In a world where greed, competition for resources and individual success dominate, co-operative living and working that puts principles of sustainability, mutual aid and sharing into practice seems not just radical but nigh on impossible. But for over 21 years Radical Routes, a network of housing and workers’ co-operatives and social centres, has provided homes to radical campaigners (and Green Party councillors!). And, through workers’ co-operatives and social centres, produced a seedbed for campaigns such as Climate Camp and Peace News, as well as support for a wider movement for a just, sustainable world.

Many people are realising that there are major problems with the current capitalist system and that business can’t carry on as usual if we are to avert major disaster. Co-operatives have long been seen as a solution, emphasising the values and practical advantages of sharing and returning profit to the community. Co-operatives are ventures controlled by their members who each have one vote. Decisions are made democratically by those involved, not by outside owners. Co-ops have traditionally been, and continue to be, grassroots community-based organisations with a particular sensitivity to ecological and social justice issues. They are a vehicle for disadvantaged groups and communities to take control over their local environment by working together for the common good. All over the world there are established examples of co-ops as successful and exciting small-scale economic alternatives. The fairtrade movement has raised the profile of majority world co-ops as one of the best ways to enable producers in the global south to gain fair wages and workers rights. Nearer home, people are more familiar with giants like the Co-operative banks, supermarkets and funeral homes, or the employee-owned John Lewis. But the practical benefits and community value of small housing and worker co-operatives in this country are less well understood.

The co-operative structure creates a legal entity that can raise funds to buy an asset (such as a house) for the benefit of members, to be controlled by the members. The Radical Routes legal framework gives co-ops collective ownership and control, but forbids individual members making a financial gain. If, for example, a housing co-op sells a house, then any one individual cannot take the money generated. It has to go to similar co-operative projects. The formation in 1982 of a secondary co-op, Radical Routes, provided a legal structure to pursue the aims of individual co-ops in a more efficient way, and to raise investment centrally through a national scheme.

In 1998 Radical Routes took this idea a step further and set up Rootstock, an investors co-op. Investors buy withdrawable shares in Rootstock, which accrue interest, and Rootstock then invests money in Radical Routes. Radical Routes then makes loans to member co-ops to buy property or undertake eco-renovation of existing houses.

Rootstock also operates as a way to widen the Radical Routes community by enabling activists and supporters to put their money into Radical Routes and help support the projects of the Radical Routes network.

And these are ambitious projects: Talamh Housing Co-op and the Talamh Life Centre just south of Glasgow have a 50-acre site for sustainable food growing and educational projects. Mary Ann Johnson in London recently defied the scorn of many and managed to buy a house in Haringey, providing a secure, affordable base for local solidarity campaigns and radical activism. Footprint workers’ co-op in Leeds uses environmentally sustainable technologies to print radical political literature. Coventry Peace House supports refugees and runs a peace education project.

There are now around 35 Radical Routes housing, workers’ and social centre co-operatives around the UK, forming a network of like-minded, socially engaged, politically active people making change happen through providing low-cost housing and socially-oriented workplaces.

In the recent banking crises, the loans with the highest bad-debt rates were made by capitalists in pursuit of greed. Whereas the loans with the lowest bad-debt rates were secured loans to social enterprises, with the lowest of all - zero - belonging to Radical Routes, which is financially supported by Rootstock. It may sound incredible, but Radical Routes hasn’t had any bad debts in 21 years. With the support of Rootstock, it has provided secure affordable housing for hundreds of low-income or no-income full-time activists. It’s a record to be proud of - and one that hasn’t needed a penny of government bailout money.

There has recently been an upsurge of interest in Radical Routes from new groups and new people - students in Nottingham, activists from Brighton to Manchester. To be able to set up stable, autonomous, projects to create the change we need in the world, these new co-ops will need money. By investing in Rootstock you can be part of the movement and help make the changes we so badly need come to fruition.