Co-operate to Survive

antrim | miscellaneous | news report Dé hAoine Deireadh Fómhair 05, 2012 15:28 by Jason Brannigan justbooks at rocketmail dot com

Co-op Enterprise Hub launch in Belfast and Just Books

On the 3rd and 4th of October the Co-operative Enterprise Hub was launched in Northern Ireland at two events in Derry and Belfast. Jason Brannigan of Just Books presented that organisation as a case study as part of the Belfast launch.

Coinciding with the international year of Co-operatives the Co-op Enterprise Hub was launched in Belfast and Derry. The Co-op Enterprise Hub provide free, professional advice and training to help new co-operatives get off the ground or to develop existing co-ops.

One of the case studies presented by organisations that have benefited from their help was given by Jason Brannigan from Just Books. Referring to earlier references to the co-operative revolution started in 1844 by the Rochdale Pioneers Jason told those at the launch how the original bookshop had been opened in Winetavern Street in 1978 by another group of revolutionaries - the Belfast Anarchist Collective.

While the shop closed its doors in 1994 Just Books continued to pop up to provide stalls at grassroots gatherings, Belfast and London Anarchist Bookfairs and other events. Registered as a workers co-op in May 2011 they moved into office premises in Bedford Street. We run an online bookshop, a printing and copying service and have started a community and labour education project called Just Learning. Jason went on to thank those from the Co-op Enterprise Hub who have helped Just Books over the last few months and promoted the principle of co-operation among co-operatives.