Setting up a Co-operative or Community Benefit Society and having a community share scheme are a great option for running a community business or social enterprise, and are a viable alternative to setting up a charity, community group or other not-for-profit organisation.

They can help save local shops and pubs, finance renewable energy, transform community facilities, support local food growing, fund new football clubs, restore heritage and community buildings, and build stronger, more vibrant, and independent communities.

Hear from local expert, Graham Mitchell, talking about his experience of setting up both The Green Valley Grocer and Co-operative Care Colne Valley, and raising over £160k in community shares for the latter. He will:

• give an overview of the community shares landscape,
• tell you the key thinks you need to plan, design and execute a successful community share issue
• And there'll be plenty of time for questions and discussion.

Graham is the veteran of two successful fundraising campaigns that made use of community shares for new Co-operative ventures in Kirklees, and has a background of over thirty years of working in, with and for Co-operative and community enterprises. A biochemist by education, Graham’s career has spanned a diverse array of roles, providing plenty of opportunity to develop skills and experience across a range of disciplines, with an emphasis on marketing and communications, and increasingly on the technologies that underpin and enable modern marketing communications for third sector organisations and businesses. As a co-founder of the Platform 6 Development Co-operative, Graham has recently graduated from the Barefoot Co-operative Developer programme, and is keen to encourage and support other new Co-operative and community business start-ups in the area.

Please note: This event is organised by TSL Kirklees - a local charity that gives free support, advice and training to any charity, community group or social enterprise in Kirklees - and is only open to any workers, trustees or volunteers from third sector organisations based or working in Kirklees. Our events and services are free because, like any other charity, we rely on grants and funding. If you have booked a place and then cannot make it, please cancel your place via Eventbrite or by emailing comms@tslkirklees.org.uk, so that we can offer that place to someone else and so that our funding isn't wasted.