Thank you for investing in the Brontë Birthplace and supporting our campaign to open the birthplace to the public. We have a few administrative matters to clarify and would kindly ask you to fill in and return to us as soon as possible the attached form(s) to enable us to create an accurate register of shareholders which is a legal requirement. After collection of this data we will be able to issue share certificates either for yourselves or those to whom you have gifted the shares.
Community shares are a way for individuals, businesses and cooperatives to raise finance in a flexible and affordable way to help develop and grow a project. They are also known as ‘withdrawal shares in Community Benefit Society.’
Community shares are withdrawal shares that cannot be sold, traded, or transferred between members, unlike shares in a typical company. Shareholders become members of the business or organisation they invest in.
All members are entitled to one vote – regardless of how many shares they hold.
It is not possible to sell them to someone else. Instead, investors can request to withdraw their money from the society, but the Board can only approve this if the society has sufficient cash reserves to let them do so.
As community shares invest your capital into the delivery of a business, the ability to have the cash to hand when investors might like to have it returned to them will depend on the business trading successfully. That’s the real secret of community ownership – making the rewards of success something that can be shared with the people who matter the most.
Besides the potential for financial returns, community shares are a great way for people to invest to support businesses they believe in. since 2012, over £155m has been raised by over 104,200 people in community shares across the UK. Community shares have been invested into over 450 cooperatives and community businesses including shops, pubs, renewable energy schemes, housing projects, community hubs and much more.
When you invest in ‘Community Shares’, your capital is at risk. You could lose some or all the money you invest. You have no right to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, nor any right of complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Please do not invest any money you can’t afford to lose.