A major new film marking the birth of co-operation is being filmed in the Greater Manchester area as part of The Co-operative’s activities to highlight this year as the International Year of Co-operatives.

The 52-minute feature tells the story of - and gains its working-title - from ‘The Rochdale Pioneers’ and their vision for a better social order which established the co-operative movement in 1844.

The new film is inspired by the 1944 film ‘Men of Rochdale’. It is funded by The Co-operative Group – the UK’s largest mutual business – and is being filmed and produced by The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy.

Actor John Henshaw plays the role of John Holt, one of the original members of The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, in the film.