Governance

The Co-operative Heritage Trust was founded in 2007 as an independent charitable organisation to preserve and make available the heritage assets of the UK co-operative movement.

Our mission is

'Great things happen when people co-operate. We collect, safeguard and make accessible artefacts and records relating to the Co-operative movement of the United Kingdom which is reflected in the policies and procedures we use. We use our heritage to create lifelong learning opportunities and support research which inspires audiences to make use of co-operative values and principles to change society.'

The Trust aims to fulfil its mission in these ways:

By increasing the accessibility and understanding of co-operative materials and collections.

By creating opportunities to present and interpret our heritage and mission.

As part of its development for the Future, the Trust will become a CIO (Charitable Independent Organisation) at the end of 2019.

If you would like to support our work by becoming a Trustee or joining our youth advisory group, please contact us.

Latest

25th Anniversary of International Co-operative Identity

September 21st and 22nd marks the 25th anniversary of the International Statement of Co-operative Identity
Co-operative transport throughout the years

Clare from our Collections department tells us about the development of transport within the co-operative movement over the past 175 years.
Archiving at arms length

Discover how the Co-operative Heritage Trust remotely recruited archival volunteers and embarked on a programme of digitisation during the Covid-19 crisis. Try your hand at some transcription yourself.
The British Co-op and the World 3: The CWS ‘Down Under’ Part One – Australia

Co-operative historian Tony Webster explores the development of co-operation in Australia in the 20th Century, and the involvement of the Co-operative Wholesale Society.