How can you contribute? Why invest?

We will buy a property partly with a mortgage
from an ethical bank, and loan from a community
finance organisation. We need to raise 10% of the
total cost ourselves, and we’re asking you to help.
Being an Industrial & Provident Society we can set
periods when we issue 'loanstock': offering
individuals and organisations the opportunity to
invest money in the housing co-op. Loans of this
type are usually between £500 and £5000.
You can set the interest rate at 3% or 5%, or choose
to waiver interest to further benefit the project.
Point of repayment is also your choice - usually five
or ten years, or less for smaller loans. You can also
re-invest your money after that time.
You get your money back - whilst donations of
cash, skills or time are accepted gratefully, money
you lend us will be repaid. Radical Routes member
housing co-ops haven't had any bad debts since we
started operating fifteen years ago. This is not a
guarantee they’ll never occur but is an
indication of a robust financial model.

Why invest?
Ipswich needs more affordable housing, not
‘stunning, luxurious penthouses’.
Your money would be helping others take control
of their housing situation, and create a
permanent haven for those working for social
and environmental change - not only for the
co-op tenants but all members of the community.
It’s an opportunity to kickstart a long-term
project you can see the benefits of on your
doorstep, not a band-wagon fad that sends you
irritating junk mail.
Members’ rents and hire of space will provide
income for the project once up and running; we
are only asking for start-up funding.
It’s redistribution of wealth, with a return!