Growing the social economy in Coventry and Warwickshire: inside the CWCDA cluster
24th February 2026
From refurbished bikes to rebuilt communities. An afternoon with CWCDA.
I’ve learned a great deal about the West Midlands because of my visits to the social economy cluster leads over the last few months. This recent visit was no exception. I went to meet with Mandy Bygrave (CEO) and Tim Rees (Business Coach) at Coventry and Warwickshire Co-operative Development Agency (CWCDA). I knew I was in for an insightful chat with these two!
Mandy has a refreshingly honest and passionate approach to community leadership, having transitioned from a credit union career into the social economy. Working alongside Mandy, Tim has been a vital part of the WMCA-funded cluster work.
A rich history of co-operative development
I was intrigued to learn that CWCDA has a long-standing history dating back to 1982 of initially supporting cooperatives to later supporting the wider social economy. Despite its growth, the organisation maintains its original 1982 core values of co-operative principles, local networking, and equal opportunity. Today, the agency has transitioned into a strategic regional lead. The agency provides three key areas of Social Enterprise Support: Employment and Community Services.
Boosting the social economy in Coventry & Warwickshire
As the social economy cluster lead for Coventry and Warwickshire, CWCDA used data analysis and community outreach to identify areas where growth and investment were most needed. The mapping highlighted the three areas in Coventry; Foleshill, Hillfields, and Woodend/Henley Green.
CWCDA identified around 50 small social enterprises operating in the Foleshill area which hadn’t been on their radar previously. They then specifically focused their efforts to support these organisations. A key part of the social economy mapping was to act as a connector linking frontline organisations, local authority, local agencies and the private sector. This convening and connecting role cannot be underestimated says Tim. He noted that following the pandemic, working practices have become much more isolated and insular, so the need to get people talking and working together is no mean feat.
Find out more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs1IEG7vAiE
Tacking travel poverty
A major highlight of the cluster work is the Bike Project. It was born from a very specific need identified during CWCDA’s mapping and in collaboration with Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre. Newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in Coventry were effectively trapped within walking distance of their accommodation because they couldn’t afford bus fares.
CWCDA helps manage the pipeline of donated bikes from the public. These are often bikes that would have ended up in landfills. Volunteers and trainees learn mechanical skills, repairing the bikes to high safety standards. Once fixed, the bikes are donated to refugees, asylum seekers, and those on low income.
To scale up, CWCDA are now working with Coventry University to develop a city-wide Bike Library. A library model allows for economies of scale, where students and residents can also rent or borrow bikes, with the revenue subsidising free bikes for the most vulnerable. The project has expanded to include Pedal Power, delivered in partnership with Positive Youth Foundation and the Muslim Resource Centre, with female-only cycling lessons now taking place in Foleshill.
Looking ahead
Mandy is clear that growing the social economy in Coventry and Warwickshire is very much part of their DNA. “The Bike Project has grown arms and legs”, she laughs and it is not going away. CWCDA is busy forging collaborations across public, private and third sectors to scale the initiative. Watch this space for its official launch this year!
CWCDA is also expanding its offer through a regional training centre and platform for community businesses and social enterprises. They are also creating a more commercial offer for corporate clients. Mandy is very keen to develop West Midlands regional partnerships and consortia to continue to build on the work of the social economy clusters.
My key reflection: starting small and building from the ground up
In a world that often looks for quick fixes to complex social issues, Mandy and Tim are proving that the most sustainable solutions are those grown from the ground up, rooted in data, and powered by genuine human connection. The journey of the Bike Project is a great lesson in how the social economy can grow from identifying a need; developing a business model; convening and connecting; developing multi-sector partnerships; piloting, validating and scaling a model so that you can deliver genuine local impact.
I had a wonderful afternoon learning about CWCDA and I definitely feel richer for it.
