Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 5[th] April 2020 To 4[th] April 2021
Charity name: Wind Empowerment
Charity registration number: 1165510
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Wind Empowerment (WE) supports the development of locally built wind turbines for sustainable rural electrification. This is achieved by strengthening the capacity of its members through: Building and sharing financial and human resource connections, Performing joint technical research, sharing technical information and collaborating on key vendor relationships, Strengthening understanding of business and social models for effective implementation of small wind technology, Managing projects, offering consultancy services and developing/distributing products in line with the association’s guiding principles and in the interest of the members. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Wind Empowerment organises workshops, conference and knowledge exchange events to disseminate knowledge relating to open source locally built wind turbine and rural electrification technologies. WE also conducts research and development activities to develop these technologies, and to understand how they might better serve the needs of rural communities globally. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Both the Board of Trustees and Executive Board of Wind Empowerment are assured that Wind Empowerment’s activities meet the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | In late 2020 Wind Empowerment organised and hosted a two-day virtual conference (WEOnline2020) to enable members and interested members of the public globally to share lessons and knowledge on grassroots rural electrification systems. More than 150 people participated in the conference, representing over 46 countries. As part of the Water Pumping Exchange project, testing and development suffered significant setbacks due to international and national travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. Two different typologies of wind-water pumping systems have been developed, and are currently undergoing field tests – one in Argentine Patagonia and one in Southern India. The Productive Uses project involves three pilot projects for the productive use of small scale rural wind power in Argentina. The three different use cases are horticulture, egg production and sustainable tourism. As part of the project 55 people have been trained in wind turbine construction and maintenance. The project involves the field testing of technical and socio-technical systems to ensure that the energy systems best fit the needs of the particular use case, to empower indigenous and rural communities. |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | As of the end of the financial period in question (April 2021) Wind Empowerment had sufficient funds to meet contracted obligations along with reserves |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Wind Empowerment has the policy of retaining reserves to the value of three months of operating costs for the Executive Board, in order to enable fundraising activities to launch new Wind Empowerment activities. Wind Empowerment operates exclusively on a grant/project basis. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £2,240 as of April 2021 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | The Coronavirus pandemic has limited international travel to the degree that it has impacted the activities of Wind Empowerment. In addition, the economic downturn and crisis of the pandemic has significantly impacted the availability of grant based funding that Wind Empowerment is dependent on. Wind Empowerment will continue to be active, but the ability of the organisation to continue implementing projects internationally is contingent on successful funding bids. |
|---|---|---|
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
N/A | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Wind Empowerment is governed on a legal basis by its constitution, and on a working basis by its charter. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | The charity is a CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are elected every two years during the Wind Empowerment Conference, at the same time as the election of the Executive Board. In the first instance, election is by consensus of all attendant Wind Empowerment members (as individuals - including those voting/nominating by correspondence). In the event that an election is contested or controversial, this triggers a formal voting process whereby only members of the Wind Empowerment Association with formal voting rights (defined in the charter as non-profit organisations) are eligible to vote. |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Wind Empowerment |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | Wind Empowerment Network, Wind Empowerment Association |
| Registered charity number | 1165510 |
| Charity’s principal address | Lawn Cottage Wyver Lane BELPER DE56 2EF |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) 1 Alfred Alsop N/A 2 Jon Leary N/A 3 Marco Ogno N/A 4 AmyCrum N/A 5 Ben Campbell N/A 6Pedro Carvalho Neves N/A Declarations The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s)Ben Campbell Alfred Alsop Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Trustee Trustee Date24/01/22 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Alsop | N/A | |||
| Jon Leary | N/A | |||
| Marco Ogno | N/A | |||
| AmyCrum | N/A | |||
| Ben Campbell | N/A | |||
| Pedro Carvalho Neves |
N/A |
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Annex 1 – Transactions for accounting period
Project codes:
WEIndia – Wind Empowerment’s biennual conference, hosted in 2018 in Chennai, India Coordination 2 – Wind Empowerment’s second coordination contract, aimed at growing the network and strengthening internal capacity
Water Pumping – An exchange project between practitioners in India, Argentina, France and Morocco, developing open source wind-electric-water pumping systems for rural applications. Grant Funded. MPTTP – Modular Power To The People – a grant funded research project developing and testing modular open source power electronics to enable the gradual and organic growth of off-grid energy systems. Productive Uses – a grant funded research project that intends to test socio-technical models where wind energy systems are used for economically productive activities in rural communities of Argentina Patagonia
| Date | Value | Balance | Project Code | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/04/2020 | -1,056.00 | 35,356.17 | WEIndia | Payment to Treasurer(HR) |
| 14/04/2020 | -3,696.00 | 31,660.17 | WEIndia | Payment to Coordinatior(HR) |
| 14/04/2020 | -1,288.24 | 30,371.93 | WEIndia | Payment to Local Partner(India) |
| 14/04/2020 | -1,023.00 | 29,348.93 | WEIndia | Payment to Secretary (HR) |
| 16/04/2020 | -5.99 | 29,342.94 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 20/04/2020 | -1.87 | 29,341.07 | Water Pumping | Payment to Researcher |
| 20/04/2020 | -435.98 | 28,905.09 | Water Pumping | Payment to Researcher |
| 05/05/2020 | -408.39 | 28,496.70 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Webmaster |
| 18/05/2020 | -5.99 | 28,490.71 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 26/05/2020 | -449.94 | 28,040.77 | Water Pumping | Payment to Researcher |
| 16/06/2020 | -5.99 | 28,034.78 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 29/06/2020 | -525.15 | 27,509.63 | Water Pumping | Payment to Researcher |
| 16/07/2020 | -5.99 | 27,503.64 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 27/07/2020 | -768.69 | 26,734.95 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Webmaster |
| 17/08/2020 | -5.99 | 26,728.96 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 16/09/2020 | -5.99 | 26,722.97 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 21/09/2020 | -14.34 | 26,708.63 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting (domain transfer) |
| 25/09/2020 | 887.76 | 27,596.39 | MPTTP | Grantpayment from FundingOrganisation |
| 28/09/2020 | -550.31 | 27,046.08 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Webmaster |
| 28/09/2020 | -403.19 | 26,642.89 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Communications Officer |
| 28/09/2020 | -205.39 | 26,437.50 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Fundraiser |
| 29/09/2020 | -13.14 | 26,424.36 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting (domain) |
| 29/09/2020 | -40.00 | 26,384.36 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 16/10/2020 | -5.99 | 26,378.37 | Coordination 2 | Webhosting |
| 20/10/2020 | -100.00 | 26,278.37 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Secretary |
| 26/10/2020 | -1,939.00 | 24,339.37 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Secretary |
| 16/11/2020 | -148.79 | 24,190.58 | Coordination 2 | Payment for webinarplatform for online conference |
| 01/12/2020 | -591.69 | 23,598.89 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Webmaster |
| 18/01/2021 | 5,702.25 | 29,301.14 | Productive Uses | Grantpayment from FundingOrganisation |
| 26/01/2021 | -742.73 | 28,558.41 | Water Pumping | Payment to Local Partner(India) |
| 26/01/2021 | -5,207.67 | 23,350.74 | Productive Uses | Payment to Project team(Argentina) |
| 15/02/2021 | -777.98 | 22572.76 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Communications Officer |
| 15/03/2021 | -1260 | 21312.76 | Coordination 2 | Payment for Independent Review of Accounts |
| 15/03/2021 | -2260.17 | 19052.59 | Water Pumping | Payment to Local Partner(India) |
| 15/03/2021 | -482.78 | 18569.81 | Water Pumping | Payment to Local Partner(India) |
| 22/03/2021 | -226.63 | 18343.18 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Webmaster |
| 22/03/2021 | -763.27 | 17579.91 | Coordination 2 | Payment to Communications Officer |