Sophie Ziegler-Jones explains why partnering with Plunkett and supporting community-owned businesses is a natural fit for the co-operative wholesaler Suma, and describes how she was moved by our 2025 Awards.
Back in July, I had the privilege of attending Plunkett UK’s Rural Community Business Awards, held at the Royal Society of Chemistry in London. The evening was a celebration of the extraordinary impact community-owned businesses are having across the UK, and a reminder that in times of challenge, collaboration and creativity can flourish.
At Suma, we’ve long admired the work of Plunkett UK. For over 100 years, the charity has championed the power of community ownership to keep essential services alive – from village shops and cafés to pubs, woodlands, and beyond.
As a worker co-operative ourselves, collectively owned and run by our members, their mission feels like a natural extension of our own. Both of us believe business can be a force for good when it puts people and community at its heart. That’s why we’ve supported Plunkett for many years and why many of their members already stock our vegetarian and vegan Wholefoods and own brand products.
Sophie with Christine Pinsent of the Locks Inn, winners of the 2025 Going Green Award, and Plunkett staff members, Hannah Barrett and Mary Boullin.
Sophie presents the Suma-sponsored Going Green Award to Christine Pinsent
A night of inspiration
From the moment I stepped into the awards ceremony, the energy in the room was palpable. Finalists and supporters alike were buzzing with anticipation, but what struck me most was the sheer variety of projects being celebrated. Some stories told of communities rallying together to run their last village shop, ensuring that older residents had somewhere close by to buy essentials and see a friendly face. Others described how neglected buildings had been transformed into thriving community spaces for everyone to enjoy. There were shops, pubs, cafés, and community hubs – each one a testament to local determination.
The uniting thread across all of them was the same: people coming together, pooling resources and energy, and finding innovative solutions to challenges that might otherwise have felt overwhelming.
Listening to the winners share their journeys was deeply moving. Yes, I cried – many of us did! One volunteer explained how recognition from the awards had galvanised their team and encouraged new people to get involved. Another described the renewed sense of pride and belonging that community ownership had brought to their village.
These are the kinds of stories that don’t always make national headlines, but they ripple outwards, strengthening the social fabric of rural Britain.
Why Suma supports Plunkett
Being at the awards in person reaffirmed for me why Suma’s partnership with Plunkett matters so much. As the UK’s largest worker co-operative, Suma is built on the same principles of mutual support, fairness, and sustainability that underpin community businesses. We understand first-hand the transformative power of co-operation – how shared ownership creates resilience and how ethical business choices can shape a healthier future.
Our role as a recommended supplier for Plunkett members is one practical way we can help these businesses thrive. By providing access to ethical, affordable, and high-quality wholefoods, we’re supporting them to stock products that align with their values while also appealing to their customers.
For many communities, the shop or café is not just a place to buy food – it’s a lifeline, a meeting point, and often one of the last shared spaces they have. Offering healthy, sustainable products adds another layer of value to the vital role these businesses already play.
Sponsoring a category at the awards is an extension of that commitment. It’s about celebrating the achievements of these incredible groups and shining a light on what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose.
The Suma staff team
Encouraging others to get involved
What I found most inspiring about the evening was the sense of possibility. Yes, rural communities face real and pressing challenges: rising costs, stretched services, and the ongoing risk of isolation. But the stories we heard were not ones of decline – they were stories of renewal, courage, and optimism. They showed that when communities take ownership of their future, remarkable things happen.
That’s why I’d encourage other businesses and organisations to consider how they might work with Plunkett too. Whether as suppliers, sponsors, or volunteers, there are so many ways to make a meaningful contribution. Supporting community-owned businesses isn’t just good for the communities themselves – it strengthens the wider economy and helps create a fairer, more sustainable society for us all.
Looking ahead
As I reflect on that evening in July, I still feel uplifted and hopeful. The creativity and commitment I witnessed will stay with me for a long time. It reinforced my belief that co-operation and community-led solutions are not just inspiring ideals – they are working models that are making a tangible difference across the UK.
At Suma, we’re proud to stand alongside Plunkett and its members, and we’re excited about what the future holds. As we continue to share our message more widely – including the SKY ad campaign we won as a result of our sustainability and inclusion work – we want to highlight that there is another way of doing business: one rooted in care for people, planet, and community.
Plunkett’s Rural Community Business Awards were a celebration of exactly that. They reminded me that, even in uncertain times, optimism is not naïve – it’s essential. Because with optimism comes action, and with action comes change.
Sophie Ziegler-Jones is Comms & PR Lead at Suma
