Full name:  Christopher Henderson

Length of Society Membership:

Length of Service on the Board:  1 and 1/2 years

I am a committed supporter of the Co-operative movement, believing it is integral to local business and society. Having ran my own business in the Seaton Valley area for 37 years, I place a huge value on trade as part of the local community.

Before the amalgamation, I spent 5 years on the board at the original Seaton Valley Co-op. During this period, I played a key advisory role in the development of the new Wheatridge Park branch and petrol station. I gained a lot of knowledge from this experience, which I can bring to the table when advising on future developments.

During my time on the Scotmid regional committee, I have completed the Co-operative diploma in Co-operation, showing I have a firm grasp of our aims and values.

I believe that rather than try to compete or replicate what the larger chains offer, we should concentrate and capitalise on what sets us apart from them, like: re-dispersant of profit to our members; strength in a community base; and a strong commitment to ethical credentials. We live in an increasingly capitalist society (something which won’t change), so we have to recognise the need to be competitive, but that doesn’t have to hinder our success. The task is to deliver a service in our local branches, which combines cost effectiveness with high quality and an emphasis on locality. If we can do this effectively, our membership will grow and our customers will see the value in what we strive to achieve.