Over lunch in a cafe in an assisted living tower block, I learned about Sustainable Enterprise Strategies (SES) from its director Kevin Marquis. The cafe is run by the people associated with Sunderland Home Care and staffed by people with learning disabilities.

In early February I had the great opportunity and privilege to visit Margaret Elliot of Sunderland Home Care (Care & Share Associates) who has contributed a piece elsewhere on this site.

Employee owned co-operatives to enable public sector workers to become their own boss and deliver better services.

What a silly and petty response Tessa Jowell has given today to Conservative initiatives on cooperatives.

As expected, Tessa Jowell and the Co-operative Party went into into convulsions of rage when George Osbourne launched the Tory policy on public sector co-ops this morning.

Politics is a funny thing...no matter how many times parties are modernized or ‘reformed’ certain labels or attitudes seem to stick.

As a Conservative supporter, I do believe that people should be given a choice, in their housing, with the education and the opportunity to make informed choices about the way their lives are run.

A Personal and Moving Account of the History of Sunderland Home Care from Margaret Elliott to SHC’s Workers, used by Kind Permission of Margaret Elliott.

I was asked to put into words why I support and respect the work and aspirations of the Housing Co-operative movement.

Many years ago, When I first became involved with the CDS co-op housing movement, I had been unemployed for some time, was getting little or no interest from prospective employers due to my age, and because I had been out of work for some time.

'How we Transition to a Low Carbon Society' conference at Winchester 20-21 November. For more information visit:
http://transitiontolowcarbon.org.