Robert Owen is little known in Wales in the land of his birth, yet his ideas had global reach and impact. For most people the co-op is seen as another supermarket. This talk will cover

• The emergence of the Co-operative Movement and it’s philosophy as an alternative to dominant ideas of the time and the role of Newtown’s Robert Owen inspiring a working-class movement.
• The strategy of the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society and the Rochdale Principles linking collective action to individual benefit.
• The pioneering role of the Co-op as a social movement. Creating a retail revolution with the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) growing into a large-scale international business, completely owned & controlled by its customer / members.
• The Women’s Co-operative Guild, successfully campaigning on divorce law and maternity services – based upon the practical experience of working-class women.
• Owen’s legacy in reimagining the world and changing it collaboratively, with examples of present-day action, including challenging Global Warming and Climate Change; the Socio-economic crisis, deep poverty, and inequality; with co-ops as a possible answer.

Speaker biography

David is a lifelong co-operator and former elected Director of the Co-operative Group’s Main Board and Co-operative Foundation Trustee.

He initiated and directed the first EC funded Wales Anti-Poverty Programme.

David is a former Government Food Adviser, UK Healthcare Regulator and Lecturer at Gwent Tertiary College.

Currently David is a Board Member of the Newport Credit Union; a Trustee of the Robert Owen Memorial Museum; Secretary/Organiser Co-operatives & Mutuals Wales; and a member of Banc Cambria (Cambria Cydfuddiannol Ltd).

 

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