Next steps: The future for Wings

Thank you so much for backing Wings over the last ten months. As a new cooperative just starting out every supporter counts, and your loyalty means a lot.

Since our launch last summer, we’ve been on an incredible journey. 

We’ve demonstrated a bold new vision for a worker-owned, zero-emission alternative to the inequities of big tech and the gig economy. We’ve shown that convenient services don’t need to come at a cost to workers or the environment.

Our small team has achieved so much - thanks to generous support from Islington Council and Co-ops UK - and our vision has attracted national and international attention from the likes of BBC World Service, Evening Standard and Bloomberg.

We’re proud to have created decent jobs for local riders, with a guaranteed London Living Wage, benefits and protections, while cutting carbon emissions and reducing air pollution in our community. At the same time, our riders have taken the lead, learning new skills and collectively pushing the business forward. 

And, of course, we’ve delivered tasty meals to hundreds of customers who share our vision of a local, equitable delivery company, helping local independent restaurants to recover from the shock of the pandemic.

Time to reflect

No one has ever done what we’re trying to do. We knew at the outset that we were taking on a hell of a challenge… and we weren’t wrong. Besides our many successes, the last year has been gruelling. As a small team punching well above our weight, we’ve been pushed to our limits, and beyond.

Added to this, parental leave and shifting circumstances for members of our core team, mean the time is right to pause and take stock.

So what’s next?

From now, we will be temporarily pausing deliveries.

We’re using this opportunity to take some much-needed space - to regroup, to reflect on what we’ve learned so far, and to bring together the people and resources needed to go to the next level.

We’ll be back on our bikes later this year, stronger than ever and ready to deliver the freshest food from the best independent restaurants that Islington has to offer.

Be part of our journey

Wings isn’t going anywhere. In fact, we want your help now more than ever.

One of the amazing transformations over the last year is how much support we’ve found, across our local community and beyond. From community interest groups to our informal network of brilliant advisors, and of course our hundreds of loyal customers, we couldn’t have got this far without you.

We want all of you to stay involved as we plan our next steps. We will be reaching out. Please sign up to our mailing list to be the first to know when we have more news.

There will also be opportunities to join the cooperative, as we grow the team capable of taking Wings to the next level. So if you share our vision and have the skills that’ll help us realise it, stay tuned as we will be posting vacancies in due course. Alternatively if you want to drop us a line to introduce yourself, we’ll be happy to hear from you.