Tommy

Hi! I'm Tommy, the new face of the Thames Valley Farmers' Market Co-operative. I will be visiting our farmers' markets throughout 2012 and would love to meet you. I will be finding out about the farmers' markets over the next few months so keep coming back to this page for more news. I will also publish the dates of my market visits here so be sure to put them in your diary.

I had a great time visiting several markets before Christmas and was even interviewed by BBC Berkshire!

6 February 2012

2012: International Year of Co-operatives

Co-operatives are businesses owned and run by their members. Each member has an equal say in how the co-operative operates and a share in the profits. According to Co-operatives UK, there are now over 5,000 co-operatives in the UK with nearly 13 million members. In fact, UK co-operatives have grown 21% since the start of the credit crunch.

The Thames Valley Farmers' Market is a co-operative of just over 100 members which enables local farmers and small producers to sell their produce directly to you! We are a non profit-making organisation and we became a co-operative in 2003. The funds that we raise through membership fees and stall fees are ploughed back into the co-operative. All the producers at our markets are voting members of the co-operative who can share in the way the co-operative is run.