College clinch £50k Gulf deal

The deal, which enhances the College’s growing international profile, was completed after Chair Paul Sommerfeld travelled to Bahrain recently to sign a contract with the country’s Minister for Social Development, Dr Fatima Al-Balooshi.

“This shows how the reputation of the College has spread to regions where we have never worked before,” said Mr Sommerfeld. 

“Bahrain is a small country, with a population of just over a million. The government wishes to look afresh at co-operatives as part of a plan to modernise the economy by 2030.”

Co-operative links between Bahrain and the UK were first forged by Dame Pauline Green, the former Chief Executive of Co-operatives UK, who travelled to the Gulf state in 2008 thanks to the support and involvement of the British Embassy there. 

College Principal Mervyn Wilson added: “This new agreement with the Kingdom of Bahrain is yet another addition to the College’s growing portfolio of work. We are now working in nearly 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. 

“It is particularly heartening to have received support for this work from the British Embassy in Bahrain, as parts of government did not always recognise the importance of co-operatives.”

To co-ordinate the College’s growing global work, a new position of International Programmes Manager has been created and Stirling Smith, who took up the post last month, told the News: “Between my visit to Bahrain in April and signing the deal has taken less than two months, which shows the level of interest in co-operatives in the region.  

“This contract is worth over £50,000, and we will be helping Bahrain to review its co-operative law, set up a system of co-operative education and introduce them to youth co-operatives.”