Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society
Encyclopedia
Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited is a consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom
. It is a registered Industrial and Provident Society
, a member of the Co-operative Union Ltd., the Co-operative Retail Trading Group
, the Co-operative Travel Trading Group
and a corporate member of Co-operative Group Ltd. (formerly Co-operative Wholesale Society), the largest consumer co-operative in the world.
The Society was founded in Chelmsford
, mid Essex
in 1867 with the intention of becoming "the Star of the County". According to the International Co-operative Alliance
, “A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically controlled enterprise.” It operates supermarket
s, Quadrant department store
s, funeral director
s and travel agents. Membership is open to all residents of the Society's trading area, with members receiving a share of the profits in the form of dividend
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is a registered Industrial and Provident Society
Industrial and Provident Society
An industrial and provident society is a legal entity for a trading business or voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and New Zealand...
, a member of the Co-operative Union Ltd., the Co-operative Retail Trading Group
Co-operative Retail Trading Group
The Co-operative Retail Trading Group is the central buying group for co-operative retail societies in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1993, and says that it supplies 100% of food bought for sale by co-operatives in the UK, after being joined by the last two independent societies in 2002...
, the Co-operative Travel Trading Group
Co-operative Travel Trading Group
The Co-operative Travel Trading Group is the central buying group for co-operative travel agents in the United Kingdom. It is organised by the Co-operative Group on behalf of the regional societies, which are themselves corporate members of Co-operative Group Ltd.The CTTG was established along the...
and a corporate member of Co-operative Group Ltd. (formerly Co-operative Wholesale Society), the largest consumer co-operative in the world.
The Society was founded in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, mid Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1867 with the intention of becoming "the Star of the County". According to the International Co-operative Alliance
International Co-operative Alliance
The International Co-operative Alliance is a non-governmental co-operative federation or, more precisely, a co-operative union representing co-operatives and the co-operative movement worldwide. It was founded in 1895. The ICA maintains the internationally recognised definition of a co-operative...
, “A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically controlled enterprise.” It operates supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s, Quadrant department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s, funeral director
Funeral director
A funeral director , also known as a mortician or undertaker, is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as the planning and arrangement of the actual funeral ceremony...
s and travel agents. Membership is open to all residents of the Society's trading area, with members receiving a share of the profits in the form of dividend
Dividend
Dividends are payments made by a corporation to its shareholder members. It is the portion of corporate profits paid out to stockholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, that money can be put to two uses: it can either be re-invested in the business , or it can be distributed to...
.