Across the UK society is divided. Far-right populism and the mainstreaming of extremist ideologies has provoked anti-migrant violence, damage to social cohesion, and attacks on net zero.
Trust is shattered, communities feel sidelined, and our political leaders are failing us. Power to the People will bring together those who refuse to give up on their communities, and who are ready to build real power from the ground up.
Join us for Future Co-ops: Power to the People to explore ways our movement can challenge the far-right and reclaim power for communities.
Co-operative Futures’ 2026 Future Co-ops conference, Power to the People, is taking place in Birmingham from Friday 27th February to Saturday 28th February 2026. The two-day gathering will examine how collective action and co-operation can rebuild trust and deliver real power at a local level.
A Good Start
Future Co-ops begins on the evening of Friday 27th February with short films that speak directly to this year’s theme, mixed with poetry from Rawz, a multi-disciplinary artist whose work is rooted in words, social justice, and an exploration of our interconnected worlds.
We will then gather for the traditional Future Co-ops communal dinner, with generous time for conversation, connection, and catching up.
The evening takes place at The Good Intent, a welcoming city-centre not-for-profit pub nestled in Birmingham’s historic Great Western Arcade.
Opening Plenary
We are really pleased to welcome Andrew Fowler from More in Common to this year’s Future Co-ops Conference.
Andrew will be presenting the latest public opinion research, including More in Common’s Shattered Britain report, which explores the driving forces behind polarisation in Britain today.
Our research continually shows this is a low-point in public trust and that policymakers and leaders really should be doing better to meet people where they are and hear their needs.
Founded in the wake of Jo Cox’s murder, More in Common works to better understand and help address political division across the UK. Andrew will outline the key fault lines in British society, the causes of division and apathy, and how their segmentation methodology helps explain polarisation across political issues.
Workshops
Workshops will explore practical ways communities can build power, using democratic tools, innovative approaches, and constructive conversations to challenge far-right narratives of division. Together, we will examine how co-operatives can offer a credible, practical alternative that puts power back in people’s hands without scapegoating or exclusion, and consider the role they can play in shaping the next phase of democratic politics.
We’ll seek to identify where power really sits, and who is currently excluded, what a co-operative or collective approach can change, and what ideas delegates can take away and apply.
Jabu Nala-Hartley will facilitate a conversation on where the co-operative movement should build power next. With the political landscape shifting rapidly and the prospect of further fragmentation in the traditional two-party system, this workshop creates space for honest reflection about political alliances, influence, and long-term strategy. Together, we will explore what a changing political era means for co-operative values, policy influence, and the future direction of the movement.
Bring your ideas and passion to a session with Ian Wilson and Deana Bamford from Coalville CAN who will share their approach to regeneration through co-operation and bold provocations for putting power into the hands of local people, where it belongs!
Cathy Brown, Head of Economic Justice Brum for Barrow Cadbury Trust will facilitate a workshop exploring how the EJB movement is building collective power to challenge inequality and create a fairer local economy in our host city, Birmingham. Ideas and thinking that will resonate across the UK.
In this session, Mara Livermore from Shared Future will explore how people-powered participation can shape real decision-making. Mara will share how Citizens’ Juries and Citizen Inquiries give communities meaningful influence over contested issues of public policy and inspire grassroots change.
Kathy Hopkin, from Co-operatives West Midlands and Save Birmingham will run a practical workshop exploring ways to hold transformative conversations that challenge narratives of division.
Jane and Shaz from Birmingham Friends of the Earth will lead a session on the climate emergency, exploring how co-ops can counter attacks on net zero through community-led action, collective resilience, and a collaboratively designed Co-operative Climate Pledge.
The conference starts from a simple belief: the most effective response to authoritarianism is more democracy, not less.
Financing Community Power
In addition to our morning and afternoon workshops, we are delighted to welcome Alain Demontoux, Operations and FCA Compliance Manager at Co-operative & Community Finance.
Co-operative & Community Finance is currently seeking investment in ICOF Community Capital Limited, a fund that enables communities to take control of local assets such as pubs, shops, and other vital facilities.
Alain will share a short film and outline how delegates can support the current share offer, helping to unlock capital for projects that create positive change for workers, communities, and the environment.
Future Co-ops 2026: Power to the People will bring together co-operative activists, policy thinkers, campaigners and community business leaders to explore how collective action, co-operation, and democratic participation can restore trust, and revitalise communities. It will be a space for practical ideas and political imagination rooted firmly in co-operative values.
Location and Date
The Conference is being held in Birmingham city centre, across two venues, on Friday 27th February 2026 and Saturday 28th February 2026.
Friday, 5.30pm (registration from 5.00pm): The Good Intent, 32-33 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham, B2 5HU
Saturday, 10am-4pm (registration from 9.30am): The Priory Rooms, Friends Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull Street, Birmingham, B4 6AF
Friday Night Dinner
Attendees have the opportunity to join us for a meal on Friday evening after the main activities. It’s a pub, so you are welcome to buy their local ales, plus a range of drinks and alcohol-free beverages.
Saturday Refreshments and Lunch
Throughout the day fairtrade refreshments, freshly baked cookies and danish pastries will be available. We’ll have a cold buffet lunch with a selection of sandwiches and homemade cakes.
Booking
Booking page: Ticket Tailor Link
Full conference (Friday inc dinner + Saturday inc lunch) – £165
Saturday only (inc lunch) – £110
Accommodation
The Conference cost does not include accommodation, and attendees will need to book their own if staying over. Birmingham City Centre offers a wide range of accommodation and price points.
Transport and Parking
TRAIN: The Good Intent in the Great Western Arcade and The Priory Rooms are both located in the heart of Birmingham, close to Snow Hill railway station, which is also the terminus for the Metro line from Wolverhampton. They are only a few minutes walk from both Birmingham’s main New Street railway station and Moor Street. A regular tram connects New Street station to Bull Street, stopping outside the entrance to The Priory Rooms.
BUS: The venues are well served by buses, with most stopping on Colmore Row, Corporation Street and Bull Street. For timetables, maps and routes please click here.
CAR: Ample car parking can be found nearby, particularly in the Snow Hill car park.
Previous Events
Want to see what Future Co-ops is all about? Take a look at our round up of Future Co-ops 2025: The Trouble with Double.