Co-operate, the new app being promoted by apex organisation Co-operatives UK, makes it easy for people to find co-operatives and mutuals across the UK, whether they need food or phones, electricity or banking.

Di Bateman, Membership Manager for Midcounties, said: “One of the aims of The International Year of Co-operatives 2012 is to make co-operatives more visible to the general public. With smartphones accounting for around half of all mobile phones, Co-operate offers the opportunity to put co-operatives and mutuals into the hands of people across the UK, including Shropshire.”

There are around 40 co-operative organisations in the county and Midcounties alone has 34,200 members in this region. There are some one billion co-operative members around the world.

Midcounties will launch Co-operative Fortnight celebrations at the Bicton Heath store in Shrewsbury on Saturday between 11am and 3pm. Attractions will include the Shrewsbury Fair Trade Group and local suppliers giving out free Fairtrade samples, a BBQ and a bouncy castle. All proceeds will go to the Magara Primary School in Tanzania, a volunteer project which Midcounties has been directly involved in.

Co-operate was developed by Co-operatives UK and is available for use by the wider international co-operative movement. The National Co-operative Business Association in the United States has also committed to launch a US version of the application. Read more at www.uk.coop/co-operate