Wales Co-operative Centre

Wales Co-operative Centre is a not-for-profit co-operative development agency in Wales. It is the largest co-operative development body in the UK. Since inception it has helped over 1000 businesses across Wales.

Key characteristics:

The Centre manages several major initiatives in Wales [1].

It delivers a range of projects to promote social, financial inclusion and digital inclusion. Its team of advisors work right across Wales, helping co-operatives, social enterprises, community groups and voluntary organisations.

The Centre was established in 1982 by the Wales TUC to provide business support to co-operatives in Wales. In 1984, the Centre published the first list of co-operatives in Wales and launched its first programme of training courses.

In 1988, The Wales Co-operative Centre helped establish the first credit union in Wales in Rhydfelin (now called Dragon Savers [2]). It also started providing advice to trade unions and their members about employee ownership.

In 1992 the Wales Co-operative Centre was the largest co-operative development agency in England and Wales. Today (2010) the UK's largest Co-operatives include John Lewis Partnership and the Co-operative Group.

In 1995, Tower Colliery became the largest employee-owned company in Wales with support from the Wales Co-operative Centre. The Centre also helped to set up the UK's first credit union based on an NHS Trust, in Bridgend.

In 1998 the Centre merged with Cardiff and Vale Co-operative Development Agency and took over the Enterprise Rehearsal Project which helped benefit claimants into self-employment (examples [3][4]).

In 1999, The Centre began working with social enterprises in Wales and became the first Chair of the All Wales Social Enterprise Network.

The Wales Co-operative Centre gained support from the Welsh Assembly Government in 2000 for a significant credit union development and grant fund initiative, which then became a flagship project under the new European structural funds programme.

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