing shelter and helping vulnerable people get their lives back together, as well as a clothing recycling operation, PreFab, which also provides the people we support with work experience. When I asked Lynne to use her walk to help raise funds for them, she couldn’t turn them down. She’ll be staying in hostels on the walk, so there’s a synergy there.

If you want to support Lynne and donate to this worthy cause, just click on the button below, where you’ll also be able to follow her progress.

Continue reading →

I was recently invited as the Keynote Speaker at the AGM and seminar of Co-operatives NW, the Regional Co-operative Council, at Preston Town Hall.

You can see my presentation, which includes a detailed presentation on the Mondragon Co-operatives, below:-

Mondragon Presentation Sept 2013

I recently chaired this event, at which Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives^UK, announced a radical new plan to give football fans a realistic chance to be in charge of their club.

SWALEC Stadium

Alex Bird

Speaking at the Community Ownership of Sport conference, sponsored by the Co-operative Group and organised by Co-operatives & Mutuals Wales at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff on Feb 22nd, Ed said: –

“I call on Government to introduce legislation that will allow supporters the right to buy their club and convert it to a co-operative if 75% of season ticket holders are in favour of the move. And this should be fast-tracked for clubs in difficulty along with the right to buy at a fair market valuation.”With teams from all leagues in the domestic game, from Portsmouth to Cardiff City, facing a daily struggle to survive with the reality of debts and the threat of administration hanging over them there is a real chance that a vital community asset could be lost. According to Ed Mayo a co-operative approach to football ownership could pay dividends for clubs and supporters alike. “Football clubs are much more than just a business – they are a way of life for many people. As well as being sports clubs they have a massive influence of the financial, cultural and sporting environment in most towns and cities in the country.”

“Thousands of people follow their team week in week out, giving them tremendous support, and as a result fans, the cog that keeps the engine running, should have a say on how the club is run.

Continue reading →