News & events

Dear Members,

Firstly, we’d like to thank you for rallying together to support the Co-op. It was a pleasure to see so many of you at the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) and we hope to see even more of you at the next one.

As some of you may be aware, the Blue Mountains Food Co-op is experiencing financial challenges. As the new Co-op board, we have been busy working with the Co-op staff and members to understand the current situation and develop priority actions to support the Co-op in navigating this challenging time.

One of the Co-op’s many valuable assets is our highly engaged membership. There are a myriad of ways you can help including raising awareness of the Co-op among your personal networks, sharing your ideas and feedback, and volunteering in store, for events, and on our (soon-to-be-established) sub-committees.  Click here to learn more about our fantastic volunteer program.

If each member encourages just one person to sign up, we’ll go a long way to achieving our goal of providing high-quality food that doesn’t cost the earth and to support and inspire as many members as possible to make sustainable living choices.

We extend our sincere thanks to the outgoing board and staff for their generosity, tenacity and professionalism in navigating the Co-op through what was a difficult and unprecedented time, recently, and for the many years of service prior to that. We appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to getting to know you all better as we work together on this exciting and very important chapter in the Co-op’s service to our community.

There has never been a more important time for us to be united by our shared core needs and beliefs, as well as embracing our differences. We appreciate your patience as we focus on ensuring we steer the Co-op in the right direction and achieve priority outcomes, as well as meeting the needs of our diverse membership as realistically and inclusively as possible.

Finally, we’d like to confirm the roles of the new board members.

• Rowan Clifford, a strategically focused senior leader in health and human services, has been pointed Chair.
• Aaron Kim, a trained lawyer with policy, strategy and senior management experience in Government, is our new Secretary.
• Our new Treasurer, Sarah Ladyman, also a Co-op staff member, who achieved top marks in Accountancy at University, brings financial acumen and extensive understanding of insolvency law, directors’ duties, and the unique business structure of a cooperative to the role.
• The remaining 4 directors, Simone Novello, Susan Ambler, Elmira Forrest and Cecilia Hung – contribute broad experience across innovation, marketing, community development, social responsibility and sustainability.

We have a big task ahead as the world faces the reckoning of past extravagance but together we can create a nourishing present and bright future. Food brings us together. It connects us with nature and has the power to nourish our body, spirit and environment.

Yours in partnership,

Aaron, Cecilia, Elmira, Rowan, Sarah, Simone, Susan