Co-op hosts Edinburgh pop-up cafe showcasing how co-operation and member-ownership can give communities a voice and make a difference locally

Co-op is hosting family friendly pop-up cafes in city centres alongside a series of more than 100 local events to bring to life the benefits of co-operation in communities.

The pop-up cafés will take place in Edinburgh, Cardiff and London with an opportunity to meet members of Co-op’s Board, representatives of its National Members’ Council and Member Activators. These will help members understand more about the business they own and the wide range of social, economic and ownership benefits of membership.

The events will include free Fairtrade coffee, tea or hot chocolate and cake, plus a range of activities for Co-op’s Member-Owners to engage and have a say. There are also chances to win tickets to shows at Co-op Live - the UK’s largest indoor entertainment arena of which Co-op is the naming rights partner.

Co-op Edinburgh pop-up cafe showcasing how co-operation and member-ownership can make a difference in communities

Non-members are also very welcome to come along and find out more about the benefits of joining Co-op.

Earlier this year, Co-op launched one of its biggest ever campaigns, ‘Owned by You. Right By You’, and is committed to demonstrating how being part of a co-operative benefits and, creates value, for its members and their communities.

Alongside the three pop-up cafés, there are more than 100 local events in Co-op stores, Funeralcare branches, or community buildings.

Members can learn more about Co-op’s investment in lowering the prices of hundreds of products with member-only prices across a wide range of everyday essentials along with personalised offers via the Co-op Membership App.

Find out more about how members helped Co-op’s Local Community Fund support and make a difference to more than 20,000 community causes since 2020. Causes with a focus on the issues that members say matter most to them, that create sustainable futures for people and our planet and, promote healthy, viable, and resilient communities - causes that: support young people to fulfil their potential; improve mental wellbeing; provide access to food; tackle climate change; reduce waste and resource use; and protect nature.

Plus, hear more about how Co-op boosts support for local community fund causes through its ‘Winners Share It All’ prize draw which offers 10 chances to win £5,000 for causes and £500 for Co-op members each month.

The Edinburgh pop-up café is located at:

· Edinburgh: Leith Street, Unit 1.03, St James Quarter, Edinburgh, EH1 3AR. Friday 15 November. 9:30am – 4:30pm. ·

Dominic Kendal-Ward, Co-op Group Secretary and General Counsel, said: "Co-op is a different way of doing business. We want to work with our members, who own our business, to make co-operation itself as successful, relevant and appealing as possible. Co-operation is fairer and gives a voice to members and communities and, can provide a solution to many of the challenges we face today; if the benefits of co-operation were better understood, everyone would want to get behind it. These events will provide an opportunity to show how member-owners get a say in how the business is run, save on the products and services you need and use the most, and make a difference on the issues that matter in the communities where you live."

Co-op is on track to its ambition of growing to eight million members by 2030. Further information about the benefits of Co-op Membership is available at https://www.coop.co.uk/membership

For more information about the pop-up cafés and to find local events, visit https://www.co-operative.coop/get-involved/memberevents