Co-op News (August 2019)

OBITUARY
Radical Routes loses two of its leading lights
Two wonderful West Yorkshire co-operators
from the Radical Routes network of co-ops
died in the last few months – Sean Moran of
Catfish Housing Co-op and Dave Brooks of
LED Fantastic Workers Co-op, both in their
early 50s, writes Cath Muller.
Dave, who died on 14 June, was a founder
member of Zion Housing Co-op (now
Nutclough Housing Co-op), acquiring the
Nutclough Tavern, Hebden Bridge, in 2001.
Sean, who died on 21 March, lived at
Townhead Housing Co-op near Holmfirth
with partner Cath, their four sons and a
circle of friends; they fought for years to
get a house for Catfish and in late 2018
they succeeded. The co-op now houses the
younger members in Marsh, Huddersfield.
Dave’s partner in crime, Em, moved into
Nutclough and they set up Weirdigans Cafe,
before leaving Nutclough to run Mama
Weirdigans (Hebden Hostel) and help
produce the Green Gathering festival.
Sean and Cath were a regular fixture
in the Permaculture Area at Green
Gathering, extolling the virtues of co-ops
and communal living. Meanwhile, Em and
Dave catalysed the festival’s Co-op Camp, a
space to promote radical co-ops. Sean was
the secret source of 12V phone and laptop
charging, keeping the Co-op Camp online,
while Dave’s workers co-op, LED Fantastic,
provided twinkly night-time illumination.
Dave loved cricket, beer and music, so he
joined the committee of the Hebden Cricket
Club, the Fox & Goose co-op pub and the
Trades Club Co-operative Society – and put
on ‘Crickstock Festival’ to celebrate his loves.
He believed that if a thing is worth doing,
it’s worth getting other people to do it too.
He was committed to developing Hebden’s
co-op identity and was an organiser of the
Calderdale Bootstrap initiative. I remember
one midnight walk into the cemetery to
check out the grave of Joseph Greenwood, a
founder of Nutclough Fustian Society.
Sean was larger than life, curious and
caring. His affinity with those excluded
from society led him to drug and alcohol
support work. And his enthusiasm for
Radical Routes and for making the set-up
p Dave Brooks (left) and Sean Moran
of co-ops accessible to all was infectious.
He had an unstoppable desire to learn and
to communicate that learning to others. He
joined the RR Legal Group and Rootstock
Committee, challenging himself with legal
documents and spreadsheets. At one RR day,
he insisted we explain things in intelligible
language – then he and Cath produced the
Jargon Busting Guide to RR Meetings to help
folks new to co-op development.
At Extinction Rebellion’s Spring Uprising
in April, he took a mic for the first time, to
talk about radical co-ops as solutions for
housing, inequality and social change.
Two big-hearted, inspiring men, who
lived with integrity, commitment and fun.
Philip Jones, stalwart of the retail co-op movement
Philip Jones was best known in co-op
circles as secretary of United Norwest and
then United Co-operatives, having started
his career as a management trainee,
writes Cliff Mills. He served under Martin
Beaumont from 1994, and subsequently
under Peter Marks following the Yorkshire
merger until his retirement in 2008.
Less well known was his nine-year
stint as a director of Progress Housing
Group, latterly as chair; his 10-year spell
as a trustee of St Catherine’s Hospice in
Preston, ending as vice-chair; and setting
up and chairing community foundation at
his Wigan Warriors Rugby League, where
he was a lifelong supporter.
He also played tenor horn, starting up
Wigan and District Brass before joining the
Royal Doulton Band, which took him to
Nashville, the Royal Albert Hall, the Silver
Jubilee and Charles and Diana’s wedding,
as well as recording 14 albums.
Phil carried out a remarkable number
of senior roles out with enormous energy,
commitment and competence. Former
president of United, Bill Hoult recalled:
“He took us through three mergers, with
Sheffield, Leeds and Yorkshire, introduced
a pioneering employee share scheme,
and oversaw the establishment of the
Co-operative Charitable Foundation.”
Stephen Greenhalgh from St Catherine’s
Hospice added: “Philip had a laser-like
ability to get to the heart of what mattered.”
Jacqui de Rose at New Progress Housing
said: “There was never any doubt who was
in charge. Phil did it in such a nice way,
bringing just the right mix of support and
challenge to make sure we were grounded
and properly focused on our practical
purpose – he is one of the most generous
people I have ever met.”
And Ian Lanegan, chair of Wigan
Warriors, said: “He had a real selflessness
and passion for helping people, as his
charitable work throughout his life proves.
His work and efforts have enabled Wigan
Warriors to enact a positive and lasting
change by ... motivating, educating and
inspiring our local community.”
Phil was warm-hearted, generous, caring
and fun, but outspoken when needed.
He knew when to stand up to a CEO, and
when diplomacy was the way forward. He
was hard-working,
courageous, and
committed to doing
the right thing.
He died on 21
April from the
same cancer as his
beloved wife Lois
15 years earlier.
With their two
boys, Chris and
Rob, he nursed Lois p Philip Jones
at home until the
end, and this played a part in his
subsequent commitment to the hospice
movement. He was a devoted family
man to all generations, especially to his
granddaughter Kaci. In his later years, he
found great happiness with Barbara, with
whom he travelled extensively.
Two days before he died, Philip received
a letter telling him he had been awarded
the Order of Mercy. This prestigious
national award from the League of Mercy
has just a handful of recipients a year.
Barbara read the citation to Philip and he
understood it.
AUGUST 2019 | 13