Bath Cooperative Alliance is an independent, non-party political organisation open to all who share our vision. View our Rules of Association.

What is our vision?

Our vision is a local economy in which the dominant emphasis has moved:

Towards: 

Away from:
Cooperation
‘Winner takes all’ competition
Communities taking the initiative
Reliance on big business and the state
Democratic decision-making
Economic decisions dominated by market forces
Production and investment for social need
Production and investment for financial interests
Low carbon economic activity
Economic growth at all cost
People in control of their work
People feeling like ‘cogs in a machine’
Local economic resilience
Vulnerability to shocks in the wider economy


To achieve our vision we aim to:

  1. Understand how organisations working within the social, mutual and cooperative (SMC) economy build democratic and ecological solutions:
    • Maintain an awareness of research and data on local and global social, mutual and cooperative economy initiatives
    • Develop an understanding of theories and ideas for economic transition
    • Identify local SMC opportunities in and around Bath
  2. Champion cooperative principles and local organisations working within the social, mutual and cooperative economy:
    • Promote the work of local cooperatives
    • Advocate for cooperative principles and benefits of the social, mutual and cooperative economy in and around Bath
  3. Support the local social, mutual and cooperative economy for it to thrive:
    • Fundraise for local research and grants
    • Connect individuals and organisations in Bath seeking to learn about and develop cooperatives
    • Support existing and potential co-operative enterprises with advice, information and small grants; e.g. seedcorn finance