Working co-operatively in Peterborough is the key to success

The Eastern Membership & Community Council which covers the whole of the Anglia region of the Central Co-op, decided to start a new Networking opportunity across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.  This is to enable the groups they have worked with and to branch out to other organisations the importance of coming together, sharing expertise and finding solutions to help each other.

As a first networking event at the Friends Meeting House in Peterborough, over 20 people attended ranging from Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Councils, East of England's - Kid's Country, Flourish, Fitness Rush, Crosskeys Homes, Woodgreen, PCVS, PECT, and SEEE (Social Enterprise East of England) including colleagues from the retail stores and Co-op Group local member pioneer. Board members and retail management also attended to offer support and look at how we can connect better and find solutions.

This opportunity identified key priorities around food justice and access to food, cooking and finance gaps plus the area of all the organisations seeking funding from the same source.  

The outcomes were around more joint up working and collaboration and finding co-operative solutions. It was agreed to continue with the networking opportunity on a bi-monthly basis and anyone wishing to join or offer support to contact the Member & Community Relations Officers on members.community@centralengland.coop.