Collectives
The main areas of the Club’s activities — Café, Bar, Gigs, Bookshop, Library, Cleaning, Maintenance, Mediation, etc. — are run by the Club’s various Collectives. These are wholly volunteer-run organisations that hold monthly organisational meetings that are open to all.
A number of these carry out activities that are essential to the financial stability of the Club and as such they maintain their own bank accounts, which operate independently of the Co-operative’s own financial structures. However, despite that operational independence, all the Club’s Collectives are ultimately directly responsible to the Club’s membership and the Co-op via the offices of General, Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings for their overall direction and governance
General Meetings take place on the first Monday of every month at 18:30 (except bank holidays, then they are the week after)
General Meetings generally cover administrative and internal discussions and can be quite boring or unclear for people new to the club. If you want to get involved, contact one of the collectives to arrange your first shift or to come along to one of the meetings, details of each collective's schedule are below
Bar Collective
The Bar Collective functions as the management committee of 12LRSC. Their responsibilities range from ordering stock for the bar, negotiating with suppliers, paying the bills, training volunteers to ensure that drinks are served safely, hygienically and properly, and legal responsibilities are followed. They are also responsible for ensuring that the club complies with the terms of the licence, which is issued by the council. This is absolutely crucial to the club’s continued operation, as this could be easily revoked if we are thought to have breached its conditions, leading to the loss of the club’s primary source of revenue.
The Bar Collective meets monthly on the second Monday of the month at 19:00, and can be contacted at bulc.yelwoc@evitcellocrab
Bookshop Collective
The Cowley Bookshop operates on a not-for profit basis with the majority of its stock sold at discount prices. Ten percent of its profits are fed back into the Club’s accounts and the rest goes into the regular purchase of new additions to our wide ranging stock of libertarian, feminist, LBGTQI+, vegan, environmental, radical theory and history book and zine titles.
The Bookshop Collective can be contacted at ten.puesir@skoobyelwoc
Café Collective
The Café Collective oversees the running of the café and associated projects. It also oversees the general running and maintenance of the kitchen and store room for events such as evening meals, roasts etc.
The completely vegan café’s emphasis is on affordable, healthy and tasty food, and also serves a range of savoury snacks and cakes. In addition, they often tie in with other projects during the hours the café is open to provide space for self-managed non-profit community support groups. These include art clubs, kids clubs and peer support groups.
The Café Collective meets every third Monday of the month at 19:00, and can be contacted at bulc.yelwoc@evitcellocefac
Cleaning Collective
We are a messy bunch and encourage everyone to clean up after themselves but, sadly, some individuals are not so co-operative. That’s where the Cleaning Collective comes in. They always need new volunteers!
Ents Collective
The Ents Collective oversees and facilitate events in the club. This covers everything outside of the regularly scheduled events, from gigs to book talks, film screenings and poetry nights. They also maintain the club’s PA system and backline, ensuring it is in working order for events and steadily improving in order to provide better quality events. They have a booking procedure to ensure they are able to facilitate and assist people organising events in the club, and that organisers are aware of their responsibilities. To assist event organisers, the Ents Collective hold sessions where organisers can book their event, ask any questions, and the collective members will offer assistance and advice to ensure everything runs smoothly on the night.
The members meet alongside the Bar Collective every month on the second Monday of the month at 19:00, and can be contacted at bulc.yelwoc@evitcellocstne
Finance Collective
The Finance Collective is made up of representatives from all the Club’s Collectives in addition to the elected officers of the Co-operative and holds monthly meetings, which are open to all, at which all the Club’s more mundane activities, such as paying bills, bookkeeping, filing financial returns, making funding applications, answering mail, etc. It also has the task of organising the agenda for and minutes from the monthly GMs.
Library Collective
Located in the ground floor of the back building, it is accessible through the garden and holds a stock of libertarian, ecological and feminist material (books, zines, DVDs, etc.), with all items available to borrow for free
The Library Collective meets every third Monday of the month at 19:00, and can be contacted at bulc.yelwoc@yrarbil
Maintenance Collective
If you have any electrical, plumbing, carpentry or other practical skills and would like to put them to good use supporting the Cowley Club, please drop us an email or speak to one of our volunteers.
Mediation
A small group of experienced Cowley volunteers who act as the first point of contact for any conflict resolution and/or mediation processes.
The Mediation Collective can be contacted at ten.puesir@noitaidemyelwoc
Mutual Aid Vegan Foodbank
The Mutual Aid Vegan Foodbank Collective was formed as a response to the increasing austerity hitting our communities. They provide essential vegan food and supplies every week to those that need it and accept everyone without the need for any referrals or bureaucracy.
The Mutual Aid Vegan Foodbank can be contacted at moc.liamg@knabdoofnagevdialautum
Office Collective
The Office Collective includes representatives of a number of Cowley Club supporter groups that share the use of the small office at the back of the club. The Collective ensures the office is maintained and available for work, storage and meetings by these groups. Other supporter groups are welcome to join the Collective and make use of the office with agreement of both the Collective and the Cowley Club
The Office Collective can be contacted at bulc.yelwoc@evitcelloceciffo