There are three types of membership of the co-operative:
Crop-sharer You can become a crop-sharer by subscribing in advance to a share of the harvest. This simple mechanism creates a web of useful connections between the growers and the eaters, people and the countryside and ultimately gives us the opportunity to reconnect with the people and places our food comes from and to do so in a sustainable way. We are offering large shares @ £707/year (£13.60/wk) and small shares @ £369/year (£7.10/wk) to be collected weekly from the farm or delivered to be picked up from the Ecohouse for an extra charge of £1/each a week to cover the cost of boxing and delivering them. These shares will contain a variety of seasonal vegetables such as onions, potatoes, carrots, mixed salads, herbs, garlic, courgettes, squashes, pumpkins, spinach, radishes, beetroot, parsnips, cabbages, broccoli, sprouts, cauliflowers, leeks, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, runner and French beans, peas, broad beans, spring onions and probably more. A large share in the summer could weigh over 7kg and include potatoes, carrots, onions, courgettes, garlic, French beans, lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines, chillies and herbs. During the so called “hungry gap” of April/May it would have around 2kg of produce such as radishes, sprouting broccoli, spring cabbages, leeks, spring onions, salads and cauliflowers. You can pay in advance in quarterly instalments or monthly standing order. If you're interested in a share of the harvest please complete a crop sharer's application form and send it to us. Although we now have around 30 crop sharers for 2011, there are still a few more spaces available If you'd like more information, please call us on 0116 257 1897 or send an e-mail to info@community-harvest-whetstone.org.uk Crop-sharers also need to be full members of CHW limited - a cooperative society. If you're not already a member and would like to subscribe to a share of the harvest you also need to choose from the following two forms of membership: |
Ordinary member
You can become a member of the CHW cooperative by taking out a yearly subscription of £24 (£12 if on low income). This is open to anyone who would like to support and be involved in the project, whether or not they want to subscribe to a weekly share of vegetables. Membership of CHW gives you voting rights at Members Meetings - like Annual General Meetings – a saying on how the cooperative is run and the opportunity to get involved at different levels, including standing for election to the Committee. You'll also be part of an exciting new venture and of an enthusiastic community of like-minded people meeting regularly not only for business but also for social events, communal tasks, fun and entertainment. If this is for you please complete an ordinary member's application form and send it to us. If you'd like more information, you can call us on 0116 257 1897 or send an e-mail to info@community-harvest-whetstone.org.uk |
Investor
You can become and investor by purchasing capital shares. Shares are valued at £1/each and are sold in blocks of 100. The minimum investment is therefore £100 with multiples of that figure very happily accepted (up to a maximum of £20,000 per member, in fact!). Once an investor you'll be a full member of the CHW co-operative - with all the advantages listed above - for the duration of your investment and there will be no need to pay yearly subscriptions. Although we cannot offer financial interest on your investment, at least in the near future, we like to emphasise the social, environmental and ethical returns of becoming investors. A local cooperative enterprise supported by community financing can play an important role in building stronger and more resilient local communities, can contribute to more sustainable food production and distribution and has the advantage of being controlled by its members and investors. Please click here for an application form, Terms & Conditions and a more detailed description of this opportunity. Raising funds through community financing will give CHW the capital to expand the growing area to 2 acres of land. We have therefore set ourselves the target of £10,000 of capital shares being purchased by the spring. We have so far (March 2012) raised around £9,170 If you'd like to add to this sum and help us reach our target, please print out the investment form, fill it in and send, together with a cheque, to the address provided. As Community Harvest Whetstone is registered as an Industrial and Provident Society (a type of co-operative) all members have one vote and an equal say in the organisation, as well as the opportunity to become involved in the day-to-day running of the business, irrespective of the form of membership chosen or the amount of money invested. |
