01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC053058
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Operations cover all or most of Scotland
- Volunteers
- over 250 volunteers
- Staff
- 8
- Postcode
- EH6 5PH
OSCR note: This charity has been established to replace Scottish Women's Institutes (SC011901). Scottish Women's Institutes (SC011901) intends to wind up and pass its assets and liabilities to Scottish Women's Institutes SCIO - SC053058.
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
The Scottish Women’s Institutes (SWI), founded in 1917, is one of Scotland’s oldest women’s membership organisations. Originally created to bring rural women together through education and skill-sharing - a charitable organisation dedicated to empowering women, fostering community, and preserving Scottish traditions. The SWI promotes learning in areas like crafts, cookery, volunteering and events, while also encouraging friendship and social inclusion. Operating on local, regional, and national levels, it hosts events, workshops, and competitions that strengthen learning, communities and cultural heritage. Member subscriptions sustain its mission.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
Beneficiaries
- Other defined groups
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
The Organisation's charitable purposes are: (i) the advancement of education by: a. providing a platform for social activities and networking for women and girls in Scotland. and b. promoting and work with like-minded organisations at home and abroad. (ii) the advancement of culture and heritage by: a. promoting the preservation and development of Scotland's heritage and culture. b. promoting and work with like-minded organisations at home and abroad. and c. providing a platform for social activities and networking for women and girls in Scotland.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2025 | £510,163 | £583,242 | 8 | 22 May 2026 |
| 31 December 2024 | £429,337 | £520,097 | 8 | 29 July 2025 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- 1 Carmichael Place, Suite 8, 4th Floor, , Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- https://www.theswi.org.uk/
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.