Melmerby and Fellside Village Shop LTD.

Wider social impact

The social impact of the co-operative goes considerably wider than the three villages served by the enterprise and the benefits it offers to passing visitors and travellers.  Howard notes four additional areas of social impact:

  • Environmental benefits: people will make fewer car trips for their shopping.
  • Charitable and investment benefits for the immediate community:  any profits can be reinvested in the shop, or used for charitable purposes, or to provide a small dividend on members’ shares.  The co-operative has a common ownership dissolution clause.
  • Creation of a successful community-owned village shop model.  In the words of Howard Long, ‘Villagers have created an effective model which can be replicated elsewhere. They have acquired experience and learned lessons which can be passed on.’
Co-operation between co-operatives across the Penrith area.  As Howard observes, ‘Significant advantages come from building good working relationships with local Co-op stores and from involvement with the wider co-operative movement and official representative bodies such as Co-operatives UK. These last provide, among other member benefits, a payroll service, a legal help-line, and a free web-site.’