Interview with Richard Waring

This material is held atNational Co-operative Archive

Scope and Content

Interview covers 1970s-2018.

[00:00:09] Richard talks about how Down To Earth was originally set up, and it's move to Sharrow Vale Road, Sheffield [00:03:11] Talks about bringing in new people and the connection with other wholefood workers co-operatives through the Federation of Northern Wholefoods Collectives. [00:05:57] Outlines reasoning for setting up as a workers co-operative. [00:07:09] Talks about visiting and learning from other workers' co-operatives, and job rotation at Down to Earth. [00:10:37] Talks about decision making at Down to Earth. [00:12:05] Discusses why some workers co-operatives failed. [00:13:00] Talks about the development of Down to Earth, the politics of Down to Earth, recounts talks given by members of Down to Earth to local Women's Guilds on workers co-operatives. [00:17:38] Talks about links with the community and other businesses on Sharrow Vale Road. [00:19:10] Talks about vegetarianism and the shop. [00:20:51] Talks about attempts at expansion in to Crookesmoor. [00:22:01] Discusses leaving Down to Earth to go to Drama School. [00:22:26] Mentions the later change of Down to Earth from a workers' co-operative to a different business model. [00:24:49] Outlines opinions on workers' co-operatives in general.

Administrative / Biographical History

Richard Waring was a founder member of Down to Earth wholefood co-operative in Sheffield. Following this he went on to work in the theatre profession.

(Interviewer) Philippa Lewis worked as the Project Archivst for the Working Together project (2017-2018) based at the National Co-operative Archive.

Access Information

Parts of interview redacted due to personal data.

Acquisition Information

In October 2017 the National Co-operative Archive sent out a request for interview participants from the wider workers' co-operative community to take part in Working Together, a Heritage Lottery Funded project seeking to record and preserve the heritage of the workers' co-operative movement. This interview was recorded n response to this request. The interview was conducted at Barbican House, Lewes.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

Length of interview: 00:26:30

Recording equipment: Zoom H2 Handy recorder

Recording note: Original audio file WAV 48kHz/16 bit- Copy audio file Mp3

Conditions Governing Use

This interview is licensed under a Creative Commons license (Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives)

Related Material

Transcript and summary of interview.

Location of Originals

Original recording and transcript held at the National Co-operative Archive.