ANNUAL
REPORT
2024
ryIRSAA
ROYAL SOCIEfY FOR ASIAN AFFAIRS

## Contents 

## **3. Charity Information** 

## **4. Trustees‘ Report** 

Structure, governance and management Objectives and activities for the public benefit Society Activities 

Archive 

Library Travel Awards Schools‘ Day Asian Affairs Caravanserai Blog and Social Media Lectures 

The Reading Room Exhibition talks 

Financial Review Reserves Policy Key Personnel and Pay Policy Trustees‘ Responsibilities 

## **13. Independent Examiner‘s Report** 

## **14. Statement of Financial Activities** 

## **15. Balance Sheet** 

## **16. Notes to the Financial Statements** 


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## Charity Information 

## **Trustees** 

Sophie Ibbotson (Chairman) Adrian Steger (Vice-Chairman) Andrew Cartwright (Treasurer, resigned 11 July 2023) Andrew McKee, (Treasurer from 11 July 2023) Kerry Brown (appointed 11 July 2023) Gerald Dorey Vanessa Easlea Simon Hayes Steven King (appointed 11 July 2023) Robin Lamb (resigned 11 July 2023) Bijan Omrani (resigned 11 July 2023) Martin Skipper Lucy Spink (appointed 11 July 2023) David Taylor (resigned 11 July 2023) Eleanor Thorp 

**Charity Offices** 8 Tavistock Street London WC2E 7PP 

## **Charity Number** 

1179300 **CIO Number** CE014710 

**Bankers** Lloyds Bank 

## **Independent Examiner** 

Ian W Shipley FCCA Prentis & Co LLP 115c Milton Road Cambridge CB4 1XE 

## **Investment Managers** 

CCLA Investment Management Senator House 85 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4ET 

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## ANNUAL REPORT AND 

## FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 

## **TRUSTEES‘ REPORT** 

The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the Charity's trust deed, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102). 

## Structure, Governance and Management 

The Royal Society for Asian Affairs is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) reference 1179300. The Society was originally established as the Central Asian Society in 1901 and in 1931 King George V granted the Society the right to the name Royal Central Asian Society. In 1975 the Charity, with the gracious assent of Queen Elizabeth II, changed its name to The Royal Society for Asian Affairs (known also as RSAA). 

The Society is governed by its trust deed. Trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting for a three-year term and are eligible for re-election. On appointment all Trustees receive an induction pack, and are informed of their duties as Trustees. 

## Objectives and Activities for the Public Benefit 

The Charity's objectives are to promote learning and advance education in the subject of and with regard to all the countries of Asia. 

The Charity aims to achieve this through publishing material, arranging events, maintaining a library and collection of historical materials, and collaboration with other organisations. 

The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission general guidance on public benefit and continue to do so. The Trustees believe public benefit is satisfied by the advancement of education that the Charity undertakes, and the conservation and development of its publicly-accessible collections. 

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## **Society Activities** 

In 2023 the Trustees adopted the Society‘s first Business Plan, covering the years 20232027.  In the context of the approach to the Society‘s 125th anniversary in 2026, the plan aims to strengthen the practical delivery of the RSAA‘s mission and core charitable objectives, to reflect the needs and priorities of the 21st century, to adapt the Society‘s role to serve a contemporary and international audience, and to give new prominence and commitment to its collections.  The Business Plan can be downloaded from the Society‘s website. 

## **The Archive** 

In 2023 the Society took the very significant step of designating more than £170,000 as a fund “solely and directly for the benefit of the collections, their long-term sustainability, use and development”.  This means that, for the first time in its history, the Society has made a clear financial commitment to the long-term care of the manuscripts, paintings, drawings, books and other artefacts in its custody.  That decision, and the circumstances that led to it, were set out in a public statement by the Society in June 2023. 

The Society has since then begun a multi-year project to digitise its collections and to make them publicly available online.  The first items to have been digitised are the Society’s lantern slides, glass negatives, and the Stokes postcard collection - in total more than 10,000 items. 


_Above:  Untitled glass slide by Dr G M Lees (1898-1955)_ 

We are extremely pleased with the results achieved so far. The work will continue over the next few years. By the end of 2024 we expect to be able to make the images progressively available through the Society’s website. This will mark a major step in bringing the management of the Society’s collections up to date and making them more readily available to researchers. 

In late 2023 we started an oral history project, conducting interviews with long-standing members of the Society about their careers and experiences in Asia. The project is in its very early stages. The objective is to build up a collection of recordings and transcriptions that can be available to future researchers. In addition, some of them may form the basis for short articles. Two have already formed the basis of features in Caravanserai. 

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Early in 2023 the Society was very fortunate to be entrusted with a substantial collection of the papers of Sir Henry Trotter KCMG CB (1841-1919) by his granddaughter, Lady Anne Thorne (a long-standing member of the Society). Sir Henry Trotter was Chairman of the Central Asian Society from 1917 to 1919. The papers relate primarily to his time with the Trigonometric Survey in India and are a significant addition to the Society’s holdings of material relating both to the Survey and to one of the early leaders of the Society. 


This is the most significant addition to the Society’s collections in recent years. The papers will be fully catalogued and made available for research. 


_Left:  Dr Toby Parker, the Society’s Archivist and Librarian, taking a first look through the Trotter papers at Lady Anne Thorne’s home before moving them to Haileybury_ 

_Right:  T E Lawrence’s sketch map of part of the route between Wejh and Aqaba, and  the Lawrence of Arabia Memorial Medal on display at Haileybury  See also inside back cover._ 

An appeal to help to keep a collection of photographs and other items of Lt Col F M Bailey in the public domain raised £12,000. In the event the collection sold at a price that we felt was unjustifiable but, thanks to the generosity of a large number of contributors to the appeal from among RSAA members and the public at large, the Society has been able to redirect some £10,000 

of the funds raised towards future acquisitions, digitisation and other pressing needs. We are very grateful to all of the donors for their confidence in the RSAA. 

## The Library 

The Society’s library has been an important element in members’ engagement with the Society.  Sustaining the library’s role in a time of changed book use is a challenge, but also a priority, so we are creating an online library to complement the existing physical collection. 

The eLibrary will be accessible through the RSAA website. Members will be able to borrow a wide range of digitised books, some be permanently in the catalogue, while others will. change on a regular basis, enabling us to us to make available books that relate directly to the Society’s lectures, Reading Room meetings, Asian Affairs reviews and articles in Caravanserai 


The physical library, housed at Haileybury College, is still accessible to Society members and is providing a valuable additional teaching resource to Haileybury’s senior pupils, contributing at secondary school level to the Society’s educational goals. The Adopt-a-Book appeal continues to make an important contribution to the conservation and repair of the books. 

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Travel Awards 


Following two years in which the RSAA’s Travel Awards were 2 suspended during the COVID pandemic, 2023 saw their2 resumption with a new focus on post-graduate and equivalent research.  The resumption was made possible by a generous anonymous donation. 

The Travel Awards are an important element in the Society’s educational activities, providing support to promising post-graduate researchers. They are highly competitive. Four awards of £1,500 each were made for travel in 2024 out of a total of forty-three applications received. 

Areas of study that the Society supported through its awards this year included, but were not limited to, colonialism and its legacies, exploration, and technology and the state.   The award winners are researching the role of space exploration in East Asian geo-politics, Kurdishlanguage education in Erbil, the interaction of Mongolian, Chinese and Russian identities in Inner Mongolia, and the prevalence of online religious worship in China since the COVID pandemic.  We look forward to the award winners presenting the results of their research either in lectures to the Society or in articles in Asian Affairs. 

## _Asian Affairs_ 

The Society’s journal, then called Central Asian Proceedings, first appeared in print in 1904 and has been continuously in print under a range of titles since 1914. Highly regarded for its combination of accessibility with serious scholarship, Asian Affairs is widely read around the world. Downloads of articles have more than doubled since 2018 and trebled since 2016, with 33% of downloads being in Asian countries, 22% in North America and 37% in Europe. 

To strengthen the journal’s engagement with contemporary scholarship, an International Editorial Advisory Board is being created. Members of the new body will be invited senior scholars in their fields who can provide additional advice to the Editor of the journal. They will be appointed for a fixed term. 

Responsibility for the editorial policy and administration of the journal will remain with the existing Editorial Board which is accountable to the Trustees. The journal is a vital source of income for the Society as can be seen in the accounts, contributing more than 45% of total revenue. 


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## Schools’ Day 


The RSAA’s Schools’ Day has, for nearly twenty years, been the Society’s largest secondary-school-oriented activity. In 2023, with the generous support of the Swire Chinese Language Foundation it was again held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, where the keynote speaker was the Ambassador of Kazakhstan. The day gives A-level students an opportunity to engage with a range of contemporary Asian topics and to sample some Asian languages. 

## Ca ravanserai 

In 2023 we launched a new magazine, edited by Charlie Portlock, to keep members more closely informed about the Society’s activities. Earlier in its history, the Society’s journal had fulfilled that role, but as the 

journal’s readership expanded far beyond the Society’s membership, so its content increasingly had to address that wider audience and give less attention to the affairs of the Society itself. The weekly Newsletter provides very shortterm information about the Society and other Asia-related events, but we felt that there was a gap in our communication with members. 

We have been delighted by the enthusiastic response that Caravanserai has received. After the first trial issue, it quickly became a regular publication every four months. It includes synopses of recent lectures, short articles including retrospective pieces on the Society’s past activities, items about the Society’s collections, contributions from the Society’s members and new about the Society’s plans, including its Travel Awards and Schools’ Day 

## Blog and Social Media 

We have revitalised our online presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) as well as our own Blog.  The Society‘s Blog now publishes a new piece every week on a topical aspect of Asia, whether that is prompted by current affairs, an issue connected with the Society‘s own programme of events and publications, or an event from recent history. 

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I n addition, we have introduced a new series of regular social media posts under the title “Unfamiliar Asia“. Aiming to increase awareness of the diversity and richness of Asian societies, these short posts currently focus on festivals across the continent and seek to inform readers about rarely publicised aspects of the cultures of the many nations of Asia.  The first one, shown on the left, celebrates the creation of the Korean alphabet. 

## Lectures 

The annual Lord Denman Memorial Lecture, held in 2023 after the Annual General Meeting, was given by the Society’s President, Professor Peter Frankopan, on the subject of of his recent book “The Earth Transformed: An Untold History”.  In October, Dr Adeeb Khalid delivered the Hugh Leach Memorial Lecture, speaking on “Islam in Central Asia: From the Soviets to the Present”. 

We held a further ten lectures, some hybrid and some online. They covered a range of topics and countries including China’s agenda in the Himalayas, literature in Central Asia, conflict in the Caucasus, terrorism in the Middle East and tensions in the Taiwan Strait. 



Our lecture series aims to cover as broad a range of topics and countries in Asia as possible. We cover both contemporary and recent historical events and issues to ensure we provide a programme of value and interest to the widest possible audience. 


In addition to our regular lecture schedule we also held four Reading Room events and launched a special lecture series entitled “Freedom of Expression, Knowledge and State Authority in Asia”. 

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## Freedom of Expression, Knowledge and State Authority in Asia 

Following the success of the Society’s lecture series on “Culture and Conflict” in 2021-2, in 2023 we started a new them on “Freedom of Expression, Knowledge and State Authority in Asia” which is continuing into 2024.  Lectures and panel discussions have included: 

“Literature, Power and the Silk Road Festival” 

“Freedom of Expression in Iran” 

“The Relevance of Liberalism in China” 

“Human Rights in Eastern Civilisations” “Religious freedom in Taiwan and China” The series will conclude in the autumn of 2024 with a talk on “Journalism in Asia”. 

## The Reading Room 



The Reading Room gives Society members the opportunity to engage directly with an author on a recent book in meetings chaired by Sophie Ibbotson, the Chairman of the Society.  Four events were held in 2023 covering Central Asia, Jerusalem, the Sassoon family and the River Tigris. 

## Exhibition Talks 

Talks from the curators of significant exhibitions about Asia were a part of the Society’s activity in the past.  In 2023 we reinstated them.  Dr Alexandra Green spoke to a group of RSAA members at the British Museum about the exhibition “Burma to Myanmar”.  Later in 2024 the curator of the exhibition “Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King” will similarly be speaking to an audience of RSAA members at the Wallace Collection. 

These events provide another point of engagement between the RSAA and its members, and help to strengthen the Society’s connections with other institutions. 


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## Financial Review 

The Society had a surplus of £30,906 for the year (2022: deficit of £108,233). Investments showed an unrealised gain of £40,026 and a realised gain of £11,560 (2022: unrealised loss of £113,911).  Total assets currently stand at £908,839 (2022: £877,933). The Trustees consider the financial situation of the Charity to be sustainable in the short term, while recognising the long-term risk presented by recurrent operating deficits and the need to grow revenue and diversify income streams.  The Trustees regard the forthcoming 125th anniversary of the Society in 2026 as a significant opportunity in that regard. 

## Reserves Policy 

The Society aims to hold reserves sufficient to cover cashflow fluctuations across any twelve-month period. The amount held as reserves in any year will be determined in relation to planned activities and anticipated income and will be reviewed at least annually. The Trustees consider that free reserves of £50,000 are sufficient for this purpose. 

## Key Personnel and Pay Policy 

Executive responsibility for the Society’s activities and programmes rests with the CEO. The CEO reports to the Board, which provides strategic guidance, support and financial oversight for the Society. 

The RSAA strives to be an equal opportunity employer. Our intention is to treat all staff equitably with regards to the terms and conditions of employment offered including pay. 

The Society is proud to have been awarded the Quality Mark of the Charity Excellence Framework and to have become a certified Living Wage Employer. The Society’s detailed pay policy is available on request. 



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## Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements 

The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for preparing a Trustees’ annual report and financial state-ments in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Charity Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, of the Charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures that must be disclosed and explained in the financial statements; prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

## Approval 

This report was approved by the Trustees on 3 June 2024 and signed on their behalf 



S IBBOTSON                                        A R MCKEE CHAIRMAN                                         TREASURER 

12 

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## Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs 

I report to the Charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charitable company for the year ended 31 December 2023, which are set out on pages 13 to 21. 

## Responsibilities and Basis of Report 

As the Charity’s Trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). 

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination  I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. 

## Independent Examiner’s Statement 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe: 

- (1)  accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by s.310 of the 2011 Act; or 

- (2)  the accounts do not accord with those accounting records; or 

- (3)  the accounts do no comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and contents of the accounts  set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination;. 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connections with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 


Ian W Shipley FCCA For and on behalf of: Prentis & Co LLP Chartered Accountants & Independent Examiners 

115c Milton Road 

Cambridge CB4 1XE 

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## Statement of Financial Activities for 

## the Year ended 31 December 2023 

|||2023|2023|2023|2022|2022||2022|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Note|Unrestricted|Restricted  Total||Unrestricted|Restricted||Total|
|INCOME||£|£|£|£|£||£|
|Subscriptionss, donations|2|59,865|23,070|82,935|67,382|1,117||68,499|
|and legacies|||||||||
|Charitable Activities|3|70,569|-|70,569|76,550|-||76,550|
|Investment Income|4|27,804|-|27,804|26,296|-||26,296|
|TOTAL INCOME||158,238|23,070|181,308|170,228|1,117||171,345|
|EXPENDITURE|||||||||
|Raising funds||7,535|-|7,535|-|-||-|
|Charitable Activities|5|191,391|3,062|194,453|165,667|-||165,667|
|TOTAL EXPENDITURE||198,926|3,062|201,988|165,667|-||165,667|
|NET (EXPENDITURE)/|||||||||
|INCOME BEFORE GAINS|||||||||
|ON INVESTMENTS||~~(40,688)~~|~~20,008~~|~~(20,680)~~|<br>4,561|1,117||5,678|
|Net (losses)/gains on invest-<br>ment assets|10|51,586|-|51,586|(113,911)|-|(113,911)||
|NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS||10,898|20,008|30,906|(109,350)|1,117|(108,233)||
|RECONCILIATION OF|||||||||
|FUNDS|||||||||
|Total Funds brought forward||876,816|1,117|877,933|986,166|-||986,166|
|Total Funds carried forward||887,714|21,125|908,839|876,816|1,117||877,933|



The notes on pages 16 to 22 form part of these financial statements. 

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## Balance Sheet for the Year ended 31 December 2023 

|Notes<br>8<br>9<br>10<br>11<br>12<br>13<br>14<br>FIXED ASSETS<br>Library<br>Tangible fixed assets<br>Investments<br>CURRENT ASSETS<br>Stock<br>Debtors<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>LIABILITIES<br>Creditors falling due within<br>one year<br>Net Current Assets<br>NET ASSETS<br>THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY<br>Restricted Funds<br>Unrestricted Funds<br>Designated Funds|**2023                              2022**<br>£                 £                      £                  £<br>1                                         1<br>2,194                                   4,989<br>846,960                                794,439<br>849,155                                799,429<br>568                                        870<br>46,766                                   46,313<br>34,395                                   53,474<br>81,729                                 100,657<br>22,045                                   22,153<br>59,684                           78,504<br>908,839                          877,933<br>21,125                              1,117<br>886,153                           875,255<br>1,561                              1,561<br>908,839                           877,933|
|---|---|



The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 3 June 2024 and signed on their behalf 

## S IBBOTSON CHAIRMAN 


## A R MCKEE TREASURER 

The notes on pages 16 to 22 form part of these financial statements. 

13 

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## Notes to the Financial Statements 

## ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

## 1. (a) BASIS OF PREPARATION AND ASSESSMENT OF GOING CONCERN 

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these financial statements. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019 and effective 1st January 2019, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. 

The Trust constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. 

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern. The most significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the Trust are the level of investment return and the performance of investment markets. 

## (b) INCOME RECOGNITION 

Incoming resources are included when receivable with the exception of subscriptions which are recognised as income when received, subscriptions in advance however are deferred. 

## (c) EXPENDITURE RECOGNITION 

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to that category 

## (d) GOVERNANCE COSTS 

These costs relate to central management and administration costs, management of the Charity’s assets, organisational management and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements. 

## (e) SUPPORT COSTS 

Overheads and support costs have been apportioned on an appropriate basis eg staff time. 

## (f) TAXATION 

The Society is a registered Charity and its income is exempt from Corporation tax as it is applied for charitable purpose. 

## (g) DEPRECIATION 

Depreciation is provided to write off the costs of tangible fixed assets on a reducing balance over their useful economic lives at the following rates: 

Office equipment and fittings - 25% reducing balance Software - 33% straight line 

## (h) FIXED ASSETS INVESTMENTS 

Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at the transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. The Statement of Financial Activities includes the gains and losses arising on the revaluation and disposal throughout the year. 

The Charity does not acquire put options, derivatives or other complex financial instruments. 

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The main form of financial risk faced by the Charity is that of volatility in equity markets and investment markets due to wider economic conditions, the attitude of investors to investment risk, and changes in sentiment concerning equities and within particular sectors and sub sectors. 

## (i) REALISED GAINS AND LOSSES 

All gains and losses are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities as they arise. Realised gains and losses on investments are calculated as the difference between sales proceeds and their opening carrying value or their purchase value if acquired subsequent to the first day of the financial year. Unrealised gains and losses are calculated as the difference between the fair value at the year end and their carrying value. Realised and unrealised investment gains and losses are combined in the Statement of Financial Activities. 

## (j) FUND ACCOUNTING 

Funds are incoming resources receivable or generated for the objects of the Charity without further specific purpose and are available as general funds. 

Restricted funds are to be used to specific purposes as laid down by the donor. 

Designated funds are unrestricted general funds designated by the Trustees to be set aside and expended on a specific purpose. 

## (k) STOCK 

Stock is valued at the lower of cost or net realisable value. 

## (l) CASH FLOW STATEMENT EXEMPTION 

The Charity has taken advantage of exemptions under Charities SORP and Section 7 of FRS 102 to not produce a Statement of Cash Flows 

|SUBSCRIPTIONS, DONATIONS AND LEGACIES<br>**Current Year**<br>Subscriptions<br>Donations and Legacies<br>SUBSCRIPTIONS, DONATIONS AND LEGACIES<br>**Prior year**<br>Subscriptions<br>Donations and Legacies<br>**INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVIES**<br>- Unrestricted<br>Publications/royalties<br>Presentations and events<br>Other income<br>2.<br>3.|Unrestricted<br>Restricted<br>Total<br>**2023**<br>**2023**<br>**2023**<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>57,729<br>-<br>57,729<br>2,136<br>23,070<br>25,206|
|---|---|
||59,865<br>23,070<br>82,935|
||**2022**<br>**2022**<br>**2022**<br>61,586<br>-<br>61,586<br>5,796<br>1,117<br>6,913|
||67,382<br>1,117<br>68,499|
||**2023**<br>**2022**<br>£<br>£<br>68,584<br>75,290<br>35<br>35<br>1,950<br>1,225|
||70,569<br>76,550|



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|**INVESTMENT INCOME**<br>Dividends on listed investments<br>Interest receivable on cash deposits<br>COST OF CHARITABLE ACTIVIES<br>Publications<br>Presentations and events<br>Support costs (see note 6)<br>**SUPPORT COSTS**<br>YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023<br>Staff costs<br>IT support and consumables<br>Rent, rates and utilities<br>Relocation and storage costs<br>Insurance<br>Printing, stationery, postage and advertising<br>Other office costs<br>Telephone<br>Bank charges<br>Depreciation<br>Gain on disposal<br>Governance (note 7)<br>**SUPPORT COSTS**<br>YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022<br>Staff costs<br>IT support and consumables<br>Rent, rates and utilities<br>Relocation and storage costs<br>Insurance<br>Repairs to property<br>Printing, stationery, postage and advertising<br>Other office costs<br>Telephone<br>Bank charges<br>Depreciation<br>Loss on disposal<br>Governance (note 7)<br>5.<br>6.<br>4.|**2023**<br>**2022**<br>£<br>£<br>23,969<br>26,271<br>3,835<br>25<br>27,804<br>26,296<br>2023<br>2022<br>23,646<br>28,911<br>16,594<br>7,593<br>154,213<br>129,163<br>194,453<br>165,667<br>**Charitable**<br>**2023**<br>Activities<br>Governance<br>Total<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>80,003<br>16,047<br>37,806<br>1,420<br>2,237<br>1,466<br>784<br>783<br>1,398<br>-<br>80,003<br>-<br>16,047<br>-<br>37,806<br>-<br>1,420<br>-<br>2,237<br>-<br>1,466<br>-<br>784<br>-<br>783<br>-<br>1,398<br>4,120<br>-<br>4,120<br>(80)<br>-<br>(80)<br>-<br>8,229<br>8,229<br>145,984<br>8,229<br>154,213<br>**Charitable**<br>**2022**<br>Activities  Governance<br>Total<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>62,828<br>-<br>62,828<br>9,077<br>-<br>9,077<br>33,185<br>-<br>33,185<br>2,016<br>-<br>2,016<br>2,248<br>-<br>2,248<br>261<br>-<br>261<br>760<br>-<br>760<br>134<br>-<br>134<br>415<br>-<br>415<br>950<br>-<br>950<br>5,916<br>-<br>5,916<br>700<br>-<br>700<br>-<br>10,673<br>10,673<br>118,490<br>10,673<br>129,163|
|---|---|



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|**GOVERNANCE COSTS**<br> <br>Legal and professional costs<br>Independent Examiners fee<br>Bookkeeping<br> <br>7.|**2023         2022**<br>£             £<br>129        2,777<br>2,484        2,280<br> 5,616        5,616<br>8,229      10,673|
|---|---|



8. LIBRARY Library assets have not been capitalised other than their inclusion in the balance sheet at a written down net book value of £1 

|TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS<br>YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023<br> <br>COST<br>Balance at 1st January 2023<br>Additions<br>Balance at 31st December 2023<br>ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION<br>Balance at 1st January 2023<br>Charge for the year<br>Balance at 31st December 2023<br>NET BOOK VALUE<br>At 31st December 2023<br>TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS<br>YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022<br> <br>COST<br>Balance at 1st January 2022<br>Additions<br>Disposals<br>Balance at 31st December 2022<br>ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION<br>Balance at 31st December 2022<br>Charge for the year<br>Eliminated on disposal<br>Balance at 31st December 2022<br>NET BOOK VALUE<br>at 31st December 2022<br>9.|Office<br>Software       Equipment       Total<br>£                   £               £<br>21,162            2,527          23,689<br>-                1,325           1,325<br>21,162            3,852          25,014<br>17,372            1,328          18,700<br>3,790               330           4,120<br>21,162            1,658         22,820<br>-              2,194          2,194<br>Office<br>Software      Equipment       Total<br>£                 £               £<br>21,162             4,036         25,198<br>-                  149              149<br>-(1,658) (1,658)<br>21,162             2,527        23,689<br>11,815             1,927         13,742<br>5,557                359          5,916<br>  -(958)          (958)<br>17,372             1,328        18,700<br>3,790             1,199          4,989|
|---|---|



13 

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|**INVESTMENTS**<br>**Listed investments**<br>Market value as at 1st January<br>Disposal during the year<br>Asset cost during the year<br>Realised gain<br>Unrealised investment gain (loss)<br>Market value at 31st December<br>10.|**2023           2022**<br>**£                 £**<br>794,439         908,350<br>(177,647)              -<br>178,582               -<br>11,560               -<br>40,026(113,911)<br>846,960        794,439|
|---|---|



Listed investments are revalued at the year end to their market value. The listed investments are held indirectly on behalf of the Society. 

The historical cost of listed investments is £714,758 (2022: £651,063).  The investments comprise 21% held in cash or near-cash investments and 79% held with listed investments (COIF). 

|11.|**STOCK                                                                                                2023          2022**|
|---|---|
||£                 £|
||Inventory                                                                                                                    568              870|
|12.|**DEBTORS                                                                                            2023          2022**|
||£                £|
||Trade receivables                                                                                                       3,404              876|
||Other debtors                                                                                                          29,166         33,819|
||Prepayments                                                                                                            14,196         11,618|
||46,766         46,313|
|13.|**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR                 2023            2022**|
||£                £|
||Social security and other taxes                                                                                     3,684           1,883|
||Accruals and deferred income                                                                                    11,280         14,850|
||Trade creditors                                                                                                          3,806           3,516|
||Other creditors                                                                                                          3,275           1,904|
||<br>22,045        22,153|



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## 14. TOTAL ASSETS 

YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023 

Balance at                                                              Balance at 1st January                                                       31st December **2023        Income    Expenditure     Gains             2023** £                £               £               £                  £ Designated                                                 1,561              -                 -                -                    1,561 Restricted - Swire Foundation                                            -            4,000           (3,062)          -                      938 - Travel Awards                                                 -            6,250               -               -                    6,250 - Adopt-A-Book                                         1,117               284               -               -                    1,401 - Digitisation, acquisitions and greatest need                                             -           12,536               -                -                 12,536 Unrestricted                                             875,255        158,238       (198,926)      51,586            886,153 877,933        181,308       (201,988)      51,586            908,839 

- Swire Foundation - this was a grant for the Society’s Schools’ Day 

- Travel Awards - this was donated for the Society’s travel awards 

- Adopt-A-Book - donations for book repair held alongside £1,561 designated by the Trustees 

- Digitisation, acquisitions and greatest need - donations for these purposes relating to the collections 

## TOTAL ASSETS 

YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022 

Balance at                                                               Balance at 1st January                                                        31st December **2022      Income    Expenditure     Gains             2022** £                 £               £                £                  £ Restricted                                                       -                1,117             -                 -                   1,117 Designated                                                   1,561                -                -                 -                   1,561 Unrestricted                                             984,605          170,228      (165,667)      (113,911)        875,255 986,166          171,345      (165,667)      (113,911)       877,933 

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|15.|**NET ASSETS BY FUND**|**2023            2023          2023          2022            2022            2022**|
|---|---|---|
||Unrestricted      Restricted       Total       Unrestricted       Restricted        Total||
|||£                £                £                  £                    £                 £|
||Library|1               -                 1                   1                     -                   1|
||Tangible fixed assets|2,194             -              2,194             4,989                  -            4,989|
||Investments|846,960             -           846,960          794,439                 -         794,439|
||Current assets|60,604        21,125          81,729           99,540               1,117     100,657|
||Current liabilities|(22,045)-(22,045) (22,153)-(22,153)|
||Net assets|887,714        21,125        908,839          876,816              1,117      877,933|



## 16. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES 

During the year a total of £469 was reimbursed to the Trustees (2022: £126). 

B Omrani, a Trustee was paid £Nil (2022: £13,741) during the year for services in relation to editing 

1322 



**T E Lawrence: Sketch Map** 

**RSAA/M/230** 

_**Hejaz Rly: to Wadi Sirhan 1/500,000. Compass traverse. Names by Auda Abu Tayi. May 1917. TEL**_ 

_**This is the only drawn copy so please do not lose it prematurely. In adjusting it to GSGS 4011(Nefud sheet, April 1918 RGS) 1/500,000 it should be swung on Fejr and Affaja: since Rly on this sheet (based on Huber) is too far to the East, in proportion to W. Sirhan. TEL**_ 

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Royal Society for Asian Affairs Hudson House 8 Tavistock Street London WC2E 7PP