Wales Co-operative Centre Newsletter

Consortium awarded contract to deliver project to bridge the digital divide

A consortium led by the Wales Co-operative Centre has been awarded the contract to deliver Communities 2.0 a new initiative to tackle digital exclusion in Wales, Deputy Minister for Regeneration Leighton Andrews has announced.... Read More

Co-operative takes over struggling bio-diesel plant to create sustainable business

Sundance Renewables, a Carmarthenshire based worker co-operative, is celebrating after taking over a bio-diesel production plant in Tredegar, South Wales. The factory was previously a privately owned bio-diesel production plant, but a combination of management difficulties and the unpredictable regulation of the bio-fuels market led to its closure last year.  ... Read More

Go For It Launches Digital Directory

Age Concern Neath Port Talbot’s Go for IT digital inclusion project has produced a Digital Learning Directory for the over 50`s. The Digital Directory, which is part of a project funded by Communities @One, was launched on the 27th March 2009 at the Cwmafon Community Centre by the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government Dr. Brian Gibbons AM.  ... Read More

Minister launches Credit Union schools link

Social Justice Minister Dr Brian Gibbons visited Dyffryn Comprehensive School in Port Talbot on Friday February 13th to launch a new joint initiative between Neath Port Talbot Credit Union and schools in the county and Neath Port Talbot Local Education Authority.... Read More

Financial Inclusion Team recognised for helping vulnerable customers

Katija Dew, National Financial Inclusion Champion for Wales, was recently invited to a reception hosted by the Prime Minister at Downing Street to recognise the real help that the DWP Growth Fund is making in local communities across Great Britain.... Read More

One week to change your life: Ignite Enterprise Course

The Wales Co-operative Centre recently took part in Ignite 2009, an intensive 5 day enterprise course run in collaboration with Cardiff University, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, UWIC and the University of Glamorgan. The course gave students an opportunity to use their enterprising potential to make a profit and a difference by setting up their own social enterprise.... Read More

Fairtrade Fortnight Roundup

40,000 people in Wales munched a banana on 6-7th March as part of the world’s biggest ever banana eating event. The record breaking attempt, organised by the Fairtrade Foundation, saw 470,001 people across the UK take part.... Read More

Wales’s Favourite Fair Trade Cuppa

A new Fair Trade hero emerged in Fairtrade Fortnight. Milgi Lounge in Cardiff came out top in an online poll for Wales’s favourite Fair Trade cuppa. The Favourite Fairtrade Cuppa online poll was run by the Wales Co-operative Centre to find out where people go for their favourite ethical brew.  ... Read More

Fair Trade Sales weather credit crunch

Despite hard times, café culture remains an affordable treat. Alan Price is Managing Director of Café Fair Trade, a Fairtrade coffee distributor in South Wales. Alan has just launched a new espresso blend and says: “Coffee remains one of life’s little luxuries. We’ve seen a 30% increase in sales on last year.”... Read More