My Final Blog of the Year

For my last blog of 2018 I wanted to report back on trading and also look ahead to next year and some of the challenges which it will bring. While our sales this year have remained strong and ahead of budget, the Society is still £1.7m behind its expected budgeted profit. Most of our trading groups are on course to meet their budgeted performance with the exception of  Energy and Healthcare who face really challenging market conditions which will continue next year.

The other big factor is the looming possibility of a Brexit No Deal which is causing a lot of uncertainty nationally and which as a Society we need to prepare and budget for. While trading continues to be very challenging and the effects of a 'no deal' Brexit will not be easy to predict, I believe our Society is well placed to meet the challenges ahead in 2019. We now head into the key trading months for a number of trading groups with the critical Christmas trading performance being published in mid-January. 

I’m very proud to say that we have now signed up our 700,000 member Tom Waggett who lives in Somerset. Tom and his wife Louise recently married and moved into their first home this year which is supplied by Coop Energy. They both enjoy travel and as Tom works for an environmental organisation the fact that Coop Energy source all their power from renewable energy sources was very important to him. To celebrate this milestone last week we presenting them with a Food Hamper, an Energy Saving Pack and 100 euros donated by the Gillingham branch of Coop Travel.

From left to right: Lee Franklin (Member Benefits Manager), Tom Waggett and Louise Waggett

Further afield I’m also proud to say that we continue to strengthen our commitment to the Fairtrade scheme which helps millions of the poorest farmers and growers to feed their families. Early in the New Year one of our members Jennifer Simpson will be visiting our Fairtrade supplier of coffee in Guatemala. Jennifer won our Ethical Adventure of a Lifetime competition in the Summer Members Magazine and this week I visited her at the library where she works in Christchurch to discuss the trip and present her with her ticket and a Fairtrade hamper. We will be making a film about Jennifer’s visit and she will be reporting back during Fairtrade Fortnight from 25 February to 10 March 2019.

Jennifer Simpson (right), being handed her ticket and hamper by myself, with her partner, John Merritt (left)

As we enter 2019 our increasing membership base, range of businesses and our Co-operative Difference will all help us weather the storms ahead but above all it will be you who makes the difference. So I want to take this opportunity again to thank everyone again for all their hard work this year and to wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!