Preston Cooperative Development (PCDN) was formed in 2017 to  promote and support the development of cooperatives and similar forms of enterprise in Preston and the surrounding areas. We received a grant from Open Society Foundation and Preston City Council to support the development of 10 worker cooperatives and we offered interested groups advice and initial funding to pay for costs such as registering the coop and  developing a business plan.

We succeeded In developing these ten coops by  May 2023. These are  the Mandala Centre for Yoga and Wellbeing Hub, Deeds Not Words, The Preston Digital Foundation, Preston Pedals,  Retrofit +  at Brookfield, Worth A Gander (closed), FAM Foodies, HMP Wymott, North West Black Cabs ( closed due to Covid) and Preston Cooperative Education Centre. More information and case studies of these coops will be included on this website as podcasts soon.

We are a cooperative run entirely by volunteers who form the PCDN  Board. Board members are expected to promote the success of the company so the director should act and make decisions in a way s/he thinks will best promote the success of the cooperative.  Directors are required to exercise independent judgement and act in good faith.  

We attend regular Board meetings and hold our AGM once a year where we invite the members of the coop to attend. 

Next steps? Currently we have a further grant from The UK Shared Prosperity Fund administered by PCC and are using this to develop our profile and activities with a range of social enterprises  and community groups. As part of our outreach, we have been busy working with  various groups such as Climate Action Preston and Community Energy Preston amongst others and have built a good relationship with the regional growth hub at Lancashire Boost.

Currently, we are writing variety of accessible   learning materials for different groups about  coops and cooperation  and will  also be  holding a series of  free webinars on cooperative solutions to issues such as food poverty, community energy, housing and care. Please keep an eye on our events page for more details.

If your group is interested in forming a coop and would like to chat about this, please contact us.

Our Rules and Regulations