Launchpad  is an initiative set up by our Head of Specialist Retail, Keith Grinsted, to help those unemployed and looking for work get some direction and focus back in their lives.  It has been running since 2010 and is, according to JobCentre Plus, one of the only successful 'job clubs' in Essex.

Why set up a Co-operative?

Co-operatives are a means for people collectively to 'do it for themselves', whether responding to a market opportunity, or meeting a need that would not be otherwise met by the private or public sector. They engage people in their own solutions and enable members to share the risks and development costs of the business. They also draw from the knowledge, skills and expertise that diverse members bring.

Since 2006, Chelmsford Star Co-operative has supported a different local charity each year to be the focus for staff fund raising. Over this time through a variety of initiatives and events, we have raised over £180,000 which has benefited the Essex Air Ambulance, Helen Rollason Heal Cancer, Little Havens Children’s Hospice, Macmillan Cancer Support,  Families InFocus(Essex) and Canine Partners. This year we are working with Essex Dementia Care registered charity number 1129038.