Co-operatives from across the UK have responded to floods affecting Northern England. The UK’s largest mutual business, Co-operative Group has responded by setting up pop-up shops at flood-damaged stores and providing free deliveries of essentials.
At their pop-up shops in Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge, Co-operative employees delivered hundreds of parcels containing tea, coffee, toilet rolls, water and other essentials to residents, nursing homes and others.
In Rochdale, the birthplace of the modern co-operative movement, one of the Co-operative’s food stores was forced to close when power was cut off due to flooding. But the Co-op partnered with nearby stores to donate shopping bags full of essentials. It also provided a collection point for donated grocery items that were donated to flood-affected families.
Two other co-ops from Hebden Bridge, the Valley Organics worker co-op and the Egg Factory co-working space set up pop-up shops to help people cope with floods.
“We lost over half our stock,” said Ellie, one of the ten worker-member at Valley Organics. “We weren’t able to get insurance because it’s happened before so it’s too expensive. Most of the town centre shops aren’t insured. We need extra support to get back on our feet, but there’s a lot of us to shoulder the burden.”
The Fox and Goose co-operative pub remained open throughout the flooding. “We never closed, despite having no electricity for three and a half days, being four inches behind the bar and half its staff being unable to work,” said barman Drew Megiera.
The Co-operative Insurance, which is part of the Co-operative Group, received hundreds of claims in December due to storms and flooding. “As an insurer that puts customers first, we don’t expect individuals to be priced out of insurance as a result of the floods and we will not apply an increase to policy excesses for flood cover,” said James Hillon, head of products and pricing.
Photo: Mayor of Appleby Hughie Potts is served by Co-op manger Ian Peacock at the pop-up store in Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria.
