Our member Hockley Mint features in the film Be Part of It that celebrates employee and worker ownership.
The film, which has been created in collaboration with worker cooperatives and employee owned businesses led by the West Midlands Ownership Hub (WMOH), highlights the focus on growing both the creative industries sector and democratic business models in the region.
West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker, supported the launch of the project. In May this year, he made a manifesto pledge to double the number of co-operatives in the region, aligning with a government pledge to double the size of the Cooperatives and Mutuals sector (with EO falling under the latter).
mixes imagery, dance, and a specially commissioned poem from Jasmine Gardosi, former Birmingham Poet Laureate. It features:
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Hockley Mint: Birmingham-based manufacturers and suppliers of jewellery and precious metals who now operate as an employee ownership trust (EOT). Family owned for more than 70 years, it became an EOT in 2023 to secure the long-term future of the business and provide continuity for its loyal employees.
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The Developer Society: a Digbeth-based creative agency that converted to a co-operative business model to align more closely with their values and nurture creativity by giving their workers ownership, agency, and control.
“Then the plan was to create a visual poem in video form, splicing the poem-dance with footage of West Midlands co-ops and employee-owned businesses doing their thing,” said WMOH Project Co-ordinator, Jo Ind.
“I wanted to show off the range of creative industries and the diverse people that make up our great region. I am delighted by the result, not least because of the collaboration that was at the heart of the creative process, which generated such a powerful piece of work.”
Employee Owners at Hockley Mint said:
"Hockley Mint were thrilled to be part of the Be Part of It film, which showcases the power of collaboration and creativity in the West Midlands. Becoming an employee-owned business in 2023 was a proud and transformative step for us, securing the long-term future of our company and empowering our dedicated team. We are honoured to stand alongside other innovative organisations that share our commitment to inclusive business models and the growth of our region."