Gawler
community
cooperative
We are Gawler's very own cooperative, a locally owned, surplus for purpose, social enterprise.
A cooperative is a great way for people to pool resources and jointly own a business they care about. It could gather and grow a number of businesses and brands which are part of Gawler life.
Cooperatives
A cooperative is a type of company which is owned by its members, who benefit from its services, and make decisions together. Other nearby cooperatives include the Barossa Co-op and Solar Harvest. There are seven principles to cooperatives which make them well suited to achieving the purposes of local ownership, surplus for purpose, and social enterprise.
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Cooperatives can be big or small, for-profit or for-purpose, producer focussed (like agricultural cooperatives), retail focussed (like the Barossa Coop), or investor focussed (like Solar Harvest). The Gawler Community Cooperative has the following features:
01
Locally Owned
Retaining and growing local retail businesses and brands, which are owned by the people who use them. We don't want to see more Gawler shops closing, with profits moving interstate.
02
Surplus for Purpose
Generating a surplus to be reinvested locally, not to some distant shareholder. We don't like the term 'not-for-profit' because the business will be self-sustaining and re-investing.
03
Social Enterprise
A business which is sustainably run for the benefit of the Gawler community and economy, growing resilience, and helping to maintain the unique identity of our town.
What's Next
Gawler Community Cooperative Ltd has been formed and is starting the first business: Turtle Books. Come check it out!
