Plunkett UK (formerly Plunkett Foundation) is a charity in the United Kingdom that aims to help rural communities create and run democratic community-owned businesses, such as shops, cafes, and farms. The charity strives for resilient and inclusive rural communities, and has promoted the community ownership model for over 100 years.
Background
Plunkett Foundation was founded in 1919 by a pioneer of rural co-operation in Ireland, Sir
Horace Plunkett
Sir Horace Curzon Plunkett (24 October 1854 – 26 March 1932), was an Anglo-Irish agricultural reformer, pioneer of agricultural cooperatives, Unionist MP, supporter of Home Rule, Irish Senator and author.
Plunkett, a younger brother of J ...
. Since being founded, it has been involved in a range of work relating to international development, rural development and agricultural development. The foundation is based in
Woodstock
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...
,
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...
, England. In 2024, Plunkett Foundation changed its name to Plunkett UK to reflect its UK-oriented operations, although it is still registered as its former name.
The foundation works with the
International Co-operative Alliance
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), established in 1895, is a non-governmental organization dedicated to uniting, representing, and supporting cooperatives around the world. It is the guardian of the internationally recognized definiti ...
,
Cooperatives UK,
Cooperatives Europe and the
International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation.
Work
In 2007, the charity led the work of the ''Making Local Food Work'' programme which supported community food enterprises in England. Other projects include ''More Than a Pub'' and ''Rural Community Shops''.
To celebrate being designated as the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives in 2012, Plunkett Foundation held the World of Rural Co-operation International Roundtable event at
Dunsany Castle
Dunsany Castle (), Dunsany, County Meath, Ireland, is a modernised Anglo-Norman castle, started c. 1180 / 1181 by Hugh de Lacy, who also commissioned the original Killeen Castle, nearby, and the famous Trim Castle. It is one of Ireland's ol ...
. This event led to the development of the Dunsany Declaration for Rural Co-operative Development, which fed into the Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade.
In 2021, the foundation supported 400 communities. In 2022, it reported an income of £1,052,262.
Charity Commission for England and Wales website, profile page, retrieved 2023-11-16
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See also
*Malcolm Lyall Darling
Sir Malcolm Lyall Darling (10 December 1880 – 1 January 1969) was a member of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) who was appointed Assistant Commissioner of the Punjab, British India, Punjab, British India, in 1904. Having held numerous other pos ...
References
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Charities based in Oxfordshire
Rural Coalition (England)