A Cooperative Way of Life 

Alison Hands bubbles with energy and enthusiasm.  It’s 9am and first thing in most people’s working day, but she has been at her desk since 7.30am and though she has a packed schedule, she is keen to chat to me. 

Responsible for over 220 outlets and almost 300,000 members, Alison, CEO for 18 months, is mindful of the heritage and importance of Lincolnshire Coop. Having lived in the county for over 25 years myself, I know how much it acts as a core part of the county’s structure. 

She calls herself geographically ‘hybrid’ – from Kent but with Birmingham connections – she lives in Lincolnshire during the week and in Worcestershire at the weekend. With a solidly retail-focused background, including a long stint at Marks & Spencer (where she met her husband), her ambition is considerable. 

“My vision is to have an even bigger impact on support and social values, from the cradle to the grave. One of the ways we support our communities is through our property portfolio, which includes housing and GP surgeries. We have a big handprint across Lincolnshire, though we are more dominant in Lincoln and North Kesteven. We are not as omnipresent in other areas as we could be, and we’re looking to widen our impact further.”

“We have been really pushing forward, trying to strengthen the foundations of our society, from updating properties, especially our trading ones, so they work better for our communities. We’re investing in IT infrastructures, to drive and enable business.”

For Alison, people are at the heart of it all, both employees and the public. “I want to engender a better people and organisational culture. The workforce is changing, and I want to create more jobs, through our strategy for growth. But the foundations must be in place first.”

While she seeks to develop the organisation’s role in the county, she confirms food sits at the centre. “The community aspect of our food offering, the promotion of local produce, is our USP, and our food stores are central to what we do. Spending in a Lincolnshire Coop food store means money not only goes back to members but also to the local community. It’s a circular process where everything we do is driving more value back into the community.”

With a list as long as your arm of things she wants to do, from repurposing property for housing need, to creating space for the NHS to rent, to drawing in hard-to-reach people for health support, Alison is a refreshing and inspiring CEO in a world where self-interest often seems to be the driving force.

Lincolnshire famously suffers from high levels of economic deprivation and it is good to hear of so much practical activity, as well as an understanding of how special Lincolnshire Coop is. 

“Purpose Beyond Profit 2030 is our mission,” she declares with pride, before very nicely drawing our conversation to a close.

Forgive the pun, but the Lincolnshire Coop is in safe hands.

This article is published in the January 2025 Lincoln Independent