Our Charitable Purposes
4 Winds is a registered Scottish charity (a SCIO), established on 5th April 2013, regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and our registration number is SC043913.
Our charitable purposes as set out in the register and our constitution are:
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of citizenship or community development
- the provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended
Areas of Benefit
4 Winds SCIO is set up to benefit the areas which lay closest to the Little Raith Wind Farm in Fife, namely Auchtertool, Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Lumphinnans.
This means we are unable to accept applications from nearby localities such as Crossgates, Kelty, Lochore, Cardenden or Ballingry.
Structure
4 Winds SCIO was established in 2013 when the Little Raith Wind Farm was opened and is set-up specifically to distribute community benefits derived from the sale of energy from the wind farm. It is a completely independent organisation from the wind farm and has no representatives from RES or Little Raith on the Board.
4 Winds is a two-tier Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), with Members and Trustees.
The ‘Members’ are the community councillors for each of the 4 areas of benefit.
Its Trustees manage the strategy, policy and operations of the charity.
Board of Trustees
Our board of trustees oversee the charity and manage its day-to-day activities. They are appointed by each of the four community councils selecting 2 nominees to take their guaranteed seats, making 8 trustees. These trustees do not have to be community councillors.
Our constitution also allows for 2 further independent trustees from within the four communities to be appointed.
Constitution
Our constitution is our set of rules which govern how we operate the charity. A copy of our constitution can be found by clicking here.
The constitution of the group has been in place since the organisation was formed in 2013 without amendment.
Annual Accounts & Report
As a registered charity in Scotland, we are required to publish an annual report and set of accounts each year. Our accounting year runs from 1st May to 30th April.
You can read our historical annual report and accounts here:
For the year ended 30th April 2024
For the year ended 30th April 2023
For the year ended 30th April 2022
For the year ended 30th April 2021
For the year ended 30th April 2020
For the year ended 30th April 2019
For the year ended 30th April 2018
For the year ended 30th April 2017
For the year ended 30th April 2016
Complaints Procedure
The charity has a complaints procedure to offer a transparent and fair route for resolving any dissatisfaction with the organisation.
This policy covers any trustees, office bearers, members, funding applicants or staff (where the charity employs staff) or any other person in the delivery of objectives for the charity.
It provides a simple 3-stage process:
Stage 1 – Informal resolution
Stage 2 – Review by board of trustees
Stage 3 – Review by independent panel
The complaints procedure is available to view and download here.
To make a complaint, please email complaints@4winds.scot detailing your concerns which will be read by our Chairperson and acted on appropriately.
4 Winds SCIO 