THE Co-operative has succeeded in preventing Asda opening in Cinderford. I believe this decision throws down two gauntlets to Foresters.   Firstly, to those who (like me) support co-operative values, to take on the job of educating people on the benefits of co-operation. We Foresters are clearly failing to educate and inform ourselves properly about our history and about the benefits that co-operation brings.

The second gauntlet this decision throws down is to the supermarket campaigners. They've shown themselves to have fighting spirit and the capacity to organise. Since their bid has failed, now is the time to consider their next steps. They ought to consider putting their skills towards greater self-reliance rather than dependence on supermarkets. We only have the co-operative today because 150 years ago, families like theirs were sick of the poverty and unfairness caused by big corporations that see us as a source of profit and cheap labour.

Those people co-operated their way out of poverty worse than we can imagine, to create a business empire that still treats workers and suppliers fairly and keeps the profits in the community. Co-operators and campaigners ought to reach-out to each other and understand each others' viewpoints: they will each learn something of profit to themselves.

– Dan Cook, Pillowell.