Andrew Colls BSc, ACA – Chair
Having studied Minerals Engineering at Birmingham University I joined Deloitte in 1984 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1988. I then moved into industry, working in finance mainly for companies in construction and mining. I have been Finance Director for several companies including a subsidiary of Taylor Wimpey, a subsidiary of Avant Homes and a West Yorkshire housebuilder Skipton Properties as well as Financial Controller for David Wilson Homes and Wilson Bowden Properties.
I moved in 2018 to work in Berwick-upon-Tweed as Practice Manager covering the management information and facilities management for a firm of Chartered Accountants with 13 Partners and 150 employees and retired in mid-August 2022.
I was a Trustee and treasurer of the national charity the Marine Conservation Society for 11 years.
I became a Trustee and treasurer of the Berwickshire Marine Reserve in 2017, Scotland’s first voluntary marine reserve.
I became a Director and treasurer of The Fishers Arms Horncliffe Community Pub Company in July 2022. The company is a community benefit society formed to purchase, refurb and let the village pub in Horncliffe, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
My passion for the environment led me to volunteer to become a Director of Four Winds Community Energy Co-Operative in March 2015, becoming Chair in April 2019.
Mark Lord
Managing Director and Founder of Aztec Oils Ltd. Lubricant Manufacturer based in Bolsover Derbyshire. As a major local employer Mark was keen to get involved in a local sustainable energy project and put his business skills and local knowledge to good use.<
Sue Quick
Sue has an active interest in renewable energy and sustainability within engineering and has invested in a number of Energy4 All schemes. Sue has more than 40 years experience within engineering gained in the rail, NHS and avionics industries. She is also a qualified tutor. She currently works part-time for Risktec Solutions consultancy working mainly within the rail industry as a Principal Engineer. Now that Four Winds is on her doorstep, she is keen to gain local support and play a more active role in ensuring its viability. She is enjoying the new challenges of Board membership and wishes to represent local views. She believes that without local support Four Winds cannot fully operate as a co-op. Sue has lived and worked in Derbyshire for about 35 years. She enjoys many leisure interests include music making, gardening/ allotments, woodland management, outdoor education, industrial archaeology, walking and cycling.
John Malone
John trained as an electrical engineer at Loughborough University and then with Yorkshire Electricity PLC.
After a year in Brisbane, Australia working with a business energy management consultancy, he returned to Loughborough University to study a Masters Degree in Renewable Energy Systems at CREST (CREST | Loughborough University (lboro.ac.uk). As part of his course, he carried out a research project on wind farm electrical systems for East Midlands Generation.
After completing his course, the opportunity arose, through Skillshare Africa, to take up a post as Renewable Energy Officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy in Swaziland (Eswatini). John worked with his Swazi colleagues on solar for rural schools and clinics, fuel efficient wood stoves and on the development of a rural electrification strategy with Swaziland Electricity Board.
After almost 3 years in Eswatini, John came back to the UK in 1998 and was with the consultancy firm Energy for Sustainable Development. As a Senior Consultant he managed projects in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa and began to get involved in community energy projects in the UK. He carried out community consultation work in South-West England and helped to secure capital grants for projects from the UK Government’s Clear Skies and Bioenergy Capital Grant schemes.
In 2007, John joined Energy4All with the desire to commit to the community energy sector. He became Development Director in 2008.
With Energy4All he has supported the development of onshore wind and ground-mount and multi-roof solar projects. As well as Four Winds, he is on the board of 5 community energy co-operatives.
Outside of the community energy sector, John is a Trustee of Wiltshire Young Musicians and was a Trustee and remains a member of Bath Co-operative Alliance.
Tony Duckworth
Tony is a self-employed launderette owner living and working in Blackburn. I am a Chartered Civil Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers but rarely bring these talents to bear. I am active in my local community at Church, with the Chamber of Trade and with CPRE. I have an understanding of energy generation and renewables. I own five PV solar installations. With CPRE I have grumbled about certain wind energy schemes. I am enthusiastic about Hydro and was keen to see the implementation of a Hydro scheme at the National Trust’s Quarry Bank Mill. I have attended and spoken at a number of planning inquiries and can cope with running meetings. As the current president of NALI (National Association of the Launderette Industry) I understand the need to represent and promote things that are important for my business and to me. I invested in this Co-op because I was interested in the project, the way it was being financed and promoted and it seemed deserving of support. I should be pleased to help with the running of our Co-op.
Eddie Peat
Eddie Pea
t is a Chartered Surveyor. He is employed by Harworth Group as Director of North East and Corporate Development where he specialises in the redevelopment of previously developed land in mainly coalfield areas. Eddie has had a long association with the energy industry having worked in the coal mining industry since 1985. More recently he has brought forward on Harworth Group’s land solar and on shore wind renewable energy projects. Eddie is personally committed to renewable energy and uses solar panels and a small wind turbine to provide electricity to his family home. He hopes to bring to the Board his experience and interest in planning, renewable energy, property matters and community engagement.
Husayn Mahmud
Husayn is an experienced High Voltage Chartered electrical engineer with over 15 years in energy projects including solar, battery and onshore/offshore wind power. I’ve always been interested in environmental issues and pursued such experiences/work. I’m especially proud of and support community, local focused initiatives whether through work or investment choices like Four Winds that I joined with the initial offering in 2014.
He has varied experience of working with diverse groups of people whether that it is in business, voluntary and community projects. His experience includes wind farm development from site assessment through to tendering, specification, construction and operations for >10MW installations working for SSE, RWE Renewable, Renewable Energy Systems among others.
He has worked internationally and volunteered on environmental projects e.g. GVI Edeni Game Reserve, Sea Horse project with Marine Conservation in Cambodia, clean-ups at local Woodland trusts.
Kenneth Blackhurst
Ken has a 30 year senior level career in the architectural, construction and property sectors balanced with a professional education and research vocation in academia. He has been responsible for complex programmes and projects in the UK and internationally, from client-side senior facilities manager for a national retailer to consultant senior healthcare architectural project manager for a PFI hospital. Recent projects include as capital project manager in NHS Estates and Facilities and most recently co-ordinating a large JV project for the RNIB, which included several renewable energy installations.
In academia, Ken had led on building services and environmental technology / environmental sustainability / BIM courses from HNC to MSc level. He is currently undertaking a Doctorate in Education focusing on construction / energy projects in West Africa.
He was previously a board director for the Fenland Green Power Co-operative and a member of several co-operatives in the Energy4All family. Ken has a particular interest in Barnsley / Sheffield and the environs, his ancestor being a founder of the Barnsley British Co-operative Society.
He is a Trustee of the Birmingham District Oddfellows and past Board Director of the Manchester Unity Credit Union.
Annette Heslop MBE – Company Secretary
Annette has worked for Energy4All since it was formed in 2002 and became Finance and Administration Director shortly after. She is responsible for the professional management and administration of all the Energy4All family of co-ops. Her role includes finacial control, project costing, projections, banking and treasury. She is also a director of High Winds Community Energy Society. In Spring 2018 Annette was awarded an MBE for services to community energy.
