As mentioned in today’s CoTech session, please sign this petition at the workers.coop forum and or by commenting here: Call For Support Statements: Stirchley Coop - #5 by chris - News and announcements - Workers.coop forum
Also please circulate with your members x
Hello,
I’m sure many of you will have seen and heard about the situation our friends at Stirchley Coop are in, and as previously shared in the news/announcements section of this thread.
One of the things we’re trying to do is get statements of support from cooperatives/cooperators in the movement. You can fill these in here - Stirchley Co-operative Development Public Statement of Support | Baserow .
It would also be great to come out with a formal statement of support from workers.coop - curious to hear thoughts here.
Follow the instagram @stirchleycd or the SCD mailing list for more info
Thanks x
Mikaela
Statement of sup@stirchleycdort:
17th March 2025
Stirchley Co-operative Development: statement of concern and support
The Board of Directors and members of workers.coop, the UK federation of worker-led cooperatives, are dismayed at an apparent move by GreenSquareAccord to dissolve its partnership with Stirchley Co-operative Development (SCD), and assume direct landlord control of residential and commercial space in the newly-completed development.
Such a move would not only threaten the security of cooperative tenants, but it would undermine the entire foundation of a decade-long project to establish SCD as a secure, democratically managed community space.
SCD is a community-led organisation formed by local residents and worker co-operatives in 2016. The building has 39 residential flats and three commercial spaces. The project was established in direct response to the gentrification of Stirchley, where rising commercial rents have put long-standing local businesses at risk of displacement.
Three of our members - Birmingham Bike Foundry, Artefact and Loaf Bakery - are not only tenants but co-owners. They have spent a decade investing their time, money, and labour into developing the building alongside residents, in order to secure their future in the area. Ownership of the building has always been central to this vision, giving workers and residents democratic control over where they live and work.
We wish to express our unreserved support for SCD’s members and tenants. We call on GreenSquare Accord to immediately reconsider its position and - acting in good faith - to reinstate its partnership agreement with SCD.
Sean Farmelo, Director
John Atherton, Director
Mikaela Raphael – Agile Collective
Sion Whellens – Principle Six LLP
Roxanne St Clair – Calverts North Star Press Ltd
workers.coop Limited, 63 Rakewood Road, Littleborough, OL15 0AP
Co-operative Society registered number: 4981
Please