Welcome to the world capital of co-operatives

Rochdale Pioneers Museum, Toad Lane

With just 100 days to go until the North West welcomes global co-operators to the region, Rochdale is getting set to welcome co-operators to the world capital of co-operatives. 

The Co-operatives United event, the global culmination of the International Year of Co-operatives, will host the International Co-operative Alliance’s General Assembly, the ICAEXPO, Co-operatives UK’s annual Congress and the Co-operative Group’s Co-operative Living exhibition reports the Co-operative News. 

Delegates visiting the Manchester event, from 29 October-2 November, will also have the opportunity to visit Rochdale, which was declared the world capital of co-operatives by the ICA at its General Assembly in Mexico last year.

Rochdale has already embraced its new title, with flowerbeds around the town adorning the colours and logo of the year and signs welcoming visitors to the ‘Home of Co-operation’ amongst the initiatives in place so far.

Cllr Colin Lambert, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: ‘It’s a fantastic achievement for the borough of Rochdale and a fitting reward for the original founding members of the Co-op movement.

“It’s an honour for Rochdale for the ICA to vote us as the World Capital. For them to back that up physically by actually coming here and celebrating the International Year of Co-Operatives at the home of the Co-op movement is a fantastic level of recognition from countries around the world.

“I’ve been surprised by how much people know about it. I always had this fear that the present generation had forgotten all about the co-op movement – what is it about? why has Rochdale been chosen?

“That hasn’t happened. The schools have all done little projects; my children come home and start telling me about the Co-op movement. It’s been quite a positive reaction.” 

Cllr Lambert also revealed some of Rochdale’s plans for the event:

“In May we worked with the primary schools about the history of the Co-operative movement. We had the children pushing a wheelbarrow around the Great Hall 800 times and that measured the distance of the first sack of grain that was brought from Manchester to Rochdale in a wheelbarrow by the Rochdale Pioneers.

“We are also doing a Pride of the Borough awards; we’ve got the history trails and we’re holding a big dinner at the end of October which will host the Board of the ICA.”

It is hoped the announcement of Rochdale as World Capital of Co-operatives will give the town recognition on the international stage, with visitors appreciating its recent redevelopment projects; including the brand-new bus and tram interchange and civic offices. It’s all being done by co-operating with the local community; public and private sector together.

Cllr Lambert assures that community and co-operation will remain at the heart of Rochdale in the future, saying: “The ethics of co-operation are now at the heart of how we will be running this council from 2014. All our communications are now badged as a co-operative council.

“We’ve got the biggest housing mutual this country’s ever seen which is up and running since 25 March.

“We’re looking at other examples of co-operatives and social enterprise such as adult care and the youth services. This summer our secondary schools have become co-operative schools.”