Join us on Saturday 12 October as Co‑operative Party members and supporters come together for Co‑operative Change, our post-election showcase event, in association with the Co-op and USDAW.
This one-day event in Manchester will celebrate the Co-operative Party's recent election successes and explore the Labour & Co-operative government’s policy commitments to the co-operative and mutual sectors in a series of conversations, panel discussions and keynote speeches, as we examine further the commitments made to co-op growth, community energy, local ownership and safer high streets.
Programme
* this programme is subject to (co-operative) change
Morning
10.15: Registration commences. Please bring photo ID to pick up your Showcase entrance pass and lanyard.
11.00: Co-operative Growth: Keynote address from Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade
- Followed by Jonathan Reynolds MP in conversation with Emma Hoddinott, Co-operative Party Assistant General Secretary
11.30: Co-operation in Parliament: In Conversation with our new parliamentarians
- Emma Foody MP for Cramlington & Killingworth
- Andrew Pakes MP for Peterborough
- Jack Abbott MP for Ipswich
- Chair: Preet Kaur Gill MP, Chair of the Co-operative Parliamentary Group
12.15: Keynote address from Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister
12.30: Co-operative Campaigning: Action on Retail Crime
- Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs and Board Secretariat Director the Co-op
- Emily Spurrell, Police & Crime Commissioner for Merseyside
- Jayne Allport, National Officer USDAW
- Chair - Rachael Maskell MP for York Central
13.00: Co-operation in the Devolved Nations
- Becky Gittins MP for Clywd East
- Sarah Boyack MSP for Lothian
- Chair: Paul Sweeney MSP for Glasgow and Co-operative Party NEC Member
13.25: Co-operative Sponsors: a word from Building Societies Association (BSA)
- Robin Fieth, CEO, BSA
13.30: Lunch (Sponsored by Building Societies Association)
Afternoon
14.15: Co-operation in action: Keynote address from Jim McMahon MP, Chair of Co-operative Party & Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution
14.25: Councillors’ Development Toolkit Launch by the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN)
14.30: Co-operative Communities: Building Community Power
- Alex Norris MP, Minister for Democracy and Local Growth
- Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader Oldham Council
- Annoushka Deighton, Friends of Stretford Public Hall
- Chair - Jo Platt MP for Leigh & Atherton
15.00: Co-operation in the Nations: Keynote address from Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
15.15: Co-operative Energy: Local Power Plan in Local Government
- Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment & Energy
- Cllr Adam Hug, Chair, LGA Labour
- Megan Corton Scott, Deputy Director, Labour Climate & Environment Forum
- Chair - Joe Fortune, General Secretary Co-operative Party
15.50: Co-operative Change
- Joe Fortune, General Secretary, Co-operative Party
16.15: Networking drinks (Sponsored by Social Enterprise UK, Better Society Capital and Access, the Foundation for Social Investment), with words from:
- Seb Elsworth, CEO Access, the Foundation for Social Investment
- Peter Holbrook, CEO Social Enterprise UK
Event information
Refreshments
Tea & coffee will be provided on arrival. Please bring your own refillable water bottle. The Co-op provides a water station to re-fill water bottles.
Lunch
Our sandwich ‘meal-deal’ lunch is sponsored by the Building Societies Association. Pick up your lunch in the Auditorium (lower-ground floor), where a range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals will be provided.
Please advise any other special dietary requirements to events@party.coop at least 1 week in advance
Networking Drinks Reception
16.15-17.30: Join us for a quick drink in Foodlogy (1st floor) and chance to network with your fellow co-operators including hearing from drinks co-sponsors Social Enterprise UK, Better Society Capital and Access.
Exhibition
A small number of exhibition stands will be available for you to visit in the lower-ground floor Auditorium during the lunch break. These represent our Co-operative Change Showcase partners Co-ops UK, Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN), Social Enterprise UK, BSA and USDAW.
Do also come and visit the Co-operative Party stand to buy some of our branded products.
Accessibility:
We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all attendees and have made provisions to ensure that the event is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. Please include any needs you may have when registering or email us at events@party.coop to advise any specific accommodations we may need to make.
Quiet Room: this is available on the ground floor for the use of neurodivergent or disabled colleagues, or anyone who needs a quiet space to feel less overwhelmed. Directions will be provided, but do ask a Co-op Party staff member if you need help finding it.
Cloakroom and bag store
A room will be available on the ground floor to store any coats/bags (at your own risk).
Please note, bag checks will take place on entry carried out by security staff. If any prohibited items are found in your possession that do not constitute a crime but that are likely to breach the Co-operative Party's code of conduct you will be declined access to the event. A list of prohibited items is available here.