News update from Anne maher, md |
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February 2023
We are off to 2023 on a good start. I love this time of year as the days get longer but also people are open to looking after themselves and thinking about health in more practical ways. They are taking control of their own destinies. A much-needed mental shift after the passive acceptance that all will be well if we trust the status quo. It has to be said. We need to invest in our own health and wellbeing more than ever.
Health insurance policies are up for renewal and every year I listen to the advice to shop around etc to get the best cover. I switched mine years ago to a novel scheme called Food is Medicine. I sense it is beginning to take off now as a viable alternative to being hostage to a failing health service system. Can I be bold enough to say it should be renamed as a sickness service executive? We underestimate our own capacity to recover and believe what is possible. Perhaps though we are being forced to look at these alternatives in plain sight? On a human level we often don’t change our behaviours until we have to or are motivated by something that is worth the effort. Or we run out of choices. For many new customers who come to us at this time of the year they have limited choices left and are debilitated by the impact of choices they have made to date. There is always hope though and every day we are amazed at results that real food will make in relatively short timeframes. We want to help you on your journey to wellness and this community support is an important part of getting there.
We will be holding another meeting shortly regarding the co-operative changeover. The last few months has been about identifying who our stakeholders and the most suitable form of co-operative for us. Capturing the essence of what we are and the potential while using a simple approach is what we are aiming for… do watch out for it as we would love your input!
Anne Maher
Health insurance policies are up for renewal and every year I listen to the advice to shop around etc to get the best cover. I switched mine years ago to a novel scheme called Food is Medicine. I sense it is beginning to take off now as a viable alternative to being hostage to a failing health service system. Can I be bold enough to say it should be renamed as a sickness service executive? We underestimate our own capacity to recover and believe what is possible. Perhaps though we are being forced to look at these alternatives in plain sight? On a human level we often don’t change our behaviours until we have to or are motivated by something that is worth the effort. Or we run out of choices. For many new customers who come to us at this time of the year they have limited choices left and are debilitated by the impact of choices they have made to date. There is always hope though and every day we are amazed at results that real food will make in relatively short timeframes. We want to help you on your journey to wellness and this community support is an important part of getting there.
We will be holding another meeting shortly regarding the co-operative changeover. The last few months has been about identifying who our stakeholders and the most suitable form of co-operative for us. Capturing the essence of what we are and the potential while using a simple approach is what we are aiming for… do watch out for it as we would love your input!
Anne Maher
january 2023
A Happy New Year wish to all our members and readers! Welcome to 2023! Taking the tentative step in to a new year after what was for us quite a challenging year. However, it was also a turning point in our maturity and for that we acknowledge the hard work of the staff to maintain the constancy for the seven day a week business that we have become. This is no mean feat as we have managed to maintain the business with reduced staff while planning for the future.
Our sights are clear on the goal to become the co-operative we are meant to be. Our strategic plan is our guide for our direction forward.
Becoming the co-operative model is our journey this year and the process is underway. We are working with ICOS to develop a rule book for a multistakeholder model. Experiential learning throughout our ten years has shown us that there are many stakeholders who potentially benefit from this enterprise. Teasing this out into appropriate categories is helped with your input. If you haven’t filled in our survey please do! The more information we have the better! One thing is for certain. Co-operatives are the way forward.
Want to make a difference this year? Maybe The Urban Co-op is the answer! We are actively seeking expertise to join us as Board Directors for the full co-operative. If you feel you have expertise to offer and are willing to volunteer considerable time get in touch with us at board@theurbanco-op.ie.
Co-operation is about us all helping each other. From that we all benefit. Simple really..
Anne Maher
Our sights are clear on the goal to become the co-operative we are meant to be. Our strategic plan is our guide for our direction forward.
Becoming the co-operative model is our journey this year and the process is underway. We are working with ICOS to develop a rule book for a multistakeholder model. Experiential learning throughout our ten years has shown us that there are many stakeholders who potentially benefit from this enterprise. Teasing this out into appropriate categories is helped with your input. If you haven’t filled in our survey please do! The more information we have the better! One thing is for certain. Co-operatives are the way forward.
Want to make a difference this year? Maybe The Urban Co-op is the answer! We are actively seeking expertise to join us as Board Directors for the full co-operative. If you feel you have expertise to offer and are willing to volunteer considerable time get in touch with us at board@theurbanco-op.ie.
Co-operation is about us all helping each other. From that we all benefit. Simple really..
Anne Maher
december 2022
Just like that the year has flown by and here we are in December! What a rollercoaster ride it has been!
Resilience is a virtue we have been working on this year it has to be said amidst the challenges everyone has faced.
We believe more than ever in the importance of having access to real food and supporting those to provide it for us. We are awake to the reality that we cannot take anything for granted when it comes to our food supply and if there was ever a time to enlist the power of community it is now. The journey towards a full cooperative is under way and we are excited to see it taking shape as a Multi stakeholder model. Dare I say it…together, yes we can...! This will mean having community ownership of this enterprise. Imagine that!
To help us on our way we have a special pre share offer linked to our Cultivate Membership . This can be a way to support The Urban Co-op to maintain and build a strong future for us all. A mutual aid model of co-operation in action. A meaningful Christmas gift of conscious consumption.
We will be delighted to tell you all about it!
To all our members, supporters, networks etc we sincerely wish you all a peaceful and fulfilling Christmas. See you on the other side!
Anne Maher
Resilience is a virtue we have been working on this year it has to be said amidst the challenges everyone has faced.
We believe more than ever in the importance of having access to real food and supporting those to provide it for us. We are awake to the reality that we cannot take anything for granted when it comes to our food supply and if there was ever a time to enlist the power of community it is now. The journey towards a full cooperative is under way and we are excited to see it taking shape as a Multi stakeholder model. Dare I say it…together, yes we can...! This will mean having community ownership of this enterprise. Imagine that!
To help us on our way we have a special pre share offer linked to our Cultivate Membership . This can be a way to support The Urban Co-op to maintain and build a strong future for us all. A mutual aid model of co-operation in action. A meaningful Christmas gift of conscious consumption.
We will be delighted to tell you all about it!
To all our members, supporters, networks etc we sincerely wish you all a peaceful and fulfilling Christmas. See you on the other side!
Anne Maher
november 2022
We are knuckling down to business lately here amidst the chaotic world events around us. Staying grounded is something we remind ourselves every day about as we navigate the shocks that are facing so many businesses with energy hikes and cost of living increases.
Our drive to change the Co-op structure is underway and a dedicated subcommittee are working hard to delve into the propose multi stakeholder model that echoes the vision of where we want to go. We are all being challenged to create a new vision of how we want the world to be for us. One thing is for certain, co-operation is our way to get there. We have had many visitors lately involved with filming us to promote social enterprises. It is always interesting to get the perspective of newcomers who see the place with fresh eyes. Themes of belonging are echoed time and time again. We realise in hindsight how disconnected we had all become in recent years but now are enjoying a newfound sense of belonging much needed for our wellbeing. Taking ownership of this feeling and feeling empowered to move forward is where we want to go. Get on board with us!
Anne Maher
Our drive to change the Co-op structure is underway and a dedicated subcommittee are working hard to delve into the propose multi stakeholder model that echoes the vision of where we want to go. We are all being challenged to create a new vision of how we want the world to be for us. One thing is for certain, co-operation is our way to get there. We have had many visitors lately involved with filming us to promote social enterprises. It is always interesting to get the perspective of newcomers who see the place with fresh eyes. Themes of belonging are echoed time and time again. We realise in hindsight how disconnected we had all become in recent years but now are enjoying a newfound sense of belonging much needed for our wellbeing. Taking ownership of this feeling and feeling empowered to move forward is where we want to go. Get on board with us!
Anne Maher
october 2022
And we are off! Changing legal structure from a company to a co-operative is our goal in the coming months and we have started the ball rolling. We welcomed Darragh Walshe from ICOS last month for an open night to help us explore the implications.
Why make this change?
It was the original plan to create an urban co-operative when the idea was first envisioned. Many members have said to us that they thought we are already… after all our name is The Urban Co-op! The subtle difference between where we are now and where we want to go? Community Ownership. We have over the years strived to get this concept working from a pilot project to a sustainable business. Through the difficult start up years, two moves, pandemics etc it was perhaps prudent to make the most of the Company Limited by Guarantee legal status to develop the organisation. We aimed to strongly maintain the co-operative principles throughout this time. And we grew.
These are challenging times for everyone but perhaps a pivotal time to demonstrate the power of a collective community in the form of a co-operative.
A co-operative is an enterprise which is owned and controlled by its user members and operates for the benefit of its user members. Ownership and responsibility for our food supplies. How grown up we have become! We are putting together a subcommittee tasked with developing our own rule book. If there are members interested in being involved in this process, please do get in touch!
Why make this change?
It was the original plan to create an urban co-operative when the idea was first envisioned. Many members have said to us that they thought we are already… after all our name is The Urban Co-op! The subtle difference between where we are now and where we want to go? Community Ownership. We have over the years strived to get this concept working from a pilot project to a sustainable business. Through the difficult start up years, two moves, pandemics etc it was perhaps prudent to make the most of the Company Limited by Guarantee legal status to develop the organisation. We aimed to strongly maintain the co-operative principles throughout this time. And we grew.
These are challenging times for everyone but perhaps a pivotal time to demonstrate the power of a collective community in the form of a co-operative.
A co-operative is an enterprise which is owned and controlled by its user members and operates for the benefit of its user members. Ownership and responsibility for our food supplies. How grown up we have become! We are putting together a subcommittee tasked with developing our own rule book. If there are members interested in being involved in this process, please do get in touch!
September
2022 September
The Vitamin D is banked up after the glorious sunshine in August and I hope all the members got a chance to share in the free harvest too. Solar energy to charge up the batteries? Just what we needed… as it is time to rev up and get going!! Feeling well and being well makes life so much easier!
How proud we are to bring you the Strategic Plan for The Urban Co-op! It gives us a concrete direction for where we need to go in the future. What a crazy few years it has been but somehow we sense we are at the cutting edge of a new way of living amidst the chaos of readjustment.
Are we paying attention to all the drip feed about the challenges we will face when accessing the resources we have become used to? While the richer become extraordinarily richer, the rest of the world are reminded we are going to have problems accessing the basics. The constant anxiety and threat is understandable for the majority who have trusted the systems in place to provide the answers. I believe we are in a major transition phase where we are learning to find ways to empower ourselves to achieve material security. The Urban Co-op has sought to provide the means for material security through meeting our basic needs: provision of good quality food to keep us healthy can go a long way to helping us change the world. Ensuring we have ownership and sovereignty of this precious resource is our objective in the strategic plan. As a full co-operative we can access share capital to allow the significant membership the opportunity and benefit of collective ownership and autonomy. What a gift that will be to our community!
This month we will be hosting an information evening to explain the new directions for The Urban Co-op and you can have an opportunity to find out more! Watch this space!
How proud we are to bring you the Strategic Plan for The Urban Co-op! It gives us a concrete direction for where we need to go in the future. What a crazy few years it has been but somehow we sense we are at the cutting edge of a new way of living amidst the chaos of readjustment.
Are we paying attention to all the drip feed about the challenges we will face when accessing the resources we have become used to? While the richer become extraordinarily richer, the rest of the world are reminded we are going to have problems accessing the basics. The constant anxiety and threat is understandable for the majority who have trusted the systems in place to provide the answers. I believe we are in a major transition phase where we are learning to find ways to empower ourselves to achieve material security. The Urban Co-op has sought to provide the means for material security through meeting our basic needs: provision of good quality food to keep us healthy can go a long way to helping us change the world. Ensuring we have ownership and sovereignty of this precious resource is our objective in the strategic plan. As a full co-operative we can access share capital to allow the significant membership the opportunity and benefit of collective ownership and autonomy. What a gift that will be to our community!
This month we will be hosting an information evening to explain the new directions for The Urban Co-op and you can have an opportunity to find out more! Watch this space!
august....
2022 August
At a time of abundance as the land yields its wonderful local produce and glorious sunshine treats us to a holiday mode, there is a palpable air of discontent in Europe amongst the farming community and it is fair to say that here in The Urban Co-op we are concerned about how it will all play out for our food security situation.
Should we sound the alarm that all may not be well and that the way we have known our food systems to be are radically changing in the name of progress?
A tipping point has been reached and farmers are protesting strongly against efforts from the powers that be to drive forward towards what is known as the 4th Industrial Revolution or Great Reset. Not so long ago farmers were strongly encouraged to scale up to feed the world and the young generation of farmers were celebrated for ambitious expansion. But now it’s a handbrake halt as farmers are being “encouraged” to cut their businesses by 30% in the name of climate change. Are we seeing the global elite give up 30% of their livelihoods? 30% of that extreme wealth might go a long way to solving problems.
Buckle up though as changes are coming that we will not be happy with! It is though time to be masters of our own destiny and food security. In the midst of the confusions being created about what is considered food and nourishment we must actively protect and nurture the skills and talents of those who can provide us with real food.
Our Strategic Plan is finally here and in it we have set out the plans on how we can achieve control over our own food supply. We must do this ourselves! We have the power to protect our own communities.
Becoming a co-operative in true spirit is where our destiny lies. Although we have operated under co-operative principles we are still a Company Limited by Guarantee. As we enter our 10th year there have been many challenges faced and achievements gained. No longer an idea, it is a work in progress that has built a strong network of support. There is an opportunity here to collectively build and invest in our future towards where we want it to be by changing to a registered co-operative. Renewed interest in this model is timely as we face an accelerated pace in global decision making.
The power of people is what the co-operative movement is about and now more than ever it is time to demonstrate this potential.
July....
2022 July
The longest day is passed and the corner is turned on the year as we head towards the darker days. Gloomy to consider after the last few months of increasingly negative news bombarding us on inflation, energy costs etc.
Like every one we too are facing the realities of cost increases. Energy costs are showing no signs of plateauing and this is a tough reality for everyone. We really are going to have to make difficult choices in the winter.
World-wide there are major changes happening in our food supply lines. Certain stories are circulated widely to remind us that food shortages can readily happen. As an agricultural country perhaps we feel a buffered effect from the threat of food shortages ourselves. History though must remind us that we should never take our food supplies for granted and utilise our resources wisely. Abundance and overproduction have been a feature of our generations view of food. How much time do we spend on food waste while we essentially are undernourished? The food system has clearly not worked and one of the reasons why we are in a tumultuous changeover period. Appreciation for the skills of growing and producing food is shown in the just rewards. Money is a value put on proof of work. Nourishing delicious food is proof of work and we value it highly here.
June....
2022 June
What a busy month May has been and we can feel the pace of progress accelerating. As the gardens and farms grow so too is our momentum at The Urban Co-op. How wonderful is it to see the groups returning to share the spaces here as they find their own health pathways! From expectant parents to the sage wisdom of the elderly we are seeing all ages now avail of the goods and services here at this unique hub. Inspiring conversations and connections being re-established and strengthened.
Our networks are widening every day and it is so encouraging to be a social connector that is providing inspiration for other communities to do something innovative to build our new world. We have all been forced to reprioritise where and how we focus our energies. But the human connection is a vital part of this refocus and we appreciate the opportunities to meet and engage with people every day.
It was wonderful to take a part in the launch of the Burren Geofood project recently and experience the real appreciation for local food in an innovative way!
Our recent hosting of the Social Business Fair event is another avenue of networking that we recognise is important for an appreciation of our own local resources and how we can co-operate with each other to develop and thrive. It is the only way!
Mayday! Already!
2022 May
Ok the bright days are back and that is welcome! Time to plant and get those gardens going. It has been encouraging to see so many customers eagerly organising themselves for food production no matter how small this year. Every little bit counts.
You may have noticed our excitement recently at taking the Bronze award in the recent All Ireland Community & Council Awards! This is our third year to win an award in the category “Best Business Working in the Community”. The Urban Co-op is certainly on the map and your consistent support has made this possible.
We are always interested to meet new members who join up and begin their journey with us. Welcome to all the new comers recently!! If this is your first time reading a newsletter buckle up! There is so much going on here!
We have the AGM for 2021 on 5th at 8pm and are so looking forward to meeting in real life this year! Zoom and Teams have their place but there is no substitute for the in person!
Like all businesses we are seeing the prices rise as we take in stock. From having stable prices for extended periods of time to the fluctuating unknowns is a shift for us all to cope with. We are maintaining margins in order to keep up to date with it all and all of us hope and pray that stability comes back again. The dilemma of true price is a challenge for many who have been used to spending mostly on foods heavily subsidised. The journey to find a balance may be a painful realisation for many that is necessary to develop a truly sustainable food system.
The spirit of co-operation is one that strongly underpins our values here. People helping people. Thankfully there is more awareness that we must move away from a competitive mind-set in order to collaborate successfully.
Can we ask a favour? We would really appreciate if you take the time to do a Google Review for The Urban Co-op or a Like and Share on our Facebook/Instagram pages. Every little helps!
