Meet the Board

Gaynor Wood
Gaynor teaches university students and writes about enterprise, starting your own business, and business for sport scientists. She worked with Enterprise Educators UK in the development of enterprise education training for university and college staff in institutions across Nigeria and China.
Her main interest is cooperative enterprises including worker and housing cooperatives. Currently her business is working with Preston City Council to focus on providing sustainable and affordable co-housing for UCLAN alumni in the town centre.

Gareth Nash
Gareth is part of a small cooperative business saving local services like shops and pubs from closure. He has helped raise several million pounds so that communities can create energy from wind and water turbines. He is also active in the Cooperative Party, where he finds new ways for local people to own the services they value.

Mick McKeown
A longstanding union activist, Mick is involved in the development of links between the trade union and cooperative movements. He co-authored the recent Manifesto for Decent Work from Union Co-ops UK. Mick leads on ideas to create cooperative opportunities in the care sector, and in the area of criminal justice (the employment of prisoners and ex-prisoners).

Julie Ridley
Julie lives in Preston and works part time at the University of Central Lancashire as a senior researcher in Social Work, Care and Community. She also co-directs the Centre for Citizenship and Community, and has engaged people from Preston’s communities on the ‘Connected Communities’ programme. She’s active in Climate Action Preston, the community association Broadgate and Hartington Community Connectors, and is on the leadership team for Preston Citizens developing the Preston chapter of Citizens UK. Julie authored a chapter in the forthcoming book about the ‘Preston Model’ that looks at the links between community and co-operatives.