The Plunkett Foundation’s 90th anniversary seminar and AGM, held at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London on 09.09.09, was a time to celebrate our past and present and set out our future direction.
The event began with Graham Russell, Executive Director of the Commission for Rural Communities speaking about the opportunities and challenges for rural co-operatives and social enterprises.
Peter Couchman, Chief Executive of the Plunkett Foundation, then set out his vision for the future role of the Plunkett Foundation. This year we have seen an unprecedented rise in the number of community-owned shops opening across the UK. Even in the most challenging economic times, this enterprise model is thriving and Peter believes this is only the tip of the iceberg. The Plunkett Foundation will be increasing the number of services it provides to communities looking to set up and run a community-owned shop to help them to become the best retailers that they can be and key to this will be the establishment of a Community Retailing Network. This will be an online platform where various stakeholders involved in the development of community-owned shops are able to share information and advice and learn from each other. Chris Bristow of the community-owned shop in Feckenham, Worcestershire presented a case study on their shop.
Peter Couchman speaking at the event
It doesn’t stop there. Rural communities are increasingly looking towards enterprise models to take control of a range of services affecting their everyday lives whether this is healthcare, energy, transport, pubs or another issue. The Plunkett Foundation will be developing a range of services to help rural communities to take control of the issues which are important to them. At the event Keith Halstead, Chief Executive of the Community Transport Association launched the Social Enterprise Rural Community Transport Development Fund, developed in partnership with the Plunkett Foundation which will offer financial support packages totalling almost £1m to eight rural community transport enterprises to help them grow and develop.
Peter went on to speak about an important part of the Plunkett Foundation’s history – our role with food and land. The Plunkett Foundation is lead partner of Making Local Food Work, a 5 year £10m Big Lottery funded programme which helps people to take ownership of their food and where it comes from. The Plunkett Foundation will be working with partners to ensure that there is a successful legacy to this work. Seb Peisell from the Meat Joint then spoke. Seb is a founder member of Thames Valley Farmers’ Market Co-operative and he spoke about how turning towards communities through farmers’ markets have been a key part in the success of his business.
Peter concluded by stating the importance to the Plunkett Foundation of having an international outlook in ensuring that rural communities have access to be best ideas and the latest thinking. He also took the opportunity to celebrate our Irish roots where the Plunkett Foundation was originally based.
Minister Tony Killeen of the Irish Department for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, attended the event and spoke about our founder Sir Horace Plunkett, and explained the impact of his legacy on rural communities in Ireland and beyond.
Plunkett Foundation Annual Review 2009 (1MB)
Plunkett Foundation announces two new Fellows
At the event, the Plunkett Foundation announced the award of two new Fellows. The recognition as a Plunkett Foundation Fellow is the highest honour that the Plunkett Foundation makes and is recognition for an individual contribution to the work of the Plunkett Foundation.
David Button, former Chair of the Plunkett Foundation and John Tyrell, Director General of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society and long standing Plunkett Foundation trustee were announced as Fellows and Minister Tony Killeen presented both with their Fellows Awards.
David Button, former chair of the Plunkett Foundation has over thirty years' experience in the co-operative sector. He has held senior positions in Government Agricultural and Food Agencies. As a specialist adviser, he has provided advice covering all areas of rural social enterprise development, and co-operative group formation and development. David also played a key role in the formation and development of Food from Britain. David became a trustee of the Plunkett Foundation in 1999 and from 2000 until 2006 served as Chair. He is currently a board member of Co-operativesUK and also Chair of the UK Co-operative Forum.
John Tyrell joined ICOS in 1978 and in 1990 became its Director General. John has played an active role in the development of the Irish position on the Common Agricultural Policy and is on a number of expert groups which the Irish Government has set up to advise on food and agriculture policy. John was a trustee of the Plunkett Foundation for over 15 years.