The Seeds for Change collective in Lancaster has updated and expanded the guide, which is now three times bigger, to include information on new kinds of co-operatives and legal structures and more information about finance, flat management structures and co-operative working methods.

It's published by Radical Routes, a UK-wide network of radical housing and workers' co-operatives. Radical Routes has brought together nearly 25 years of grass roots experience of setting up and supporting co-ops into this unique and handy guide.

Kayleigh Robertson, of the editorial collective, said “In the current economic climate more and more people are creating their own opportunities by setting up workers' co-ops. We really want to facilitate this and inspire a new generation of co-operators to create work without bosses.”

Alex Davies from Radical Routes said, “We are publishing the guide to coincide with the United Nations' International Year of Co-operatives and we've extended our usual print run to reflect a growing interest in workers' co-ops.”

The books are available to download for free from both the Radical Routes & Seeds for Change websites. However, the print versions are good value at £4.50, with a special launch price of £3.50 at Futures North.

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General notes

Futures North is an annual get together for the Co-operative Movement, organised by Co-operatives Yorkshire & The Humber.  http://futuresnorth12.eventbrite.com/

The book can be bought by mail order for £6 from Radical Routes,  http://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/publications-and-resources.html

Radical Routes is a network of activists working towards taking control over their housing, education and work through setting up housing and worker co-ops and co-operative social centres and co-operating as a network.

Through gaining collective control over these areas they aim to reduce reliance on exploitative structures and build secure bases from which to challenge the current system and encourage others to do so.

Seeds for Change is a workers' co-op which provides training and briefings to co-ops, collectives and community groups in horizontal meeting practice, communication, campaigning and direct action. It is a member of the Radical Routes Trading Co-ops Network.  http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/

The writing of the guide was, fittingly, a co-operative effort of groups across the UK featuring input from Seeds for Change, Birmingham Bike Foundry, Single Step Wholefoods, Footprint Workers Co-op, Bartleby's Brewery, the Sailboat Project, LUU Green Action, SECOD, Calverts, Sostenga, Lupine Adventure Co-op and Co-operatives UK.

The production of the guide was supported by: Paperback Ltd, Alpha Communications, The Woodcraft Folk, Co-operative & Community Finance, Co-operantics, Co-operative Development Consultants, Euro.coop and Software.coop.