How Strive Started
Ernest Bader, the Quaker founder of Scott Bader, manufacturers of polyester resins at Wollaston in Northamptonshire, had a concern for developing countries. As Scott Bader resins were exported around the world, he became acutely aware of the huge disparities of income opportunity between the UK and his overseas customers. After he retired as Managing Director in 1957, he travelled to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and visited St. Faith's Farm, run by Guy and Molly Clutton-Brock, where Africans and Europeans were living and working together as a community. There he met a young man, Canaan, who wanted to study in England. Later, on this same journey, he visited an artists co-operative in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) where some talented young people were using resins for coloured panels and sculpture. On his return to Wollaston, as a structure to help such people, he initiated Strive (Overseas) Ltd, standing for Society for Training in Rural Industries and Village Enterprises. Scott Bader, a flourishing employee owned business, contributed £15,000 to get Strive started. Ernest Bader then convened a meeting at the offices of The Observer newspaper to which a number of people sharing his concern came. Among these were Arthur Koestler, Arnold Toynbee and E.F. Schumacher (author of Small is Beatuiful). Schumacher was also the founder of Intermediate Technology Development Group (now known as Practical Action).