Selgars Mill is a new centre for the democratic economy, climate emergency and social change, a place for movement building, empowering communities and individuals with the practical and strategic tools they need to create change.
Set up and run by Stir to Action, Selgars Mill is a workers co-operative and not-for-profit enterprise, with all profits reinvested into the organisation's educational programmes.
We started our lease at Selgars Mill in March 2020, on the day the government called for the British public to lockdown. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold and our communities and livelihoods are put under extreme pressure to adapt, we too have adjusted our plans. In Spring, we converted the mill’s generous residential space into a crisis centre to support vulnerable people who needed a safe place to lock down. And throughout summer we moved our educational programmes into a series of webinars. In September, we launched our first online festival in collaboration with Stir to Action.
We are on track to realise our vision to create a centre for the new economy and we’re hoping to open the centre for residential programmes from April 2021.
Who are Stir to Action?
Since 2012 we have directly supported systems change through educational programmes and strategic economic development, focusing on creating the conditions to transform social inequality, climate change, and our wider political culture.
Team
Our Ethical Policies
We are a not-for-profit worker co-operative, with any surplus reinvested in our educational programmes.
Our fully vegetarian site is zero to landfill, using as many refillable products as possible. Any food waste is composted and used on site. We grow food for residential staff and cut flowers for the business in The Court, our on-site permaculture garden, using no-dig, chemical-free methods.
Electricity is generated on-site with rooftop photovoltaics. Heating is provided with a biomass boiler.
Our procurement is strictly local, ecological, and from other co-operatives wherever possible. We bank with the Co-operative Bank and use the Phone Co-op for our telecoms.