Joan Corless
Town of residence – Newburgh
Occupation – Complementary Medicine Practitioner
1. What is your current involvement in The Co-operative? Continuing a family tradition going back 50 years of supporting the Coop retail stores and insurance and often relying on the ‘divi’ in earlier years. Supporting fair trade store initiatives.
2. What qualifications and/or experience do you possess that are relevant to the position of area committee member?
Legal Assistant, Finance Officer, Senior Lecturer Business and Management (MBA), Marketing Manager (Chartered Marketer), Educational Consultant, Acupuncturist, Homeopath
v Organising local educational marketing/promotional events
v Serving on and chairing boards/committees
v Working as team member
v Communication skills/presentation skills
v Holder of Budgets.
v Quality evaluation models
v Diversity Certificate
3. What other qualities would you bring to the role of area committee member?
Sense of humour, tenaciousness and ability to ‘problem solve’. I have worked hard to achieve my qualifications coming from a disadvantaged background with few opportunities. Not only do I have the budgeting skills towards allocation of funding and grants, but the understanding that these schemes widen horizons, opportunities and possibilities.
4. What aspirations do you have for The Co-operative? The Cooperative Group needs to continue to market/raise awareness of membership to younger people 16+ without a family tradition of Coop brand loyalty. Today’s world media is dominated by multi-national companies whose values, aims and standards leave much to be desired, it is essential to introduce younger people to the Cooperative model where the values, aims and standards are unique and are constantly being reviewed and updated