Co-operative News 24th March 1962

£½m. sales in six months
SALES totalling £½m. in six months have been achieved by Rushden Society.

In 1950 the society achieved sales of £½m. in twelve months, by 1956 annual sales were £¾m.

The society is now aiming at £1m, annual sales for 1963.

'Divi' 1s. Again
FOR the 21st consecutive time, Rushden Co-operative Society Ltd. is to pay a dividend of 1s. in the pound for the next half-year. There will also be a bonus dividend of 3d. in the pound for the seventh year running.

This was announced in the committee's half-yearly report presented at the mernbers' meeting last night.

For the first time in the history of the society sales for the six months ending March 10 exceeded £500.000. This was an increase of £18,801 on the same period last year.

Annual sales were over £974,500 compared with £500,000 in 1950 and £750,000 in 1956.

Several of the society's shops had been modernised and plans were being made for further improvements. The grocery store in Purvis Road had been, enlarged and it was hoped to modernise the grocery store in Newton Road and the building department in George Street, said the report.

Mr. W. Brown and Mr. R. H. Marriott were re-elected to the committee, and Mrs. R. R. Green, Mr. J. Allan and Mr. A. Edge to the education committee.

Divi is 1s.
FOR the 23rd successive year Rushden Society has announced a dividend of 1s. In addition vouchers worth 3d. in the pound which can be spent in seven of the society's departments, are announced.

The half-yearly report just issued says the cash sales for the 26 weeks were up by 41 per cent over the same period last year—this in spite of less spending power in Rushden caused by the recession in the boot and shoe industry. Among coming co-operative developments in Rushden announced by the president Mr. W. S. Bayes was a move to "Brighten High Street" by installing a new shop front and interior in the premises there.

1s. dividend maintained
FOR the 26th consecutive time Rushden Society has announced a dividend of 1s.

Cash sales for the half year together with Rushden Co-operative Services Limited, amounted to £530,871.

After making adjustments for the 27-week period of last year, this worked out at an increase of 6.5 per cent, giving the total business of the year as £1,078,856.

Membership of the society stands at 8,540.

Rushden £500 gift
RUSHDEN Society has made a donation of £500 to the Rushden, Northants, swimming pool improvement fund. This was decided at the half-yearly members' meeting, held at the B.W.T.A. Hall, Rushden.

Society president, Mr. W. S. Bayes, reported that the society's sales over the last 12 months amounted to £1,091.534, which was a new record.

For the 28th consecutive time members approved a dividend of one shilling in the pound.

Members' share capital had increased again, and it now stands at over £272,000, and the society's investments, which were re-invested in Government and other securities, totals over £327,000.

The society's membership totals 8,720 and there are 231 employees.

Divi 1s Maintained
FOR the 30th consecutive time Rushden Society is recommending a dividend of 1/-.

The president, Mr. W. S. Bayes, revealed at the recent half-yearly meeting that cash sales for the half-year were £21,243 up, the total amounting to £561,151.

The Selective Employment Tax would cost the society, nearly £6,000 in the next six 'months, ending March 1967, which was equal to a dividend of 3d.

The meeting approved the recommendation of a dividend of 1/- and it was agreed that the distribution be undertaken in two parts, with 25 per cent, of each member's entitlement being distributed by way of a dividend voucher.

Mr. Bayes was re-elected unopposed as the society's president, as were Mrs. J. Bailey and Mr. L. P. Parkinson to the society's committee, and Mr. G. Brown to the education committee.

Dividend Day
It was "divi" day in Rushden yesterday and by 9 am a queue over 20 deep and stretching the length of Rectory Road car park had formed outside Rushden Co-operative Society offices for their 1s. in the £ dividend.

By the end of the day the Co-op had paid out something like £20,000 in cash and that is not taking in account the threepenny bonus which had already been given, or the people who leave their dividend in the society.

Co-op hits record £2.4m turnover
CONTINUALLY growing sales have steered the East Northamptonshire Co-operative Society to a record £2.4 million annual turnover.

Latest figures issued in the half-yearly report showed that sales, including VAT, have increased by 17½ per cent.

A committee report by president Mr Wilfred Dayes and managing secretary Mr Ralph Griffiths says turnover for the year was £2,437,481 — "another record in the society's history."

The report says: "The accounts reflect the continued prosperity and financial soundness of the society."

It goes on to" show the society now has 14,500 members, and that in 27 weeks nearly 50 million Co-op dividend stamps were issued.

The figures will be officially announced at the society's half-yearly meeting at the Queen Victoria Hotel, Rushden, this evening.