The Ecological Land Co-operative is registered with the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) as a community benefit society (registered number: 30770R).
The Ecological Land Co-operative is a Registered Community Benefit Society (CBS) established in September 2009 as an an Industrial and Provident Society: a co-operative. (registration number: 30770R). It was set up to address the lack of affordable sites for ecological land based livelihoods in England.
Their rules are available to view here.
The Ecological Land Co-operative have issued 338,312 shares, worth £1 each. They are aiming to issue a further 340,000 shares, worth £1 each, through their current offer.
Our Co-operative devolves the day to day running of the organisation to the board of directors and the staff team. This team has a wealth of talent, experience and commitment relevant to the work of the Co-operative.
Director - Planning
Zoe Wangler
Zoe's work focuses on the key business development function of making planning applications, taking in all aspects of the process from community consultation to understanding the nuances of planning law relating to low impact developments. Zoe’s groundbreaking work for the Co-operative has been commended by many. Zoe has previously worked as a freelance environmental researcher with clients including Friends of the Earth, the Food Commission and the National Consumer Council.
Director – Site Development
Oliver Rodker
Oli spends much of his time looking for suitable land for low impact developments. Oli is embedded in the UK land movement and is a key member of the Landworkers’ Alliance. Over the last twenty years Oli has worked on a variety of projects and environmental campaigns. He cofounded Equinox Housing Co-op in Manchester and Landmatters Co-op, a 42 acre permaculture community in Devon. He is a director of Knott Wood Coppicers, a workers’ co-op specializing in woodland management and tree planting.
Director – Outreach
Cate Chapman
Cate works to build and maintain our relationships with a range of organisations to ensure we are connected to others who can inform and support our work. Cate has previously worked in the student union movement and brings a wealth of experience from her freelance work as a copy writer and editor. Cate has had her own writing published in several books and anthologies.
Director - Smallholder Liaison
Alex Lawrie
Alex is a co-operative development worker for Somerset Co-operative Services CIC. Before joining SCS he cofounded Stepping Stones and Cornerstone Housing co-ops, Footprint Workers' Co-op and Somerset Co-op CLT. He is the author of Empowering the Earth and Simply Finance.
Treasurer
Holger Westphely
Holger is one of the co-founders of Eastside Consulting, and works at the Charities Aid Foundation where he has advised hundreds of social organisations over the last 10 years on finance, strategy and business planning. More recently Holger has focused on social investment and impact measurement, helping clients demonstrate their impact to investors and commissioners.
Chair
Dave Darby
Dave is director of Lowimpact.org. He is passionate about living lightly on the earth and brings a long term vision of the potential to create lasting change in the way we live.
Working alongside our directors, we have a talented group of part-time staff supported by a full-time operations manager. Together they make a strong team with the skills and experience needed to carry out the work of the Co-operative and to prepare the ground for growth, partnership and success in the future.
Operations Manager
Sonia Sinanan
Sonia is responsible for the day to day running of the Cooperative. She has over 25 years of experience in operations, administration, financial and project management, communications and IT in the not-for-profit sector, and has worked at a senior management level for the last 15 years. She has worked collectively in a number of organisations, has cofounded a successful charity where she was director of operations for 10 years, a trustee and board chair. Sonia has also worked at Comic Relief, and was deputy CEO at the Association of Charitable Foundations.
Arlington Site Manager
David Saunders
David is an experienced land manager and timber building enthusiast, working in Sussex. He works closely with Zoe to progress work at our Arlington site. David has pioneered many small woodland initiatives in his time and is well connected with landowners, contractors and builders with an interest in sustainable development, both in the UK, and elsewhere in Europe. As well as owning and managing 20 acres of woodland near Lewes, David also lectures at Plumpton College, University of Brighton.
Funding Support Coordinator
Johnny Denis
Johnny has about 30 years' experience in starting and supporting co-ops, social enterprises, projects and programmes in the community and public sectors. Johnny is a 2016 Fellow of the Finance Innovation Lab and Board Member and Manager of The Fuel Co-op.
Communications
Lauren Simpson
Social media enthusiast and documentary film producer, Lauren produced the acclaimed independent cinematic documentary Just Do It - a tale of modern-day outlaws released in 2011. As well as her role with the Co-operative she works as the Office Manager for The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and as Production Manager at Dartmouth Films in London.
Communications
Phil Moore
Phil is passionate about communications. A former he has written for many publications including Permaculture Magazine UK. A documentary filmmaker, Phil has also worked for a number of organisations including ActionAid, The Environmental Law Foundation, The Environmental Justice Foundation and the Sheffield Documentary Film Festival. Phil, alongside Lauren, produced the free to view online series, Living with the Land.
The Ecological Land Co-operative has a Conflict of Interest Policy. The Policy states that:
All directors will, on taking office, indicate in a register of interests any material interests they have, or positions that they hold in other organisations, that might cause conflict with the objects of the co-operative. All directors will declare any such conflict of interest that they have in respect of any business before the Board and will withdraw from votes in respect of that matter unless
i so many directors are conflicted on an issue that the Board would not be quorate, or
ii the Commonwealth Council determines that the interest will not lead to significant conflict.
Executive Directors are also workers and are paid at the staff rate of £13.26 per hour. Non Executive Directors are paid expenses and a small stipend of £50 per quarter.
All directors currently hold £1 worth of shares except Dave Darby and Oliver Rodker who hold £2,028.79 and £303.90 worth respectively.
The Ecological Land Co-operative does not currently report on employee satisfaction.
2 out of 6 directors are female.
You can browse, compare and invest in a range of products on Ethex platform from bank accounts and ISAs to equity investments and charity bonds that offer a social/environmental as well as a financial return. All you need to do is get started...
