## **The Linnean Society of London**
## **ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS**
## **For the Year Ended**
**31[st] December 2020**
**Charity No. 220509 Company No. RC000313** (Royal Charter Company)
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## **Contents**
- Page
- LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Principal Officers and Trustees 3-4
- ABBREVIATIONS 5 ANNUAL REPORT President’s Review 2020 6
- Research & Sponsorship 7
- Our Fellowship 11
- Recognising Excellence 12 Improving Resources 13 Staying Connected 15 Going the Distance (Learning & Outreach) 17 Collection Connections 19 21 Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
- Linnean Future 22 Public Benefit 24 24 Strategic Plan
- 25 Looking Forward- 2021 26
- People: Staff and Committees 30
- Financial Review
- INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT 34 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (SOFA) 37 BALANCE SHEET 38 CASH FLOW STATEMENT 39 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 40 Appendix 55 Full listing of Linnean Society Events & Meetings for 2020
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 1. **LEGAL STATUS**
The Linnean Society was founded in 1788, received a Royal Charter in 1802 and Additional Charters in 1904 and 2005. The Society is a registered charity, No. 220509.
## 2. **ADDRESS**
The Linnean Society of London New Burlington House Piccadilly London, W1J 0BF
## 3. **PRINCIPAL ADVISERS**
Bankers: Barclays Bank Plc PO Box 13555 Acorn House 36-38 Park Royal Road London, NW10 7WJ Auditors: Knox Cropper LLP 65 Leadenhall Street London, EC3A 2AD Investment Managers: Tilney Asset Management Services Ltd 17[th] Floor 6 New Street Square New Fetter Lane London, EC4A 3BF
## 4. **PRINCIPAL OFFICERS YEAR OF APPOINTMENT**
Dr Sandra Knapp President (2018) Dr Mark Watson Treasurer (May 2019 - May 2020) Edward Banks Treasurer (from 24[th] May 2020) Professor Simon Hiscock Scientific Secretary (2013) Dr Malcolm Scoble Scientific Secretary (2009 – May 2020) Professor Alan Hildrew Scientific Secretary (from 24[th] May 2020) Professor Mark Chase FRS Editorial Secretary (2012) Dr John David Collections Secretary (2012) Dr Elizabeth Rollinson Executive Secretary (2011) Professor Anjali Goswami Vice President Dr Olwen Grace Vice President Professor Simon Hiscock Vice President Professor Max Telford Vice President
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## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **TRUSTEES**
On 24[th] May each year (or the nearest working day) the Anniversary Meeting, which all Fellows of the Society are invited to attend, elects a Council of 20 Fellows (including the Officers) to provide strategic direction for the Society.
Following their election to Council, all Trustees are provided with a copy of the Charity Commission’s _CC3 – The Essential Trustee: what you need to know_ , and _CC20 – Charity Fundraising – a guide to Trustee Duties_ , together with a copy of the Linnean Society’s Charters and Bye-laws, which sets out the governance of the Society. Council members are carefully briefed on their duties as Trustees of the Society.
The Society undertook an in-depth governance review during 2018/2019. Certain of the recommendations from this Review were approved by Council in October 2019 and are being implemented during 2020 and 2021. The role of Executive Secretary has been removed and a new role of CEO is being created and the role of Financial Controller has been re-defined as Head of Finance.
The elected members of Council are the Trustees of the Charity and, **in addition to the Officers listed above** , those who served during the year are listed below:
**DUE TO RETIRE** Dr Colin Clubbe Retired 24[th] May 2020 Mr Kevin Coutinho 24[th] May 2023 (from 24[th] May 2020) Dr Natasha de Vere 24[th] May 2022 Mr Mathew Frith 24[th] May 2022 Professor Beverley Glover Resigned October 2020 Professor Anjali Goswami 24[th] May 2022 Dr Olwen Grace 24[th] May 2021 Dr Charlotte Grezo 24[th] May 2023 (from 24[th] May 2020) Professor Paul Henderson 24[th] May 2021 Professor Alistair Hetherington 24[th] May 2022 Ms Stephanie Holt 24[th] May 2021 Dr Blanca Huertas Retired 24[th] May 2020 Professor Dame Georgina Mace FRS Retired 24[th] May 2020 (deceased 2020) Mr Angus McCullough 24[th] May 2023 (from 24[th] May 2020) Dr Silvia Pressel 24[th] May 2021 Ms Elaine Shaughnessy 24[th] May 2023 (from 24[th] May 2020) Professor Max Telford 24[th] May 2022
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## **ABBREVIATIONS**
|AGM|Annual General Meeting|Annual General Meeting|
|---|---|---|
|BMM|BioMedia Meltdown||
|BSBI|Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland||
|COVID-19|Coronavirus||
|CPD|Continuous Professional Development||
|DBE|Dame of the|British Empire|
|E&PE|Education & Public Engagement||
|e.o.|Ex officio||
|FLS|Fellow of the Linnean Society of London||
|FMLS|Foreign Member of the Linnean Society of London||
|FRS|Fellow of the Royal Society||
|FRS 102|Financial Reporting Standard 102||
|HonFLS|Fellow_honoris causa_||
|HonMLS|Honorary Member of the Linnean Society of London||
|ISAs|International Standards on Auditing||
|L: 50|L: 50 Objects, Stories and Discoveries from the Linnean Society of London||
|LSL|Linnean Society of London||
|MHCLG|Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government||
|NatSCA|Natural Sciences Collections Association||
|NBH|New Burlington House||
|OA|Open Access||
|OUP|Oxford University Press||
|PPLS|Past-President of the Linnean Society of London||
|PRISM|Preservation|of Industrial and Scientific Material|
|SI|Special Issue||
|SOFA|Statement of Financial Activities||
|SORP|Statements of Recommended Practice||
|UCL|University College London||
|VI|Virtual Issue||
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **PRESIDENT’S REVIEW 2020**
Well, 2020 was quite a year! I would like to thank all our amazing staff for their agility, resilience and commitment to delivering our charitable objectives by adapting our activities through the several London lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We discovered a lot about what worked and what didn’t, all of which will serve us well in this changing world.
We said goodbye to Dr Leanne Melbourne who left the Society in March, and in June welcomed Padma Ghosh as Events and Communications Manager. Our events have been virtual since March, which has brought some benefits! We had more than 200 Fellows from more than 40 countries attending the Anniversary Meeting—including many more in the decision-making processes of electing Council and Officers. Fellows passed a resolution to focus on the threats facing our planet, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, which will allow the new Linnean Future Committee to take this work forward.
The education team pivoted seamlessly to virtual life, with Youth Panels, learning workshops and the BioMedia Meltdown (BMM) competitions and celebratory events moving online. We even had a 20% increase in engagement with BMM during the lockdowns! The lunchtime and evening lecture series continued with much larger audiences than we would have been able to accommodate at Burlington House—a testament to the excellence of the programme.
The tragic events in 2020 that focused attention on inequalities of opportunity for black and minority ethnic people led us to examine our own privilege. It galvanised our intention to improve diversity and inclusion, both in the Society and the field of natural history more generally. A panel discussion in September examined priority actions for the Society, and we launched our first survey of Fellows to assess diversity within our own ranks. We will share the results of this with you over the next year.
Our journals went from strength to strength, and the editorial team, together with our publishers Oxford University Press, are working to launch a new Open Access journal, broadening our base in the rapidly changing publications environment. Last, but not least, the Society launched a landmark book, _L: 50 Objects, Stories & Discoveries from the Linnean Society of London_ . With 37 contributors drawn from Fellows and curators of the Society’s collections, this richly illustrated book highlights the treasures held in our care; it’s a must-have volume! Despite this unusual year, we look forward to the next decade in the knowledge that the Society remains vibrant and resilient in the face of incredible change.
Sandra Knapp, President
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## **AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR**
The past year saw the staff of the Society cope with the significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, closing Burlington House and moving all our events and activities online. Despite this, the activities and achievements have been many and varied, and business as usual has carried on. This is all down to the dedication and commitment of the staff, who are to be hugely congratulated.
## **RESEARCH & SPONSORSHIP**
**The Society is redoubling its efforts to support researchers by significantly increasing the amount of funding for research grants, as well offering options for Open Access publishing, while continuing to enhance virtual access to extensive metadata on our internationally recognised collections, library and archives through our online catalogues.**
## **Research Journals**
In 2020, our journal publisher, Oxford University Press (OUP), has continued to improve production. We have renewed our contract with them for another five years, after which we will put the contract out to tender. Despite initial concerns relating to the pandemic, issues of all three journals have been produced more or less on schedule. Recent papers from across the journals featured in a joint Virtual Issue (VI) on micro-computed tomography.
Overall, we are pleased to report that resubscription rates are excellent, and income is therefore in line with forecasts. The journals support the hybrid model, whereby Open Access (OA) options are available, although the rate of take-up is low. OUP has signed a number of Read and Publish agreements and participates in many free or highly-reduced access initiatives. As a strategic initiative, we are establishing a new online-only, fully OA journal, _Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society_ , and have engaged Dr Steven Dodsworth as the founding editor.
The _**Biological Journal of the Linnean Society**_ ( _BioJLS_ , Impact Factor 1.96) _**,**_ edited by Professor John Allen, produced its own VI on Ecomorphology. A paper on the evolution of brain size in primates attracted the most citations and another, on the life-history evolution of geckos on islands, received the most media attention. A comprehensive Special issue (SI) entitled ‘OCBIL theory: a new science for old ecosystems’ is scheduled to be published by mid-2021, guest edited by Fernando Silveira (Brazil).
The **Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society** ( _ZooJLS_ ), edited by Dr Maarten Christenhusz, published two Special Issues , one based on Tardigrada and another on evolution of Crocodylomorpha. Four papers were published on _Scelidosaurus_ , the earliest complete dinosaur, while others addressed Cretaceous beetles found in amber, _Gasteruption_ wasps and their hosts, the origins of Afrotropical fishes and olfaction in raptors. A VI on Acoustics and Vocalisation was accompanied by a symphony of sounds composed by Multimedia Content Producer Ross Ziegelmeier based on sounds used in these studies. High impact papers included contributions on aquatic spiders, European earwigs and several on genetics of endangered mammal species. The Impact Factor dropped slightly to 2.824 and the journal ranks 7[th] out of 168, up three places.
Special issues on grasses and bromeliads and a themed issue on flowers and inflorescences in eudicots were published in the _**Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society**_ ( _BotJLS_ ), edited by Professor Michael Fay. Other high-profile papers included reviews on pollen diversity and demographics of terrestrial orchids. A VI on the use of herbarium samples in evolutionary botany focused on novel uses for historical collections. The Impact Factor dropped to 2.046, as a result of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV (APG IV) paper falling out of the window in which citations are recorded. Upcoming highlights
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for 2021 include an important review on crop wild relatives and an SI ‘Plant Anatomy: Traditions and Perspectives’.
## **Scientific Research Sponsorship**
Conscious of the importance of better understanding biodiversity through studies on taxonomy/systematics and evolutionary biology, the Society almost doubled the funds it makes available to the LinnéSys Fund (formerly Systematics Research Fund), which the Society co-administers with the Systematics Association, contributing £34,000 and £7,000, respectively. From the 160 eligible applications, we were delighted to award 37 grants ranging from £500 to £1,500 for the 2019/20 LinnéSys round. The research funded encompasses a wide range of plant, fungal and animal groups across global geographies and habitats and increases funding for researchers from non-High Income (as defined by the World Bank) countries as compared to last year (22% - 2019; 35% - 2020). The projects supported were:
|**Awardee**|**Country of residence**|**Title of project**|
|---|---|---|
|Pilar Alda|Argentina|The freshwater snails_Galba cubensis/viator_and|
|||_Galba cousini/meridensis_: two or four species?|
|Camilla Alves Souto|United States|Dead clade walking: inferring a time-calibrated|
|||phylogeny of the cassiduloid echinoids|
|Pau Balart|Spain|Illuminating the origin of the most diverse clade|
|||of subterranean beetles|
|Jacob Blokland|Australia|A phylogenetic investigation to inform on the|
|||origins of the Rallidae (Aves)|
|Amrut Bhosale|India|Distribution and taxonomy of the landsnails of|
|||the northern Western Ghats, India|
|Gabriela Bittencourt|United Kingdom|Solving the_Brasilotyphlus_problem|
|Diana Catarino|Portugal|Resolving taxonomic uncertainties using|
|||molecular tools in the deep-sea elasmobranchs|
|||of Azorean assemblages|
|Giovanni Coletti|Italy|Integrated taxonomy of extant and extinct|
|||barnacles from the western Mediterranean Sea|
|Thomas Edison de la|Philippines|Taxonomy and DNA barcoding of soil and litter-|
|Cruz||inhabiting myxomycetes from urban green|
|||spaces|
|Alejandra Fabres|Chile|Decoding the evolutionary history of the|
|||populations of_Orestias agassii_Valenciennes,|
|||1946 (Cyprinodontidae) of Chile and Bolivia|
|Rodrigo Faustini|Brazil|A taxonomic riddle called_Lysmata vittata_|
|Dario Ruben Faustino|Brazil|Phylogenetic relationship and taxonomic revision|
|Fuster||of the of Neotropical three-barbeled catfishes|
|||_Pariolius_Cope 1872 (Siluriformes:|
|||Heptapteridae)|
|Robert Fernandez|Spain|Taxonomic assessment of_Spiraphiline_|
|Vilert||(Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) in Antarctica|
|Simona Georgieva|Bulgaria|Life-cycles of trematode parasites in Lake|
|||Tanganyika: novel insights in taxonomy|
|Nicholas Gladstone|United States|Phylogenomic Reconstruction of the Ornate|
|||Rocksnail (Pleuroceridae: Lithasia)|
|Danny Haelewaters|United States|Species discovery and improved phylogeny of|
|||hyperparasitic fungi on bats|
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|Annemarie Heiduk|South Africa|Corona structures within Ceropegieae|
|---|---|---|
|||(Apocynaceae) – A comparative taxonomic study|
|||to unravel shape-pollinator correlations|
|Daniel F. Marchán|Spain|Missing links in Lumbricidae: Phylogenetic|
|||relationships of southern France endemic|
|||earthworm genera|
|Roksana Majewska|South Africa|Sea turtle-associated diatoms from Southern|
|||Africa: taxonomy, ecology and biodiversity|
|Sandra McInnes|United Kingdom|Sub-Antarctic Tardigrades: recent invaders or|
|||vicariant survivors?|
|Musa Mlambo|South Africa|Taxonomic revision of the frehwater amphipods|
|||(Paramelitidae and Sternophysingidae).|
|Juan Benito Moreno|United Kingdom|Obscure North American Ornithurae and the|
|||origin of modern birds|
|Aisha O' Connor|United States|Levantine coralline algal diversity|
|Eva Paulus|Germany|The secret lives of viperfish – an integrative|
|||taxonomic revision of the genus_Chauliodus_|
|Martina Pavlek|Croatia|Tracing back the origins of Dinaric cave-dwelling|
|||Dysderidae spiders|
|Anna Penna|United States|How many babies in the bush? Systematics of|
|||cryptic dwarf bushbabies (_Galagoides_)|
|Luciana Pereira da|Brazil|Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification|
|Silva||patterns of the diverse_Cyperus_s.l. (Cyperaceae)|
|John Phillips|United States|Evolution, Systematics and Biogeography of|
|||South American Land Snails|
|Lenka Raabová|Slovak Republic|Taxonomy of extremophile cyanobacteria in|
|||cooling towers of the Nuclear Power Station|
|||Jaslovske Bohunice in Slovakia|
|Auguste Botovao|Madagascar|Building local knowledge baseline for savanna|
|Ramiandrisoa||grasses of north-western Madagascar|
|Rodrigo Salvador|New Zealand|Untangling the phylogenetic relationships of|
|||Cystopeltidae, a newly-identified land snail|
|||family|
|Natalie Saxton|United States|Shedding a Light on_Magnalata_Ballantyne in the|
|||South Pacific|
|Sofia Paz Sedano|Spain|Shedding light on the family Goniodorididae|
|||(Mollusca; Nudibranchia) using micro-computed|
|||tomography|
|Silvia Adrián Serrano|Spain|Integrative revision of_Kaemis_, a poorly known|
|||edaphic spider genus of uncertain affinities|
|Riccardo Virgili|Italy|Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of|
|||the genus_Dorometra_(Crinoidea)|
|Brett Wilson|United Kingdom|Resolving the taxonomy of the_Orithyia_subgenus|
|||to direct wild tulip conservation|
|Meghan Yap-Chiongco|United States|Taxonomic Revision of the Genus_Wirenia_:|
|||Integrating Modern and Classical Taxonomic|
|||Techniques|
**The Attenborough Award 2020** (for outstanding fieldwork) was awarded to Paola Sáez González, Universidad de Chile, for her project ‘Phylogeny of the _Telmatobius marmoratus_ species complex, a group of Andean amphibians of extreme heights’. Due to the low oxygen pressure, high solar radiation and evaporation that exists in this ecosystem, these species have adapted to an exclusively aquatic
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life, with low vagility, and are interesting from the evolutionary point of view. The project objective was to study the species complex throughout its distribution, so specimens were collected from 46 localities between 13º-19ºS latitude. Results showed the existence of eight lineages: with those in the centre of the plateau and western slopes showing absence of reciprocal monophyly, reflecting a common past history. An unexpected result was that two of the eight lineages do not correspond to the _marmoratus_ complex. These lineages are found only in Peru and could be new entities, so species delimitation analyses are now underway. This grant allowed Paola to obtain the sequences for the four genes included in this study.
The Society presented three awards from its designated funds, which are made possible from specific bequests:
**Appleyard Fund** (to individuals who are not in full-time employment as biologists) to Eve Hills MRes, presently a foster carer, towards the costs of a PhD and conservation project scoping study on what leopards eat, to meet with the partners and visit potential field sites in Kenya—this is a collaboration between Brighton University, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Dr Joseph Ogutu (University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart) and Dr Elena Chelysheva, founder of the Meru Cheetah Project. It is hoped that this work will contribute to resolution of human-wildlife conflict and leopard conservation and leave a legacy of pastoralist engagement with, and stewardship of, leopard populations.
**Anne Sleep Award** (to young scholars to assist with biological research in the Middle or Far East): to Dr Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani (Damghan University, Iran) for his project ‘Ecological associations among morphology and microhabitat use in lizards of the genus _Darevskia’,_ to cover costs of 20 days fieldwork and subsequent micro-CT-scan photography, to elucidate questions relating to coevolution of form and function, the relationship between habitat preferences and morphological traits of these lizards.
**Dennis Stanfield Memorial Fund** (for research on tropical African plants) to Dr Alejandra PascualGarrido (University of Oxford), to conduct a pioneering investigation of the mechanical properties of the plants used by wild chimpanzees to manufacture tools to exploit termite mounds in west Tanzania, visiting two ecologically and geographically distinct habitats. This project involves collaboration between experts in biomechanics, botany, and primatology from Universities across different continents (US, UK and Africa), including Dr Frank Mbago of University of Dar es Salaam. This study will also help to highlight the importance of continuing to preserve culturally healthy wild chimpanzee populations, maintaining their ability to access the plants upon which their traditions depend.
## **Quote from a grant recipient:**
_I really can't tell you how much receiving this award has lifted my spirits and renewed my hope after what has been a very challenging year for us all_ .
## **Increasing Impact & Open Access**
Subject to attaining our goal of a sustainable future in our home in New Burlington House, and thus being able better to plan our use of available resources, the Society will strive to allocate even more funds to research grants which will benefit our understanding of biodiversity and the impacts on it of climate change and human activity. Launch of our new fully Open Access journal of evolutionary biology is anticipated in 2021.
## **OUR FELLOWSHIP**
**The Society remains committed to enhancing the diversity and engagement of our Fellowship. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented us from engaging in person, we have been pleased**
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**to receive your enthusiastic feedback on our virtual events—we will certainly be ensuring that all future events at NBH are live-streamed, to ensure that all our Fellows are able to be ‘in the room’.**
## **Celebrating the Fellowship**
We applaud the fact that the contributions of our Fellows are recognised and celebrated by others, including:
**Sir David Attenborough HonMLS** , was made Knight Grand Cross of the Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG) in the Queen’s Honours List.
**Professor Else Marie Friis FMLS** , Emeritus Professor, Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, and Department of Geoscience, University of Aarhus, has been elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society.
**Dr Elizabeth Rollinson** was granted the Freedom of the City of London in February and is becoming a liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Gardeners. She has also been accepted as an Individual Member of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee.
**Dr Vaughan Southgate DL PPLS** was recognised in the Queen’s Honours list, receiving an OBE for services to the community in Bedfordshire.
**Dr Ray Williams** was awarded a DSc by Brunel University for his 50 years of ‘amateur’ unaffiliated private research in Marine Zoology and Historiography of Biosciences.
## **Membership Increase**
Tatiana Franco, our Room Hire and Membership Assistant, continues to administer membership with meticulous care, with 130 FLS newly-elected (110 paid-up) in 2020, bringing the total number of members to 3,014. There were 30 new Associates in 2020, bringing the total to 91. We are delighted to see increasing numbers of Student Associates, with 59 becoming members in 2020, bringing the total student members to 171. The Fellowship continues to have wide geographic spread around the globe, on all seven continents.
## **In Remembrance**
Sadly, a number of eminent FLS passed away during the year, in particular **Professor Dame Georgina Mace DBE FRS** , whose contributions to the Society as a Fellow and recently as a Trustee were characterised by their integrity, insightfulness and inspiration. **The Right Honourable Lord May of Oxford** ( **Professor Sir Robert (Bob) May FRS)** , former President of the Royal Society, was an eminent theoretical ecologist and previous Government Chief Scientific Advisor. **Eve Williams** , born in Guyana, of French and Amerindian ancestry, was initially clerk and then long-term volunteer at the Society, and is remembered for her sharp wit, distinctive laugh and sartorial style. **Ray Desmond MBE** served on the Library Committee of the Linnean Society (1977–97), and was appointed as Librarian at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1961. In retirement he became Honorary Archivist of the Linnean Society (1986 –96) and was then elected as a Fellow _Honoris causa_ . We also lost **Trevor James** , former Editor of BSBI News, dedicated member of the Society’s Taxonomy & Systematics Committee and a great proponent for Citizen Science. He was awarded the National Biodiversity Network's Gilbert White Award in 2018.
## **Raising our Game**
We were delighted with the response we had to the membership survey we undertook during late 2020, and the results will be analysed anonymously in early 2021. We hope to gain insight into our membership demographic, what your perceptions of the Society are, and how we can support you more effectively, identifying the aspects of the Society on which we can expand or improve. We are introducing further benefits for members, including discounts on reprographics.
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## **RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE**
**Through sponsorship and awarding medals, the Society acknowledges and encourages excellence in all aspects of the science of natural history, with particular emphasis on evolution, taxonomy, biodiversity conservation and sustainability.**
## **Categories**
The Linnean Medal: For services to science
The Darwin-Wallace Medal: For major advances in evolutionary biology
The Bicentenary Medal: In recognition of the work of a biologist under 40 years of age
The HH Bloomer Award: Awarded to an amateur naturalist for an important contribution to biological knowledge
The Jill Smythies Award: A £1,000 prize to a botanical artist for outstanding diagnostic illustrations
The Irene Manton Prize: A £1,000 prize and work of art for the best doctoral thesis in botany in a UK university
The John C. Marsden Medal: A £1,000 prize for the best doctoral thesis in biology in a UK university
## **Medal & Award Winners 2020**
**Linnean Medal in the Field of Botany:** Professor Juliet Brodie, Natural History Museum, London
**Linnean Medal in the Field of Zoology:** Professor Ben Sheldon, University of Oxford
**Darwin-Wallace Medal:** Professor Spencer Barrett, University of Toronto
**Bicentenary Medal:** Professor Kayla King, University of Oxford
**Irene Manton Prize:** Dr James Clark, University of Oxford
**John C. Marsden Medal:** Dr Patrick Kennedy, University of Bristol
**H.H. Bloomer Award:** Hans de Blauwe, Belgium
**Jill Smythies Award:** Alice Tangerini, USA
**David Attenborough Fieldwork Award:** Dr Veronica Urgiles, University of Central Florida, USA
**Medals and Awards are usually presented at the Society’s Anniversary Meeting in May, but unfortunately, due the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to celebrate with our winners during 2020. Citations are available on our website.**
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## **IMPROVING RESOURCES**
**2020 was a year of ‘behind the scenes’ projects. The Collections team, led by Head of Collections Dr Isabelle Charmantier, surmounted the difficulties of working from home (childcare, home schooling, internet issues, lack of access to the collections) to adapt successfully to new ways of working, proactively finding and achieving new projects, while continuing to provide vital services and supporting our Fellows. As a result, more cataloguing and metadata cleaning was done than in any other year.**
## **Archive Updates**
With physical access to our collections being restricted in 2020, we have been working hard to improve remote access via our online archive catalogue and Online Collections (www.linnean-online.org). Led by Archivist Liz M[c] Gow with support from Assistant Archivist Luke Thorne, our archive catalogue has had two major updates, adding many new collections for researchers to explore. These include the correspondence collections of Lady Pleasance Smith (MS/314), Henry Prestoe (MS/320), E.M. Holmes (MS/235) and Nathaniel Winch (MS/321); 21 volumes of drawings of plants by J.R.G. Gwatkin (MS/411); two commonplace books by Peter Collinson (MS/323a-b); papers of the Selborne Society (SS), and The Society for Promoting Natural History (SPNH); amongst many others. Thanks go out to our volunteers: Madeleine Shanks, Callum Hodson, Janette Ames, Judy Thompson and Laura Housden, who worked on some of these projects when onsite working was possible, and to David Pescod HonFLS, who continues to work remotely on our Presents Books using digitised files.
## **Cleaning our Catalogue**
One project that we were able to pursue remotely has been the improvement of our library metadata, and, under the keen eye of Librarian Will Beharrell, 2020 saw nearly 23,000 catalogue records reviewed, revised, or updated. In particular, we have worked to improve the keywords associated with our library book descriptions, through the implementation of uniform Library of Congress Subject Headings. The use of this controlled vocabulary will help researchers navigate the full breadth of our holdings, while making sure our data can be usefully exported to union catalogues around the world. We’re indebted to our volunteer, Sheila Meredith, for her help in revising nearly 2,200 entries from the library’s author index.
## **CRM**
The Fellowship has always been at the heart of the Linnean Society and in recent years we have seen a positive increase in its membership, welcoming new Fellows, Associates and Student Members from all over the world. In response to these changes, and led by Head of Finance Priya Nithianandan and Tatiana Franco, the Society started moving across to a new customer relationship management (CRM) system in 2020. The CRM system will help us work more efficiently, reach more people and improve our service, so our members can make the most of their Fellowship for many years to come. Launching in 2021, Fellows will be able to update their details more easily so we can always stay connected, and as we continue to improve on our events (virtual and physical), we will be able to target our audiences better than ever before.
## **Conservation in Isolation**
Conservation of the Society’s collections continued without too much disruption during 2020 as Conservator Janet Ashdown was able to work remotely in her home studio facilities. A number of books and manuscripts have been repaired and several bespoke archival boxes made.
Independent conservator, Naomi Mitamura, volunteered her time repairing books at Burlington House during the few weeks in 2020 when restrictions were relaxed. She was also able to continue
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working from her private studio repairing books and documents as part of our AdoptLINN scheme. Two books repaired by Naomi and adopted by supporters in the USA were George Wolfgang Wendell’s _Theoremata Medica_ (1662), adopted by Dr Gary Tigges in Texas, and the East India Company draft on vellum (1832), adopted by Judith Thompson in California.
## **AdoptLINN in Lockdown**
While the Society’s collections may have been closed to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, the continuing support we have received from our Fellows, Associate Members, and other friends has been hugely encouraging. The lockdown period has been a particularly productive one for AdoptLINN, our collections adoption scheme, with nearly £4,234 raised in 2020.
It was also gratifying to see past ‘adoptees’ returning from conservation. The return to the Society of our 1499 _Ortus Sanitatis_ saw a volume completely transformed. Thanks are due to Tony Bish for his conservation work and David Goldsmith ALS for his financial support. (To see a full list of adoptees visit www.linnean.org/adoptlinn.)
The Society is enormously grateful to all our AdoptLINN benefactors, particularly in such a trying year; their generosity will help conserve an array of precious-yet-vulnerable works for future study and enjoyment.
## **Linnaean Correspondence**
Metadata (data about information objects) is fundamental to library, archives, and museum collections, and having good and accurate metadata determines how well we can share our information objects with others. The Online Collections is one platform from which we share our rich resources of specimens, manuscripts, correspondence, and artwork. For various reasons, the information available for each collection type is not equal, and retroactively ‘cleaning up’ and standardising the metadata across the collections features in our Collections Strategy. During this year of remote working, unable to engage directly with the collections, we seized the opportunity to start the metadata clean-up in earnest. One such unscheduled ‘lockdown project’, overseen by Digital Assets Manager Andrea Deneau, involved cleaning up the Linnaean Correspondence—a collection of over 4,100 records. With the central goal being standardised metadata, these types of collectionsfocused projects will significantly enrich the Online Collections for researchers globally, paving the way for greater usability and collaborations.
## **Linnaeus Link on Hold**
Sadly, the 2020 Linnaeus Link Partners’ Meeting (due to take place in Belgium in May) was cancelled, but, undeterred, we reconvened in November for an online videoconference. Partners discussed new guidance for contributing libraries, and the ingest of journal articles. We hope to meet again— hopefully in person—in 2021.
## **Brighter Days**
Continuing into 2021, when onsite working may be once again possible, we will be focusing on some exciting projects, namely the cataloguing of our nature conservation archives, the digitisation of some of our artefact collections, and sorting through some of our journals. We have identified a number of ‘remote working’ projects, including ongoing cataloguing and metadata improvements. We plan to continue to explore our collections in new ways, with the help of our curators Glenn Benson, Oliver Crimmen, Suzanne Ryder and Dr Mark A. Spencer. We will also be investigating the links between slavery and past Linnean Society Fellows, and planning an event about indigenous artists, which will showcase artworks from our archives and library.
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## **STAYING CONNECTED**
**As is the ongoing theme, 2020 supplied many obstacles which the Society’s team worked hard to overcome. Previous Events and Communications Manager Dr Leanne Melbourne left early in the year and was replaced by Padmaparna Ghosh, who hit the ground running by transferring our event programme online and working collaboratively with the team on other online resources and media.**
## **Virtually Together**
The sudden nature of the UK lockdown in March meant that, on the events front, the Society had to swiftly adapt to a more virtual arena. Moving our audiences and event booking processes weren’t without their teething problems, but by June we had transferred to the commonly-used online event marketplace Eventbrite, which considerably eased any issues. In the latter part of 2020 we also moved to the efficient Zoom Webinar interface for all of our lectures.
Due to improved accessibility, our events (once limited to those who could travel into London) have been streamed across the globe. We have received numerous emails from both Fellows and the general public extolling how included they feel now that they can attend an event as it is conducted. Organised and overseen by Padmaparna Ghosh, the Society’s events have covered varied interests, from the history of setting up Afghanistan’s first national park, to patriarchy in natural history, to the natural history of a gin and tonic. We explored natural capital and celebrated the important legacy of parson-naturalist Gilbert White. By year’s end, our real-time viewership expanded to 220+ for each talk, up to 281 for the launch of our ‘book of treasures’, _L:50 Objects, Stories & Discoveries_ . Going forward, our aim is to make our Lunchtime Lectures virtual only, as attendance online has been much higher than when these events were held in Burlington House.
## **Journey through our Collections**
In 2020, a shorter format of podcast was adopted, allowing us to tell more stories in an accessible way, with our primary focus being on the Society’s collections. With 17 new podcasts released, devised and produced by Multimedia Content Producer Ross Ziegelmeier, our track list accumulated over 6,324 listens.
Many of the podcasts featured our honorary curators, who revealed the stories behind their favourite items and topics, from Hercules beetles to slipper orchids. Library collection displays from the start of 2020, like ‘Linnaeus in Lapland’, were also explored. Peppered throughout the year were a selection of slightly longer podcasts that delved into special items from our collections including ‘F. Edwards: A Whaler’s Lesson Learnt in Time’ and ‘Linnaeus’ Private Collection’. We finished the year with the first podcast created in collaboration with our publisher OUP, entitled ‘Field Recording Archives—An Animal Soundscape’, which looked at the importance of field recordings in this age of extinction.
## **The ‘Science’ of Social Distancing**
This unusual year pushed all of the Society’s activities online, and Ross Ziegelmeier worked hard to create supporting content. Six videos delved into our collections, including specific tour videos allowing virtual visitors to engage while the Society was closed. Promotional videos for our new publication _L: 50 Objects, Stories & Discoveries from the Linnean Society of London_ looked into Charles Darwin’s methods of working; Ross led educational workshops on animal illustration online; and an Instagram story series on viruses was timely.
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The year also saw the beginning of a major ongoing collaboration with our publishers OUP, to produce varied content (animations and podcasts) based on papers from the Society’s world-class scientific journals ( _Biological_ , _Botanical_ and _Zoological_ ). Videos featuring organisms such as mind-controlling wasps, pollen-carrying butterflies, blood flowers and hummingbirds all stemmed from journal papers—as well as a very apt animation about tuco tucos, ‘social distancing’ rodents.
## **Global Connections**
For the first time ever, we held our Anniversary Meeting virtually: although unable to celebrate in person with our medal winners, we were able to connect with many more FLS than usual—over 200 FLS attended from more than 40 countries. In addition to approving the _2019 Annual Report and Accounts,_ Fellows passed a resolution to focus on the planetary emergency, and also elected 53 new Fellows.
## _**Pulse**_ **&** _**The Linnean**_ **: Virtual Ventures**
Our publications took a two-pronged approach this year, by taking a closer look at items within our collections while the Society was closed, and by virtually venturing further afield while it was not possible otherwise.
In _Pulse_ , edited by Special Publications Manager Leonie Berwick, the miniature world of pygmy seahorses was brought to life by Dr Richard Smith FLS (www.oceanrealmimages.com), outlining recent discoveries like _Hippocampus japapigu_ (Japan) and _H. nalu_ (South Africa). Later in the year, the Eden Project North’s Richard Scott extolled the importance of wildflower gateways, particularly in times like these, and Professor Chris Rhodes FLS looked into the ‘plastic problem’, including new threats introduced by nanoplastics.
In _The Linnean_ , edited by Gina Douglas HonFLS, Dr Henry Noltie FLS explored Francis Buchanan Hamilton’s _An Account of the Fishes Found in the River Ganges and its Branches_ (1822), Mandy Henshall celebrated the 20th anniversary of the National Biodiversity Network, and Katrin Böhme revealed the parallels between the Linnean Society and the Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. Dr Graham Rowe FLS took a closer look at Linnean Society founder Sir James Edward Smith’s family, and the portrait of Smith by Anna Louisa Lane found within our collections.
## **Getting Vocal**
Though working remotely, our team has been steadily developing new content in collaboration with our publisher OUP, and we will continue to work together throughout 2021 to create vivid scientific content. To further support this, Padmaparna Ghosh has been creating short audiovisual social media campaigns to highlight significant papers in our journals.
Going forward, the Society’s podcasts will also be presented by Padma, giving them continuity in terms of voice and personality, which will be crucial for new content produced for Linnean Future—our committee dedicated to sustainability and highlighting the planetary emergency.
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## **GOING THE DISTANCE**
**In 2020 we were thankful for (and in awe of) the teachers and young people that have taken active roles within our education and public engagement programmes during this tumultuous time. As we reflect on this tough year, we appreciate how central collaboration is to our way of working.**
## **Online Adventures**
From January to March, the education team enjoyed a handful of physical events, including our annual student conference (congratulations to Chawatat Thanoosing for his win), a variety of BioMedia Meltdown workshops, as well as public workshops in our Discovery Room.
The majority of 2020, however, involved adventures online! We pushed forward with a variety of virtual events, ranging from science festivals, celebration events, streamed workshops, video projects, mentoring and teacher CPD. One favourite, enthusiastically led by Education and Public Engagement Manager Joe Burton, was our collaboration with the Courtyard Societies to organise ‘Burlington House: Lunchtime Scientist’ for GCSE and A-Level students, which involved short talks with professionals from each Society.
## **Sharp Focus on Science, Art and Nature**
2020 put the BioMedia Meltdown Project (BMM) to the test, requiring flexibility and innovation to keep our unique programme afloat through a year of uncertainty. Despite multiple school closures and the rise of the virtual classroom, we still found teachers, librarians and parents eager to embrace an offer of quality interdisciplinary learning. Schools’ heroic efforts to continue educating through the crisis sharpened our focus on producing creative and accessible cross-curricular content, deepening teachers’ understanding of integrated learning and young peoples’ connection to the natural world.
We were preparing for the previous cycle’s judging and celebration events in March when the first UK lockdown was announced. Recognising the need to move these online, more than 300 shortlisted entries were formatted and displayed on social media, with 75 entries per week featured during the month of June. Eighty finalists were selected by the public, from which our prizewinners were chosen by a panel of art and science professionals. The resulting online celebration event and award ceremony was better attended than previous years’ live ceremonies.
With uncertainty about the possibility of physical workshops during the autumn term, BMM Manager Daryl Stenvoll-Wells took a two-pronged approach to this year’s cycle. ‘Courageous Conservationists’ introduced students to under-recognised biologists across the globe working to protect endangered species; it was delivered via live virtual sessions throughout the term. ‘BioMedia Book Arts’ became our first sequential project, working with the same cohort of students over time. Over 420 Key Stage 3 students in seven schools received materials kits, instructional videos and accompanying resources to complete ‘chapters’ of their own BioMedia Book, a combination sketchbook/nature journal to be completed in class or at home. The videos feature guest experts—mostly Linnean Fellows— introducing plant and animal families, with Daryl demonstrating related art activities for each unit. Nine video ‘chapters’ will be produced, and completed books will be eligible for awards and prizes at our next celebration event (summer 2021).
## **Our Local Nature**
The Society launched a new grant scheme for youth-led projects which aim to increase access to local natural spaces and encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature. Eleven inspirational projects from across the UK have been selected for funding, and we can’t wait to watch them come into fruition in 2021. We must add our utmost thanks to our dedicated Youth Panel who were integral to the decision-making process: Oliwia Charowska, Rebecca Davies, Elisheeba Ijekhuemen, Ridhka Kakkar, Sathvika Krishnan, Ethan Mitchell-Innes and Theo Sandhu.
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## **Stemettes**
In August 2020, Joe Burton arranged for 14 members of the Society to take part in a short mentoring experience with several groups of young women across the country. The success of this event has led to an expansion of this initiative in 2021 by working with the charity Stemettes, to run a four-month mentoring programme for 20 young women and non-binary people. We hope that this will be the beginning of an enduring connection with the Linnean Society from which young people can learn, and be inspired by, our esteemed Fellowship.
## **Portrait Competition: Sjupp**
Every year we invite young people to create a new portrait to commemorate something connected to Carl Linnaeus or our collections. This year the subject was Linnaeus’ furry friend, Sjupp the raccoon, given to him by the Crown Prince of Sweden. We crowned four global winners who received certificates and prizes:
Emily, 7, Edinburgh, Scotland (Age 5–7 category) Imogen, 11, Cambridge, England (Age 8–11 category) Carys, 12, Massachusetts, USA (Age 12–14 category) Saanvi, 15, Uttar Pradesh, India (Age 15–18 category)
## **History Day**
In what has been a rather isolated time for many, online conferences and events have been a lifeline for scholars and students alike. History Day, run by the Institute of Historical Studies, was one such event to make the move online, and provided a valuable opportunity for Will Beharrell, Liz M[c] Gow, and Andrea Deneau to showcase some treasured items from our collections. With some element of social distancing set to continue into the future, we hope History Day may set a template for further events and exhibitions online.
## **Virtual Tours**
In the first two months of 2020, the Collections team (led by Isabelle Charmantier) incredibly gave 18 tours to the general public and to humanities students of King’s College London, UCL, and Queen Mary. In each case, the Discovery Room was used by their tutors to hold an hour’s seminar before the tour. This wonderful connection with tutors teaching history of science, Nordic Landscapes, and 18thcentury studies began in 2019 and has been encouraging in its success. This year, the tutors made particular use of the exhibition on ‘Linnaeus in Lapland’ in the Library.
Unfortunately, tours came to an abrupt halt in March. In mid-August, during limited socially-distanced visits to Burlington House, we took steps to organise online virtual tours. Ross Ziegelmeier filmed three videos with the Collections team (a general collections tour, and two shorter ‘extras’ on rare books and the archives), which were trialled later in the year. The first half of 2021 will see these virtual tours available to the general public on a monthly basis.
## **Connecting through Conferences**
Some summer conferences that Society team members were to attend were rescheduled to become virtual ones in the autumn. Head of Collections Dr Isabelle Charmantier gave the following papers: a talk on Linnaeus for the Hitchin U3A (Hertfordshire); a paper on ‘The Lost Artists of British Enlightenment Natural History’ at the NatSCA conference on ‘Decolonising Natural Science Collections’; participation in the roundtable on ‘Semantics and Beyond: Modeling and enriching longue-durée biocultural data for answering interdisciplinary and epistemic research questions convened’, at the ‘Collect and Connect’ international conference.
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## **Looking Ahead**
We are excited to expand our portfolio of interdisciplinary learning through exciting collaborative projects with the National Literacy Trust (Science Writers) and Lancaster University (Science Hunters). 2021 will also offer new opportunities for the Society’s members to engage with and inspire future naturalists through bespoke mentoring experiences.
Members and the general public will also be able to register for the monthly virtual Treasures Tours, as well as more tailored virtual tours of the collections for university groups and local associations. The Collections team will continue to participate in heritage and history of science conferences, to both share and incite new research about our collections.
## **COLLECTION CONNECTIONS**
## **Connecting our Fellows and the public to our Collections has always been important; the Collections are what makes our Society so unique. So, through blogs, social media, and a very special book, we worked hard to find ways to uphold this essential connection during a rather disconnected year.**
## **War, Peace and Daring Journeys**
Without the medium of displays and exhibitions, we produced an increased number of blogs to keep our Fellows informed and engaged with our Collections. Blogs were written to promote newly catalogued archive collections (The Society for Promoting Natural History, as well as the collections of Peter Collinson, and Francis Buchanan-Hamilton), to share research (Metal and Memories, which looked at WW2 shrapnel found amongst our artefacts, and Adventurous Fellows, exploring the daring journeys of Fellows like Sir Charles Wyville Thomson on the _Challenger_ Expedition), and to reflect on current events through the lens of the past (blogs on the Linnean Society during World War II, and Black Lives in our Collections). ‘Treasure of the Month’, a new feature appearing in _Linnean News_ , was also added to the website. In total, 26 blogs and news updates were produced in 2020.
## **Social Media Climbing**
Our Twitter following has expanded enormously—growing from 9,949 in January 2020 to 11,800 by the end of the year, an increase of 18.6%. Our Instagram audience has grown as well, from 1,474 in January 2020 to 2,301 in December 2020—a pleasing increase of 56%. We have been showcasing our Collections through stories and images, and in collaboration with other institutions through campaigns such as #collectionsunited and #archivesexplored. Social media posts that straddle the intersection of curious objects, hidden histories, learning tools, quirky personalities and humour are the best received—for instance, our story series on Advent Sundays, our video of bromeliads and our posts on Mary Anning.
## **L:50 Objects, Stories & Discoveries**
Two years in the making, 2020 saw the publication of our ‘little book of treasures’, _L:50 Objects, Stories & Discoveries from the Linnean Society of London_ . Compiled and edited by Head of Collections Dr Isabelle Charmantier and Special Publications Manager Leonie Berwick, _L:50_ was devised as a compendium of some of the Society’s best-known and lesser-known artefacts, manuscripts, books and specimens for Fellows and visitors to purchase as a reminder of their visit to the Society. Each item appears chronologically (to offer an overview of both the Society and the study of natural history over the centuries), and has a fascinating story, as told by our curators, Fellows, researchers and staff. A sturdy, full-colour paperback at 124 pages with 37 superb contributors, it is packed with original photography of some beautiful, unique and poignant items.
After delaying the launch of the book earlier in 2020 due to obvious reasons, we decided to work towards launching it in November instead. Isabelle and Leonie, together with Padmaparna Ghosh (and including promotional support from Ross Ziegelmeier and merchandising support from Helen Shaw),
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organised the virtual launch in a way that offered bite-sized introductions to several items from the book. We were grateful to our speakers for their fantastic ‘mini talks’: Glenn Benson FLS, Ranit Bhuyan FLS, Elaine Charwat FLS, Stephanie Holt FLS, Dr David Lowther FLS and Dr Mark A. Spencer FLS, as well as to Council Member Dr Olwen Grace and President Dr Sandra Knapp for opening and closing the launch. The feedback from the event was fantastic, with a record 281 people joining us online. At £12 per copy, we hope you have managed to purchase yours.
## **Exhibitions**
Our Library usually puts on two or three displays per year. 2020 began with a wonderful display on ‘Linnaeus in Lapland’ which unfortunately had to be dismantled in mid-March. The Linnean Society also had external loans to four organisations in the pipeline for 2020, but as exhibitions were postponed, only one materialised: three books were lent to the Camden Arts Centre in London for _The Botanical Mind_ exhibition, which ran from September to December. The books included Anna Atkins’s _Photographs of British Algae_ (vol. 1, 1843), Ernst Haeckel’s _Kuntsformen der Natur_ (1899) and the 1511 edition of _Ortus Sanitatis_ .
## _**Blog Highlight: Adventurous Fellows**_
Curator of Artefacts Glenn Benson wrote several fascinating blogs for the Society throughout the year. His series on ‘Adventurous Fellows’ looked at different types of investigation, through the lens of our artefacts, still giving us the chance to explore when we couldn’t physically do so.
One such tale was revealed through a relatively unassuming medal in the Society’s holdings. It was the story of one of the greatest adventures ever undertaken by any Fellow, and in our case, actually pertains to two. Sir Charles Wyville Thomson FLS (1830–82) had led the civilian scientific team on board the HMS _Challenger_ , on what would become known as the _Challenger_ Expedition (1872–76). The expedition measured the depths of the oceans, and in the process, discovered and described over 4,000 new species.
Around 100 scientists were involved in examining the findings, and a series of reports on the expedition were written, filling 50 volumes as ‘thick as a family bible’. One of these scientists, and the recipient of our medal, was marine biologist Walter Percy Sladen FLS (1849–1900), for his work on the Asteroidea (Starfish) found during the expedition, a task that took him nearly a decade to complete.
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## **EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION**
**The Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020, demanding the uprooting of systemic racism, encouraged us to consolidate and step up our endeavours to make the Society as diverse and inclusive as we can. This affects all our activities, from organising events, to membership, and to cataloguing and promoting our collections.**
## **Diversity Matters**
In early September, we held our first diversity and inclusion panel discussion, which included members of the Society’s council, staff and five external speakers from varying backgrounds and experiences: Kevin Coutinho, Prem Gill, Dr Leanne Melbourne, Professor Robert Mokaya, Dr Howard Nelson, Lateesha Osbourne and Dr Craig Poku. This panel was the first step towards strengthening and implementing the Society’s vision and mission to represent our diverse society in every way possible, and as such was open to all Fellows to attend. This stakeholders’ consultation was, at its core, an opportunity to learn, but resulted in a brainstorming session that is leading us to evidence-based diversity and inclusion initiatives.
There were compelling and revealing discussions on the systemic barriers in STEM education, and what can be done to lower or remove those barriers. The panel and attendees looked at whether targeted funding was the answer to improved access to higher education, and relayed the possibilities within collaborative initiatives. Most importantly, the event looked at how the Society can use its resources (including its staff expertise, membership and Collections), to the best advantage of underrepresented groups. We will continue this throughout 2021 and beyond.
## **Unsung Scientists and Changing Perceptions**
In June, Forbes Online featured an article on the BioMedia Meltdown project which shared information on the Society’s flagship education programme with an international audience. Science writer Eva Amsen interviewed BMM Manager Daryl Stenvoll-Wells for the piece, ‘London School ’ Children Celebrate Unsung Scientists and Biology Through Art . It highlighted the project’s goals of reaching underserved communities and making life sciences more accessible through visual art. ‘It is about changing long-term attitudes and perceptions about who becomes a scientist and who is recognised for their work.’
## **Decolonising Collections**
Historians and heritage practitioners are assimilating the wave of events that, in the last few decades, have endeavoured to make our society more diverse and inclusive, from feminism, to LGBT+, and Black Lives Matter. A blog on ‘Black Lives Matter in our Collections’ reflected the summer’s events and the ensuing readjustment to curating collections, acknowledging the rarely recognised but crucial role of black, indigenous and other minority-ethnic people in our understanding of natural history. Two further blogs dealt with the question of race: a long piece explored the role of Linnaeus’ classification of man as the foundation of scientific racism; another, written for Black History Month, focused on Amelia Newsham, an albino girl who piqued the curiosity of 18th-century naturalists, including Linnaeus himself.
Dr Isabelle Charmantier was able to share research in this field and present a paper on the ‘Lost Artists of British Enlightenment Natural History’ at the conference ‘Decolonising Natural Science Collections’, organised by Natural Sciences Collections Association (NATSCA) in November 2020.
Pursuing these avenues of research in the future, both with our own collections and by collaborating further with other organisations, will be vital in allowing these hidden lives to be uncovered, and for their stories to be celebrated at last.
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## **Membership Survey**
In the latter part of the year a survey was conducted in 2020 to gather information about our membership’s perspective and engagement with the Society, as well as demographic data. Together, this information will enable us to understand the lived experiences of our membership and whether this impacts engagement with the Society's activities, and how we can support and engage more effectively with our members. A full analysis of the 838 responses we received will be available in 2021, but we are already aware of the need for a value-added membership proposition, especially to attract younger and more diverse members.
## **Picture This**
It would be easy to assume that women have played only a small part in the Linnean Society’s history and achievements, so rare are their portraits throughout our premises at Burlington House.
To redress this imbalance, the Library now showcases black and white photographic portraits of 10 early female Fellows, including Marian Farquharson, Grace Frankland and Dr Margaret Benson. Unfortunately, the exhibition was put up the week we closed to the public. But the women are here to stay, and will welcome Fellows and visitors back into the Library when we reopen.
## **LINNEAN FUTURE**
**The perfect storm of the planetary emergency of climate change, biodiversity loss and the unpredictability of disease emergence has profoundly changed our lives. The Trustees resolved to use the Society’s platform to highlight and facilitate transformative action by addressing the impacts of the planetary emergency on our natural world, and by furthering our vision of a world where nature is understood, valued and protected.**
## **Planetary Emergency Group: Linnean Future**
In response to the current planetary emergency, the Society has formed a new committee, named by our Fellows as ‘Linnean Future: The Planetary Emergency Response Committee of the Linnean Society’. Work began in 2020, and this initiative will be formally launched in March 2021.
Linnean Future has four core areas of work:
- **Practising what we preach:** improving the sustainability of ways of working in the Linnean Society
- **Research in action:** supporting collaboration and research that address the planetary emergency
- **Sharing our expertise:** ensuring the Society acts as a forum and focus for scientific debate, practical discussion, and policy advice regarding biodiversity and climate change at a national and a global scale.
- **Inspiring action:** engaging and involving the public in debate and learning.
Although already taking actions to improve sustainable practices over the past few years, the Society has formalised this intention in a Carbon Action Plan, formulated throughout 2020, and launched in January 2021. The Carbon Action Plan includes a bespoke Carbon Footprint Calculator, innovatively created by Office and Buildings Manager Helen Shaw and Committee member John Box, which uses a variety of activity data to calculate the carbon emissions generated by the Society from 2018 to present. The Society will seek to reduce its emissions by at least 25 tonnes/year or more by 2030, to review the carbon emissions annually, and all unavoidable carbon emissions will be offset using a set of agreed offsetting principles from 2022.
As part of Linnean Future’s work, a webpage has been developed to be a hub for sharing the work of the Linnean Society and its Fellows regarding the planetary emergency (www.linnean.org/lf).
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## **Improved Practice, Better Society**
Driven by investigations made by Office and Buildings Manager Helen Shaw, the Society has been working hard towards making Burlington House more environmentally friendly, by:
**Changing suppliers:** In summer 2020, the Society completed a building deep clean, choosing a green, ethical cleaning company that shares our values. The company uses non-harmful products and ethically supports its employees. The Society is also looking at changing suppliers for gas and electricity to a company that supports renewable energy sources, which will likely have a large impact on our carbon emissions. Other suppliers being examined for their suitability include stationery and courier services.
**Altering processes:** In 2018, the Society replaced its publication wrapping from plastic to sustainably sourced biofilm. In the same year, we also stopped the use of single use plastic bottles in our room hire catering. This has saved an average of 220 bottles going to landfill every year since. We have also provided additional recycling facilities on site, including specialist coffee cup recycling in 2019. The year 2020 came with many challenges, but it has helped reduce paper printing at BH. We hope to see a similar trend in our membership administration with the launch of our new CRM system in 2021.
**Upgrading technology:** The Society replaced its old boiler in September 2019, and we have since seen a dramatic reduction in our gas consumption: from 33,765 kWh in 2018 to 19,620 kWh in 2019, and down to 18,893 kWh in 2020. We are also looking to analyse and upgrade IT equipment and other items of plant, as they reach their end of life.
**Improved reporting:** Details of the results from our Carbon Footprint Calculator can be found on the Linnean Future webpage, which is publicly available and will be regularly updated.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
80000.00
60000.00
40000.00
20000.00
0.00
2018 2019 2020
Total emissions (Scope 1) Total emissions (Scope 2)
Total emissions (Scope 3)
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The emissions are separated into three scopes:
- Scope 1: direct emissions of CO2 (kg) annually from fuel combustion.
- Scope 2: indirect emissions of CO2 (kg) annually from purchased electricity.
- Scope 3: other indirect emissions of CO2 (kg) annually: for example, transport-related activities in non-owned vehicles, national grid transmission and distribution, outsourced activities, water, waste disposal.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
The Linnean Society contributes to scientific, cultural, economic and social well-being nationally and internationally through a broad programme of activities. Our unique ACE-designated biological collections and historical resources—and our strong focus on biodiversity conservation and sustainability, and science outreach—support the care and understanding of our planet. The Society’s key contributions to public benefit are:
- Safeguarding and promoting the Society’s heritage collections, through cataloguing, conservation and digitisation, improving access to primary information, making collections freely available to view online.
- Advancing and disseminating knowledge through three world-class research journals, and providing support and recognition through grant schemes and awards to emerging scientists and naturalists.
- Engaging the public through regular tours of the collections, conferences and free monthly public lectures, while our educational programme, which fuses science, history and art, reaches out to students of all ages and backgrounds, providing free resources in schools, in Burlington House and online.
The Society’s activities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through support for the natural world, and through unique resources that illuminate environmental and social change. The Society connects academia with a diverse public, informing UK government policy and promoting the international profile of the UK as a pre-eminent international hub for expertise about the natural world.
## **STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2025**
The Strategic Planning process was initiated in 2020 and will be completed in 2021, following the appointment of the new CEO. The first part of the process involved a membership survey, which was undertaken in late 2020. This will be followed in 2021 by an extensive stakeholder survey, together with SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal) analyses, before a brainstorming session with staff, Council, Committees and other stakeholders to hone the strategic plan for 2021-2025.
The Society has already refreshed its strapline, vision, mission and values, as shown here.
## _Communicating nature since 1788_
_**Vision:** A world where nature is understood, valued and protected_
_**Mission:** To inform, involve and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds about nature and its significance through our collections, programmes and publications_
## _**Values:**_
- _We are a diverse community of people united by an active interest in nature, its management and conservation._
- _We aim for excellence and integrity in all areas of our activity._
- _We use our income and other finances to fulfil our charitable function and declared mission._
- _We promote our science to all sectors of society._
- _*We value diversity and seek to broaden the inclusion of currently under-represented groups._
- _We are an expert voice concerning relevant major issues and challenges of our time._
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## **LOOKING FORWARD 2021**
_Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has._
Margaret Mead (1901–78)
Little did I anticipate that, when drafting this piece for last year’s Annual Review, we would still be in the grips of COVID-19. Forward planning for 2021 is difficult, but the Society will continue to exploit the opportunities of the virtual world – especially the ability to connect with Fellows and others across time zones. Once back in Burlington House (BH), we plan to live-stream all our events—and will of course be able to live-stream speakers from around the globe into BH.
As part of implementing the governance review recommendations, we will be welcoming a new CEO in 2021 and completing the strategic review we commenced in 2020, which included the membership survey—thank you to all who participated. Developing our membership value proposition is a key objective for 2021.
While we remain optimistic about resolving our lease issues in Burlington House, the Society has decided to join its courtyard neighbours in motivating the government in its response in 2021.
Pending restrictions, the staff team will largely continue to work remotely, and we have new initiatives for students, such as that of science writers in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, while consolidating relationships developed in 2020, such as with Stemettes. Major areas of future focus will be the whole Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity agenda and, of course, the planetary emergency.
The Society is well placed to address the growing global concern regarding the state of the planet. Indeed, we have a hugely important role to play in promoting understanding. Launch of the Society’s newest Committee, _Linnean Future_ , will herald a number of initiatives to help ameliorate biodiversity loss and climate change, working towards our vision of _a world where nature is understood, valued and protected_ .
On a personal note, as I step down as Executive Secretary, I would like to thank all the lovely people I’ve met and worked with over the past nine years—it has been an honour and a privilege to have this role. I will certainly be keeping in touch with the Society and look forward to attending and meeting many of you when we are able to reopen our doors.
Dr Elizabeth Rollinson, Executive Secretary
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## **PEOPLE**
## _**Officers and Council listed on pp. 3-4**_
## _**Linnean Society Staff Team**_
**Dr Elizabeth Rollinson (2011) Mr Priya Nithianandan (1991) Dr Isabelle Charmantier (2017) Ms Helen Shaw (2017)**
Executive Secretary **Dr Elizabeth Rollinson (2011)** Head of Finance & Membership Officer **Mr Priya Nithianandan (1991)** Head of Collections **Dr Isabelle Charmantier (2017)** Office & Buildings Manager **Ms Helen Shaw (2017)** Room Hire Manager & Membership Assistant **Ms Tatiana Franco (2015)** Communications & Events Manager **Dr Leanne Melbourne (2017 – March 2020)** Communications & Events Manager **Padmaparna Ghosh (from June 2020)** Librarian **Mr Will Beharrell (2019)** Archivist **Mrs Liz M[c] Gow (2016)** Assistant Librarian & Archivist **Mr Luke Thorne (2019)** Digital Assets Manager **Ms Andrea Deneau (2010)** Conservator **Ms Janet Ashdown (2002)** Special Publications Manager **Ms Leonie Berwick (2007)** Education & Public Engagement Manager **Mr Joseph Burton (2017)** Multimedia Content Producer **Mr Ross Ziegelmeier (2015)** BioMedia Meltdown Project Manager **Mrs Daryl Stenvoll-Wells (2019)** Engagement Delivery & Research Officer **Mr Zia Forrai (2018)** Botanical Journal Editorial Assistant **Dr Hassan Rankou (2012)** Office Cleaner P/T **Ms Fatima Mendoca (2015)**
## _**Curators, Editors and Committees 2020**_
## **Curators**
Fish, Shells & General Zoology
Insects
Plants Artefacts
Mr Oliver Crimmen (2017) Ms Suzanne Ryder (2017) Dr Mark A. Spencer (2013) Mr Glenn Benson (2014)
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## **Editors**
_Biological Journal_ Professor John A Allen (1997) _Botanical Journal_ Professor Mike Fay (2008) _Zoological Journal_ Dr Maarten Christenhusz (2018) _Evolutionary Journal_ Dr Steven Dodsworth (2020) Synopses Series Dr John Crothers (1991) & Dr Peter J Hayward (2002) _The Linnean_ Ms Gina Douglas (2013) _PuLSe_ Ms Leonie Berwick (2009) **Committee Chairpersons** Editorial The Editorial Secretary (e.o.) Finance The Treasurer (e.o.) Collections The Collections Secretary (e.o.) Programmes One of the Scientific Secretaries (e.o.) Education and Public Engagement One of the Scientific Secretaries (e.o.) Nominations The President (e.o.) Taxonomy & Systematics* A member of Council (e.o)
The Executive Secretary as well as The Officers, are currently ex officio members of all Committees. Professor David Cutler PPLS stood down from his role as Strategic Planning Officer in 2020.
*This Committee has been repositioned as Linnean Future: Planetary Emergency Response Committee, and is chaired by Stephanie Holt, currently a Trustee.
## **Committee Membership**
## _**Editorial Committee**_
The Editorial Secretary (e.o.)
The Editors (e.o.)
Representatives from the publisher, Oxford University Press (OUP)
Dr Rebecca A Farley-Brown (2001)
## _**Finance Committee**_
The Treasurer (e.o.)
The Financial Controller (Head of Finance) (e.o.)
Mr Giles Coode-Adams (2001)
Dr Charlotte Grezo (2020)
Mr Edward Hoare (1998)
Professor Gren Lucas HonFLS OBE (1995)
Mr N Keith Maybury (2008) – resigned 2020
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## _**Collections Committee**_
The Collections Secretary (e.o.)
The Curators (e.o.)
Library & Collections and Education & Public Engagement staff (e.o.)
Ms Gillian Furlong (2006)
Mrs Susan Gove (2001)
Ms Andrea Hart (2015)
Dr D.J. Nicholas Hind (1995)
Mr Tom Kennett (2017)
Ms Debbie Lane (2020)
Mr Chris Mills (2006)
Dr Richard Preece (2017)
Dr Anke Timmermann (2019)
Dr Mark Watson (2016)
## _**Programmes Committee**_
Scientific Secretary, Prof Alan Hildrew (Chair from May 2020); Dr Malcolm Scoble 2009-2020
Events & Communications Manager (e.o.)
Education & Public Engagement Manager (e.o.)
Head of Collections (e.o)
Professor Jeff Duckett (2018)
Dr Leanne Melbourne (2020)
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## _**Education & Public Engagement Committee**_
Scientific Secretary, Professor Simon Hiscock (Chair)
Education & Public Engagement, and Library & Collections staff (e.o.)
Ms Lyn Baber (2018)
Ms Charlotte Coales (2019)
Mr Michael Holland (2020)
Mrs Susie Kelpie (2019)
Mr Geoff Lockwood (2013)
Dr Jonathan Mitchley (2020)
Professor Dawn Sanders (2019)
Dr Jane Taylor (2013)
## _**Linnean Future: the Planetary Emergency Response Committee (expansion of the Taxonomy & Systematics Committee)**_
Ms Stephanie Holt, Chair (2019)
Events & Communications Manager (e.o.)
Office & Buildings Manager (e.o.)
Dr Andy Purvis
Dr John Box
Other Fellows TBC following formal launch of this Committee in March 2021.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The full financial accounts were prepared to conform to the Statements of Recommended Practice (SORP – FRS 102), and are presented after the report of the External Auditors.
## **SUMMARY**
2020 was a positive year for the Society’s finances, notwithstanding the impact of the pandemic. Our income was ahead of last year (£2,304,914; 2019: £2,102,109), although it would have fallen slightly without some generous bequests. Expenditure was in line with 2019 (£1,546,936; 2019: £1,577,506), but some projects had to be postponed and other activities curtailed as a result of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the surplus this year.
Overall, our surplus of income over expenditure in 2020 was £757,978 (2019: £524,603). This was enhanced by a modest gain on our investments of £71,563 (2019: £460,847). The Society has therefore been able to increase its unrestricted funds in 2020 (£5,222,995; 2019: £4,426,786). We continue to try to strike a balance between the active use of funds for our charitable purposes and ensuring a sustainable financial position in light of the uncertain economic environment and the potential for future rent increases at Burlington House.
## **INCOME**
## **Publications and Royalties**
Total income from publications rose to £1,807,830 compared with £1,747,209 in 2019. The income from the publishers of the Society’s journals provides a critical source of support for the Society. After deducting production, distribution, and editorial costs payable by the Society, the net contribution of our journals was £1,410,480, an increase of 4.8% on 2019 (£1,344,935). Oxford University Press again contributed an additional £150,000 in 2020 to cover transitional costs. The Society continues a policy of hybrid publication, enabling those authors who wish to or are required to publish Open Access to do so, while maintaining a default policy of not economically disenfranchising those authors with no or low funding by not levying page charges. As the primary source of income, the Society, along with our publisher, keeps a close eye on the worldwide changing policies of Open Access. The Society remains committed to providing no-cost or low-cost access to qualifying institutions under various international philanthropic publishing programmes. The Editorial team is continuing to investigate with OUP ways to expand our presence in the Open Access publishing arena.
The Society extends particular thanks and appreciation to the Editors, Professor John Allen, for the _Biological Journal_ , Professor Mike Fay for the _Botanical Journal_ , and Dr Maarten Christenhusz for the _Zoological Journal_ . Led by Professor Mark Chase FRS, the Editorial Secretary, and supported by their editorial offices and reviewers, the Editors work tirelessly to maintain the quality of the Society’s journals.
## **Membership Contributions**
The membership of the Society now stands at 3,014 compared with 2,921 at the end of 2019. This includes all fee and non-fee paying members. Of this number, there are 2,636 paying Fellows (2019: 2,606), 91 Associates (2019: 67) and 172 students (2019: 128). Membership contributions fell slightly in 2020 to £149,557 (2019: £152,012) reflecting the deferral of dues from Fellows who had been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Society looks forward to collecting these dues as soon as circumstances permit. In extreme cases, the Society has used funds from the Goodenough Fund to assist with the dues of those members facing serious financial difficulty.
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## **Donations and Legacies**
Grants, donations and legacies play an important role in sustaining our charitable activities and we are most grateful to all those funders and donors who have supported the Society during the year. In particular, we received generous bequests from the estate of Mr Campbell Smith of £192,552 and from the estate of Mr Robert Ward-Howlett of £36,000. Donations of were received from The Edward Hoare Charitable Fund (£1,500) and £2,000 from two anonymous Fellows. The AdoptLINN Programme raised £4,234 to support the conservation of books and other important items in our collections.
## **Investments**
During the year, the Society adopted an Ethical Investment Policy which seeks to minimise and ideally eliminate irresponsible corporate behaviour. The Society positively supports investments in wellmanaged companies that are ethically, environmentally and socially responsible. Our aim is still to enhance the value of both capital and income on a long-term sustainable basis. Investments are to be of a prudent nature, offering no more than a moderate risk and avoiding more speculative investments. The Society continues to receive good advice and management of its investments through the services of our Investment advisor Gregor McNie under the auspices of Tilney.
The market value of our investments at 31 December 2020 was £4,034,297 (2019: £3,903,741). Income from investments was £86,370 (2019: £109,438), a return of 2.1%, reflecting a reduction in dividends and interest rates across the market.
## **Other trading activities**
Despite all the hard work of the team, income from room hire, catering and other trading activities was inevitably significantly reduced by the necessity to close Burlington House to visitors for extensive periods during 2020. Total income from these sources was £16,176 (2019: £73,034). We look forward to a steady recovery in this income stream as lockdown measures are eased in 2021.
## **EXPENDITURE**
Once again, over 99% of the Society’s expenditure was used to support its charitable objectives in 2020, with only £11,443 (2019: £11,315) spent on managing investments to raise funds.
## **Charitable Activities**
Our seven core charitable activities reported in the Accounts are: Education, Publications, Scientific Meetings, Library, Collections (Curatorial) Collections (Conservation & Digitisation), and Research Sponsorship. The Society spent £1,535,493 on these charitable activities in 2020 (2019: £1,566,191). Of particular note were a contribution of up to £45,796 over three years (of which £10,953 was paid in 2020) to the Science Hunters project with Lancaster University and the “Our Local Nature” grant of £5,998 to support youth-led projects aiming to increase access to local natural spaces and encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature.
Council decided to increase the Society’s contribution to the LinnéSys Fund (formerly Systematics Research Fund) grants to £34,000 per year from its normal contribution of £24,000. The Systematics Association contributed £7,000 and income received from the Trust and Special Fund amounted to £2,439. A total of 37 individuals were supported during the year with most of the research being carried out in spite of the pandemic.
2020 saw the publication of the Linnean Treasures book, _L:50_ . The launch of this book was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but it was decided to launch it virtually in November. The publication was very well received with sales of over £3,500 in less than two months. Credit must be given to the
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editors Dr Isabelle Charmantier and Ms Leonie Berwick, who have created a wonderful publication. Total expenditure on publications, including _The Linnean_ and Pu _LS_ E, came to £26,369 as compared with £14,307 in 2019, an increase largely linked to printing and distribution costs.
Expenditure on direct salaries and National Insurance for staff was steady at £617,042 (2019: £612,748). During the year Dr Leanne Melbourne, the Society’s Events & Communication Manager, left the Society to return to the University sector and we welcomed Ms Padmaparna Ghosh in her place.
Rent and other charges by our Landlord, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), amounted to £201,961 (2019: £180,537). Significant uncertainty remains over future rental costs with no resolution of the ongoing dialogue.
Due to the lockdown, a lot of planned maintenance expenditure had to be deferred, such as the reupholstering of the meeting room benches which was deferred as the contracted company faced a shortage of foam due to demand for NHS beds. The total amount deferred for the year was just under £50,000. It is anticipated that this expenditure will occur in 2021.
## **FUNDS**
The Society’s reserves are split between Permanent Endowments (£782,572), Restricted Funds (£2,330,118, including heritage assets of £1,500,000 that cannot be monetised) and Unrestricted Funds of £5,222,995. Within Unrestricted Funds, the Society holds designated reserves to reflect funds to be spent on fixed assets and earmarked for planned future expenditure. £1,981,271 (2019: £1,772,538) of the Unrestricted Funds has been set aside in Designated Funds to cover this future expenditure, including that associated with the lease.
## **Designated Funds**
The Mortgage Liability Fund stands at £230,628. The Collections Fund stands at £20,000. The Development Fund stands at £200,000. With the uncertainty over the affordability to the Society of the rent for New Burlington House in the medium term, the Building Fund was set up in 2017 to cover the financial risks and liabilities associated with finding and moving to alternative premises if required. The balance of this fund now stands at £900,000. The Legal Fund stands at £100,000 to cover the costs of renegotiating the lease on New Burlington House if a satisfactory agreement can be reached with our landlord
## **Reserves Policy**
The Society’s General Reserve is held to enable the Society to continue to operate effectively in the event that income is unexpectedly reduced. The General Reserve is also held to provide funding for projects which have not attracted external funding. The Trustees consider that a minimum of five months of operational expenditure should be held in the General Reserve with a minimum of approximately £600k to £800k. Encouragingly, the General Reserve Fund now stands at £3,241,724 (2019: £2,654,248). The Trustees consider the current balance reasonable in the context of budgeted costs and uncertainty over continued occupation of Burlington House.
## **Acknowledgements**
The Trustees of the Society extend their gratitude to all the Officers and Staff for continuing to be so careful in control of expenditure in their areas of responsibility and to thank the volunteers for their much-appreciated contributions. Finally, it is particularly appropriate to thank the Head of Finance, Priya Nithianandan, for his careful and constant oversight of all the Society’s financial activities, and special acknowledgement goes to Dr Mark Watson, who stepped down as Treasurer during the year.
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## **RISK ASSESSMENT**
The Trustees regularly review the Risk Register, which summarises the major strategic, business and operational risks which the Society faces and have implemented appropriate systems and procedures to mitigate these risks. The Society also has a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and a Disaster Plan, which were developed to enable the Society to continue normal operations in the event of a serious disruptive incident. The BCP is also regularly reviewed and updated as needed.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE CHARITIES ACT**
The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Society and of the surplus or deficit of the Society for that year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Society will continue in business
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Society and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with relevant legislation. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Society and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Responsibilities of the Treasurer**
Fellows of the Society have, through the Society’s Bye Laws (BL) accepted at a General Meeting of the Society held on 15[th] February 1990 and published in July 1991, agreed (BL Section 12) that “the Treasurer (of the Society) shall require the keeping of detailed accounts of all receipts and payments (BL 12.1), shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the Society and shall advise the Officers and Council both of the long term trends and matters of the moment concerning financial strategy. Taking advice from the Finance Committee and Professional advisers, when appropriate, the Treasurer shall act in the name of the Society on matters of investment (BL 12.3)”.
## **Audit Arrangements**
“A firm of chartered accountants shall be appointed by the Fellows at the Anniversary Meeting as Auditors for the following year (BL 12.5). Prior to their presentation to the Anniversary Meeting, the Annual Statement of Accounts and the report of the Professional auditors shall be examined by an Audit Review Committee of Fellows. This Committee, to be elected annually, shall consist of three members of Council (including the President or a Vice-President), and two Fellows who are not members of Council who shall be elected at a General Meeting. The Committee shall report to Council and Fellows at the Anniversary Meeting (BL 12.6)”.
Messrs. Knox Cropper have expressed their willingness to be re-appointed as auditors.
These accounts were approved by Council on 25[th] March 2021 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by
________________________________ Treasurer
________________________________ President
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## **INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON**
## **OPINION ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
We have audited the financial statements of The Linnean Society for the year ended 31[st] December 2020 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 31[st] December 2020 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
## **BASIS FOR OPINION**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorized for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
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## **OTHER INFORMATION**
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- the information given in the Report of the Trustees is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or
- sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
## **RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND AUDITORS**
As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 33, the Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
- The Charity is required to comply with the charity law and, based on our knowledge of its activities, we identified that the legal requirement to accurately account for restricted funds was of key significance.
- We gained an understanding of how the charity complied with its legal and regulatory framework, including the requirement to properly account for restricted funds, through discussions with management and a review of the documented policies, procedures and controls.
- The audit team, which is experienced in the audit of charities, considered the charity’s susceptibility to material misstatement and how fraud may occur. Our considerations included the risk of management override.
- Our approach was to check that all restricted income was properly identified and separately accounted for and to ensure that only valid and appropriate expenditure was charged to restricted funds. This included reviewing journal adjustments and unusual transactions.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities . This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
## **USE OF OUR REPORT**
This report is made solely to the charity’s Trustees and members, as a body, in accordance with Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under Section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we may state to the Trustees and members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than Trustees and members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
**Knox Cropper LLP, Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditor 65 Leadenhall Street London EC3A 2AD**
**Date:** 25[th] March 2021
Knox Cropper is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
|**Notes**
**Income and Endowments From:**
Donations and Legacies
2
Charitable Activities
Members’ Contributions
Publications
3
Scientific Meetings
Library
Other Trading Activities
4
Investments
**Total Income and Endowments**
**Expenditure On:**
**Raising Funds**
Investment Management Costs
**Charitable Activities**
6
Education
Publications
Scientific Meetings
Library
Collections: (Curatorial)
Collections: (Conservation &
Digitisation)
Research Sponsorship
**Total Expenditure**
**Net Income/(Expenditure)**
**before Investment Gains/(Losses)**
Net Gains/(Losses) on Investments
**Net Income/(Expenditure)**
Transfers
**Other Recognised Gains/(Losses)**
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
Fund balance brought forward at
31/12/2019
Fund balance carried forward at
31/12/2020|**Unrestricted Restricted Endowment**
**2020**
**2019**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Total**
£
£
£
£
£
243,302
1,679
-
244,981
20,416
149,557
-
-
149,557
152,012
1,807,830
-
-
1,807,830
1,747,209
1,418
-
-
1,418
8,479
6,055
-
-
6,055
7,542
8,703
-
-
8,703
57,013
56,848
29,522
-
86,370
109,438|
|---|---|
||2,273,713
31,201
-
2,304,914
2,102,109|
||7,292
4,151
-
11,443
11,315
241,840
844
-
242,684
250,103
419,258
-
-
419,258
419,738
188,646
-
-
188,646
214,751
304,117
-
-
304,117
309,637
156,157
-
-
156,157
159,190
148,001
-
-
148,001
141,631
57,797
18,833
-
76,630
71,141|
||1,523,108
23,828
-
1,546,936
1,577,506|
||750,605
7,373
-
757,978
524,603|
||45,604
11,814
14,145
71,563
460,847|
||796,209
19,187
14,145
829,541
985,450
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||796,209
19,187
14,145
829,541
985,450|
||4,426,786
2,310,931
768,427
7,506,144
6,520,694|
||£5,222,995
£2,330,118
£782,572
£8,335,685
£7,506,144|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
|**Notes**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Heritage Assets
9
Tangible Fixed Assets
10
Investments
11
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
12
Short Term Deposits
Cash at Bank and in Hand
**TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS**
**CREDITORS:**Amounts Falling
Due Within One Year
13
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**CREDITORS:**Amounts Falling
Due After One Year
14
**NET ASSETS**
**CAPITAL FUNDS**
Endowments
15
**INCOME FUNDS**
Restricted
15
Other
Heritage Fund
Unrestricted
Designated
16
General
17
**TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS**|**2020**
£
£
1,561,950
761,271
4,034,297
489,834
1,631,399
1,807,468
3,928,701
(1,719,906)
2,208,795
(230,628)
£8,335,685
782,572
830,118
1,500,000
2,330,118
1,981,271
3,241,724
5,222,995
£8,335,685|**2019**
£
£
1,561,950
802,538
3,903,741
419,596
1,201,517
1,655,828
3,276,941
(1,797,965)
1,478,976
(241,061)
£7,506,144
768,427
810,931
1,500,000
2,310,931
1,772,538
2,654,248
4,426,786
£7,506,144|**2019**
£
£
1,561,950
802,538
3,903,741
419,596
1,201,517
1,655,828
3,276,941
(1,797,965)
1,478,976
(241,061)
£7,506,144
768,427
810,931
1,500,000
2,310,931
1,772,538
2,654,248
4,426,786
£7,506,144|
|---|---|---|---|
||||£7,506,144|
||||768,427
2,310,931
4,426,786|
||||£7,506,144|
These accounts were approved by Council on 25[th] March 2021 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by
________________________________ Treasurer
________________________________ President
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
|**Notes**
**CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING**
**ACTIVITIES**
Cash generated from operations
20
Interest paid
**Net Cash provided by (used in)**
**operating activities**
**CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING**
**ACTIVITIES**
Dividends, interest and rents from
investments
Purchase of Property, Plant and Equipment
Purchase of Heritage Asset
Proceeds from sale of investments
11
Purchase of investments
11
**Net Cash provided by (used in)**
**investing activities**
**CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING**
**ACTIVITIES**
Repayments of Borrowing
**Net Cash provided by (used in)**
**financing activities**
Change in cash and cash equivalents
in the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end
of the reporting period
**Analysis of Net Funds/(Debt)**
Short Term Deposit
Cash in Bank and in Hand
Loans
Net Funds/(Debt)|**Notes**
**CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING**
**ACTIVITIES**
Cash generated from operations
20
Interest paid
**Net Cash provided by (used in)**
**operating activities**
**CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING**
**ACTIVITIES**
Dividends, interest and rents from
investments
Purchase of Property, Plant and Equipment
Purchase of Heritage Asset
Proceeds from sale of investments
11
Purchase of investments
11
**Net Cash provided by (used in)**
**investing activities**
**CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING**
**ACTIVITIES**
Repayments of Borrowing
**Net Cash provided by (used in)**
**financing activities**
Change in cash and cash equivalents
in the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end
of the reporting period
**Analysis of Net Funds/(Debt)**
Short Term Deposit
Cash in Bank and in Hand
Loans
Net Funds/(Debt)|**2020**
£
£
580,702
(8,951)
571,751
86,370
(7,173)
-
303,598
(362,591)
20,204
(10,433)
(10,433)
581,522
2,857,345
£3,438,867
**1st January**
**2020**
**Movement**
£
£
1,201,517
429,882
1,655,828
151,640
2,857,345
581,522
(241,061)
10,433
£2,616,284
£591,955|**2020**
£
£
580,702
(8,951)
571,751
86,370
(7,173)
-
303,598
(362,591)
20,204
(10,433)
(10,433)
581,522
2,857,345
£3,438,867
**1st January**
**2020**
**Movement**
£
£
1,201,517
429,882
1,655,828
151,640
2,857,345
581,522
(241,061)
10,433
£2,616,284
£591,955|**2020**
£
£
580,702
(8,951)
571,751
86,370
(7,173)
-
303,598
(362,591)
20,204
(10,433)
(10,433)
581,522
2,857,345
£3,438,867
**1st January**
**2020**
**Movement**
£
£
1,201,517
429,882
1,655,828
151,640
2,857,345
581,522
(241,061)
10,433
£2,616,284
£591,955|**2019**
£
£
33,007
(10,379)
22,628
109,438
(98,424)
(5,475)
254,782
(278,542)
(18,221)
(8,727)
(8,727)
(4,320)
2,861,665
£2,857,345
**31st December**
**2020**
£
1,631,399
1,807,468
3,438,867
(230,628)
£3,208,239|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||
||||||
|
|||||||
|||||581,522
10,433||
|||||£591,955||
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## 1. **ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The accounts are prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102) and in compliance with the Charities Act 2011. The Society is a Public Benefit Entity.
Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets, at rates calculated to write each asset down to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life as follows:
|Property|50 years|
|---|---|
|Lift and associated refurbishment work|30 years|
|Furniture and Fixtures|10 years|
|Environmental Control|10 years|
|Office Equipment|3 years|
Investments are stated at mid-market value. Gains and losses on disposals and revaluations of fixed asset investments are reported in the Statement of Financial Activities and added to the funds to which they relate.
Investment income is accounted for gross in the year of receipt.
Donations and legacies are accounted for when the Society is unconditionally entitled to receipt. No account is taken of stock held for resale.
Contributions income is stated net of amounts received in respect of future years.
The Society is partially exempt for VAT purposes. Expenditure is stated net of VAT with irrecoverable VAT shown as a separate expense item.
Support costs are allocated to charitable activities on the basis of estimates of staff time spent on those activities and, in relation to accommodation costs, the relative space used by those activities.
Heritage assets donated to the Society are valued by an independent expert at the time of their donation.
Expenditure is accounted for when there is a constructive or contractual liability arising. A provision is made when the amount payable cannot be determined with certainty.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
|2.
**DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**
Other Funds for Grants and Awards
John Marsden Fund
PRISM Project grant
One Direction Project
Legacies
Other Donations
3.
**PUBLICATIONS**
Joint Publication Account
Contract Publication Income
Other Publication Sales
Royalties
4.
**OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES**
Room Hire
Catering
Botanical Art Course
Other|**2020**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
£
£
9,539
-
-
1,679
844
-
-
-
228,552
-
4,367
-
£243,302
£1,679
**2020**
£
1,656,895
150,000
362
573
£1,807,830
**2020**
£
6,467
536
227
1,473
£8,703|**2019**
**Total**
**Funds**
£
7,100
-
-
1,500
7,625
4,191|
|---|---|---|
|||£20,416|
|||**2019**
£
1,595,628
150,000
955
626|
|||£1,747,209|
|||**2019**
£
40,437
4,859
8,713
3,004|
|||£57,013|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 5. **JOINT PUBLICATION ACCOUNT**
|**2020**
**Total**
**Publisher**
**Share**
£
£
**SALES**
Journals
2,209,193
2,209,193
552,298
**PUBLICATION COSTS**
Production and
Distribution
174,418
Editorial
13
Publishers’ Overheads
-
174,431
43,608
**SURPLUS**
2,034,762
508,690
**Other Costs Incurred by Society**
Editorial Costs
Supplement charge
Excess page charge
Charges by publisher for
issues supplied to members
**SUMMARY**
Society’s share of Income – Note 4
Society’s share of Joint costs
and other directly incurred
costs||**2020**|||**2019**|
**Society**
**Share**
£
1,595,628
136,649|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Total**
**Publisher**
**Share**
£
£
2,209,193
2,209,193
552,298
174,418
13
-
174,431
43,608|**Society**
**Share**
£
1,656,895
130,823||**Total**
**Publisher**
**Share**
£
£
2,127,504
2,127,504
531,876
182,002
197
-
182,199
45,550||
||||||||
||||||||
||||||||
||||||||
|||2,034,762
508,690|1,526,072
(115,592)
-||1,945,305
486,326|1,458,979
(114,044)
-|
||||||||
||||£1,410,480|||£1,344,935|
||||1,656,895
(246,415)|||1,595,628
(250,693)|
||||£1,410,480|||£1,344,935|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 6. **CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
|**Education**
Education Costs
Local Nature Grant
Lancaster University Science Hunter
BioMedia Meltdown (John Lyon’s
Charity) 2
Wolfson gGrant; Garfield Weston
Grant
One Direction Grant
Botanical Art Course
Support Costs
Total
**Publications**
Joint Publication Account (Note 5)
The Linnean Newsletter and Pulse
Synopses
Support Costs
**Scientific Meetings**
Travel Grants
Support Costs
**Collections**
Expenditure
Cataloguing
PRISM Project
Support Costs
**Collections (Curatorial)**
The Linnaeus Link Project
Support Costs
**Collections: (Conservation &**
**Digitisation)**
Hosting of images
Support Costs
**Research Sponsorship**
Total|**Activities**
**Undertaken**
**Directly**
**Grant**
**Funding**
**Activities**
**Support**
**Costs**
**(Note 8)**
**Total 2020**
**Total 2019**
£
£
£
£
£
24,175
-
-
24,175
18,456
5,998
-
-
5,998
-
10,952
-
-
10,952
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9,389
-
-
-
-
21,330
844
-
-
844
656
-
-
-
-
4,440
-
-
200,715
200,715
195,832|
|---|---|
||41,969
-
200,715
242,684
250,103|
||246,415
-
-
246,415
250,693
20,984
-
-
20,984
14,307
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
151,859
151,859
154,738|
||267,399
-
151,859
419,258
419,738|
||4,356
-
-
4,356
23,168
-
-
184,290
184,290
191,583|
||4,356
-
184,290
188,646
214,751|
||8,503
-
-
8,503
16,103
922
-
-
922
-
-
-
-
-
4,768
-
-
294,692
294,692
288,766|
||9,425
-
294,692
304,117
309,637|
||9,518
-
-
9,518
11,518
-
-
146,639
146,639
147,672|
||9,518
-
146,639
156,157
159,190|
||36,413
-
-
36,413
29,182
-
-
111,588
111,588
112,449|
||36,413
-
111,588
148,001
141,631|
||-
55,430
21,200
76,630
71,141|
||£369,080
£55,430
£1,110,983
£1,535,493
£1,566,191|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 6. **CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)**
The grants set out above include grants made to individuals. In total, grants were paid to 37 individuals (2019: 31) during the year.
## 7. **GOVERNANCE COSTS**
|**OVERNANCE COSTS**|||
|---|---|---|
|Expenses of Officers and Council
Audit Fee
Governance Review
Legal and Professional Fees
Staff and Other Related Costs|**2020**
£
3,341
5,700
-
26,810
26,092
£61,943|**2019**
£
8,138
5,700
8,876
43,217
25,137|
|||£91,068|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
|**8. SUPPORT COSTS**
**Education**
£
Salaries and Wages
156,148
Premises Costs
21,066
Repairs and Maintenance
12,310
Office Costs
-
Other Costs (depreciation,
rent provision)
-
Governance Costs
11,191
£200,715
£195,832
**SALARY COSTS**
Gross Salary
Employers National Insurance
Employers Pension Contribution
Charged direct to projects
Charged to support costs
Charged to Governance|**Education**
£
156,148
21,066
12,310
-
-
11,191|
**Publications**
**Scientific**
**Meetings**
£
£
87,837
82,217
11,562
19,678
6,971
13,941
2,217
3,485
34,805
54,694
8,467
10,275|**Library**
£
124,142
21,178
13,941
7,127
111,874
16,430|**Collections**
**Curatorial**
£
72,028
15,577
19,124
1,901
29,833
8,176|**Collections**
**Conservation**
**& Digitisation**
**Research**
**Sponsorship**
**Total**
**2020**
**Total**
**2019**
£
£
£
£
64,426
12,085
598,883
595,091
19,172
-
108,233
120,587
19,124
-
85,411
67,012
158
475
15,363
27,701
2,486
7,458
241,150
210,516
6,222
1,182
61,943
90,956|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||£200,715|£151,859
£184,290|£294,692|£146,639|£111,588
£21,200
£1,110,983
£1,111,863|
||£195,832|£154,738
£191,583|£288,766|£147,672|£112,449
£20,823
£1,111,863|
|||**2020**
**Total**
£
519,738
52,350
44,954|**2019**
**Total**
£
515,321
52,298
45,129|
||
|||£617,042|£612,748|||
|||-
598,883
18,159|-
595,091
17,657|||
|||£617,042|£612,748|||
The average number of employees was 19 (2019: 22).
No employee earned more than £60,000. The total emoluments of the senior management team amounted to £161,647 (2019: £163,012). Council and Committee members provide their services gratis and receive only out of pocket expenses.
Travel and subsistence expenses were paid to 7 (2019: 8) Officers and Council and Committee members amounting in total to £3,341 (2019: £8,138). There were no redundancy costs in 2020 (2019: £Nil).
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 9. **HERITAGE ASSETS**
|**HERITAGE ASSETS**|||
|---|---|---|
|Heritage assets acquired since 2010
**COST**
At 1st January 2020 made up of
Darwin’s Books
Nepal Maps
Smith Diaries
Opie Paintings
The Transylvania Florilegium Vol 1
The Transylvania Florilegium Vol 2
**At 31st December 2020**
**DEPRECIATION**
At 1st January 2020
Charge for the Year
**At 31st December 2020**
**NET BOOK VALUE**
At 31st December 2020
At 31st December 2019|1,500,000
21,000
5,000
25,000
5,475
5,475|**2020**
£
1,561,950|
|||1,561,950|
|||-
-|
|||-|
||||
|||£1,561,950|
|||£1,561,950|
In 2015, the Society received from the Charles Darwin Trust a gift of Darwinian and Wallacean material which contained many key works, manuscripts and letters which has been valued at £1.5m. In accordance with FRS 102, donated heritage assets have been included at valuation.
The Society also holds a large number of scientific and historic assets which cannot easily be valued and which will not be sold because the maintenance is part of the primary objective of the Society. As a result, these heritage assets are not included in the Balance Sheet. These assets comprise:
a. scientific collections
b. books and periodicals
c. portraits and busts
These heritage assets the Society are of primary value, internationally, to the biological sciences, and in terms of cultural value, to the history of science. The main collections of dried plant material, preserved animal specimens and correspondence to Carl Linnaeus and Sir James Edward Smith provide the foundation for classification, taxonomy and nomenclature.
All this material is irreplaceable and so it is stored under optimum conservation conditions. The collections themselves are accessible physically by any _bona fide_ research worker, accompanied by a curator or appropriate member of staff. The Society, with generous grant funding, has financed the preparation of digitised images of this material, and these are accessible to all, at no charge, through the Society’s website.
The Society’s Acquisitions Policy recommends that any additional material must be in fields relevant to existing material. Archives of those individuals who have worked or are working in the science of natural history, including conservation, are also welcomed.
The Society’s insurance policies cover damage to the fabric of the building and the seek-and-find or repair of the Library’s book stock, paintings and busts, but not the plant and animal collections as they are unique and irreplaceable. As such, they are invaluable to research and science but are valueless for insurance purposes.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 10. **TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|**COST**
At 1stJanuary 2020
Additions in Year
**At 31st December 2020**
**DEPRECIATION**
At 1stJanuary 2020
Charge for the Year
**At 31st December 2020**
**NET BOOK VALUE**
At 31stDecember 2020
At 31stDecember 2019|**Freehold**
**Property**
**Lift and**
**Building**
**Works**
£
£
518,854
225,752
-
-|**Air**
**Conditioning**
£
57,759
-|**Office**
**Equipment**
£
170,955
7,173|**Other**
£
317,297
-|**Total**
£
1,290,617
7,173|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||
518,854
225,752|57,759|178,128|317,297|1,297,790|
||54,251
52,675
7,377
7,525|57,759
-|157,642
10,208|165,752
23,330|488,079
48,440|
||
61,628
60,200|57,759|167,850|189,082|536,519|
||£457,226
£165,552|£-|£10,278|£128,215|£761,271|
||£464,603
£173,077|£-|£13,313|£151,545|£802,538|
## 11. **INVESTMENTS**
|UK Fixed Interest
UK Equities
Overseas Equities
**Investment Portfolio**
Market Value brought forward
Add: Acquisitions
Less: Disposals
Realised Gains (Losses) on
Disposals
Gain (Loss) on Revaluation
Market Value carried forward||**2020**
**Book**
**Cost**
**Market**
**Value**
£
£
67,356
49,385
1,474,458
1,930,407
1,178,645
2,054,505
£2,720,459
£4,034,297
3,903,741
362,591
(303,598)
(71,428)
142,991
£4,034,297||**2019**
**Book**
**Cost**
**Market**
**Value**
£
£
159,777
148,434
1,384,190
1,876,671
1,189,271
1,878,636
£2,733,238
£3,903,741
3,419,134
278,542
(254,782)
(37,907)
498,754
£3,903,741|**2019**
**Book**
**Cost**
**Market**
**Value**
£
£
159,777
148,434
1,384,190
1,876,671
1,189,271
1,878,636
£2,733,238
£3,903,741
3,419,134
278,542
(254,782)
(37,907)
498,754
£3,903,741|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Book**
**Cost**
£
67,356
1,474,458
1,178,645
£2,720,459||**Book**
**Cost**
£
159,777
1,384,190
1,189,271
£2,733,238
||
||||||£3,903,741|
||||||3,419,134
278,542
(254,782)
(37,907)
498,754|
||||||£3,903,741|
Investments are held on a long-term basis to generate investment income for the Society. Realised Gains represent the difference between the sales proceeds and original cost of investments sold during the year. Revaluation gains and losses arise from the revaluation of investments to market value at the yearend.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 12. **DEBTORS**
|Due from Publisher 2020
Prepayments
Other Debtors|**2020**
£
389,590
40,730
59,514
£489,834|**2019**
£
393,633
-
25,963|
|---|---|---|
|||£419,596|
## 13. **CREDITORS:** Amounts falling due within one year
|Contributions received in advance
Publishing income received in advance
Rent Provision
VAT
Deferred Expenditure
Other Creditors|**2020**
£
59,411
1,285,550
22,880
209,729
49,433
92,903
£1,719,906|**2019**
£
61,418
1,436,482
12,327
205,134
-
82,604|
|---|---|---|
|||£1,797,965|
## 14. **CREDITORS:** Amounts falling due after one year
|Mortgage on Toynbee Property|**2020**
£
230,628
£230,628|**2019**
£
241,061|
|---|---|---|
|||£241,061|
The Toynbee mortgage is payable at 3.56% above base rate over 25 years and is secured on the property.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 15. **ENDOWMENTS & RESTRICTED FUNDS 2020**
|Westwood Fund
Trail-Crisp Fund
Hooker Fund
Goodenough Fund
Minchin Fund
Jane Jackson Fund
The HH Bloomer Fund
P. Appleyard Fund
Dennis Stanfield Memorial Fund
Omer Cooper Fund
Bonhote Fund
Jill Smythies Prize Fund
Irene Manton Prize Fund
A.G. Side Fund
Jan Gillett Fund
Denis Owen Fund
Ivy Eleanor Sleep Fund
Trewavas/Greenwood Fund
Eleanor McMillan Fund
Zimmerman Fund
John Marsden Fund
The John Topp Fund
**PROJECT FUNDS**
One Direction Projection
**HERITAGE ASSET**
Charles Darwin Trust
**TOTAL**||**Permanent Endowments**
**Balance at**
**1. 1.20**
**Endowments**
**Received**
**Gain/(Loss)**
**on MV**
**Balance**
**31.12.20**
£
£
£
£
7,526
-
133
7,659
6,779
-
123
6,902
17,444
-
317
17,761
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
78,390
-
1,426
79,816
18,695
-
333
19,028
78,822
-
1,402
80,224
45,502
-
819
46,321
-
-
-
-
31,754
-
551
32,305
52,623
-
958
53,581
65,439
-
1,191
66,630
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
193,577
-
3,522
197,099
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
171,876
-
3,370
175,246
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-||**Restricted Funds**
**Balance at**
**1.1.20**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Resources**
**Expended &**
**Transfers**
**Gain/(Loss)**
**on MV**
**Balance at**
**31.12.20**
£
£
£
£
£
212
150
(150)
-
212
2,151
176
(42)
33
2,318
14,633
545
(132)
165
15,211
34,104
584
(1,152)
518
34,054
1,516
31
(31)
28
1,544
-
1,610
(1,610)
-
-
5,587
488
(318)
99
5,856
16,091
1,737
(2,421)
138
15,545
4,219
966
(2,234)
36
2,987
71,999
1,220
(1,220)
1,081
73,080
1,118
627
(627)
5
1,123
932
1,143
(1,262)
-
813
9,787
1,493
(1,361)
132
10,051
67,835
1,219
(1,219)
1,081
68,916
9,306
149
(36)
132
9,551
2,218
-
-
-
2,218
131,500
6,211
(4,502)
1,982
135,191
36,157
632
(153)
560
37,196
195,617
3,855
(932)
3,416
201,956
32,762
4,032
(939)
-
35,855
30,108
2,172
(2,121)
493
30,652
142,235
2,161
(522)
1,915
145,789|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||£768,427
£-
£14,145
£782,572||
£810,087
£31,201
£(22,984)
£11,814
£830,118|
|||
-
-
-
-||
844
-
(844)
-
-|
|||£-
£-
£-
£-||£,844
-
£(844)
-
-|
||||||
|||-
-
-
-|£1,500,000
-
-
-
£1,500,000||
||||||
|||£768,427
£-
£14,145
£782,572|£2,310,931
£31,201
£(23,828)
£11,814
£2,330,118||
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 15. **ENDOWMENTS & RESTRICTED FUNDS 2019**
|Westwood Fund
Trail-Crisp Fund
Hooker Fund
Goodenough Fund
Minchin Fund
Jane Jackson Fund
The HH Bloomer Fund
P Appleyard Fund
Dennis Stanfield Memorial Fund
Omer Cooper Fund
Bonhote Fund
Jill Smythies Prize Fund
Irene Manton Prize Fund
AG Side Fund
Jan Gillett Fund
Denis Owen Fund
Ivy Eleanor Sleep Fund
Trewavas/Greenwood Fund
Eleanor McMillan Fund
Zimmerman Fund
John Marsden Fund
The John Topp Fund
**PROJECT FUNDS**
PRISM Project
Wolfson/Garfield Weston
John Lyon’s Charity
ArtsMark: A New Direction grant
**HERITAGE ASSET**
Darwin-Wallace Collection
**TOTAL**||**Permanent Endowments**
**Balance at**
**1. 1.19**
**Endowments**
**Received**
**Gain/(Loss)**
**on MV**
**Balance**
**31.12.19**
£
£
£
£
6,658
-
868
7,526
5,973
-
806
6,779
15,369
-
2,075
17,444
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
69,066
-
9,324
78,390
16,517
-
2,178
18,695
69,661
-
9,161
78,822
40,146
-
5,356
45,502
-
-
-
-
28,155
-
3,599
31,754
46,364
-
6,259
52,623
57,656
-
7,783
65,439
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
170,553
-
23,024
193,577
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
149,850
-
22,026
171,876
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-||**Restricted Funds**
**Balance at**
**1.1.19**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Resources**
**Expended &**
**Transfers**
**Gain/(Loss)**
**on MV**
**Balance at**
**31.12.19**
£
£
£
£
£
210
197
(195)
-
212
3,273
233
(1,571)
216
2,151
12,986
717
(150)
1,080
14,633
30,820
764
(865)
3,385
34,104
1,336
40
(40)
180
1,516
-
2,093
(2,093)
-
-
6,732
639
(2,432)
648
5,587
15,595
2,274
(2,678)
900
16,091
2,986
1,259
(263)
237
4,219
64,912
1,609
(1,588)
7,066
71,999
1,079
822
(816)
33
1,118
819
1,407
(1,294)
-
932
8,385
1,945
(1,407)
864
9,787
60,758
1,601
(1,587)
7,063
67,835
8,285
198
(41)
864
9,306
2,214
4
-
-
2,218
115,017
8,123
(4,596)
12,956
131,500
31,837
832
(172)
3,660
36,157
169,248
5,096
(1,058)
22,331
195,617
28,806
4,997
(1,041)
-
32,762
27,185
869
(1,166)
3,220
30,108
127,454
2,856
(593)
12,518
142,235|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||£675,968
£-
£92,459
£768,427||
£719,937
£38,575
£(25,646)
£77,221
£810,087|
|||
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-||
4,768
-
(4,768)
-
-
21,330
-
(21,330)
-
-
9,389
-
(9,389)
-
-
-
1,500
(656)
-
844|
|||£-
£-
£-
£-||
£35,487
£1,500
(£36,143)
-
£844|
||||||
|||-
-
-
-|£1,500,000
-
-
-
£1,500,000||
|||£675,968
£-
£92,459
£768,427|
£2,255,424
£40,075
£(61,789)
£77,221
£2,310,931||
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 15. **ENDOWMENTS & RESTRICTED FUNDS (CONTINUED)**
## **EXPLANATORY NOTE**
Permanent Endowments represent capital funds where only the income arising may be spent. Unspent income balances are disclosed as separate restricted funds, available to be spent in the future, although, from time to time, unspent balances may be added to capital.
Restricted funds may only be spent for the purpose prescribed by the donor.
The transfer from the Wolfson restricted grant represents the funds spent on fixed assets which are held in the General Fund and being depreciated.
|16.
**DESIGNATED FUNDS**
Mortgage Liability
Collections Fund
Fellows Appeal
Development Fund
Fixed Asset Fund
Legal Costs Fund
Building Fund|**2020**
£
230,628
20,000
-
200,000
530,643
100,000
900,000
£1,981,271|**2019**
£
241,061
20,000
-
200,000
561,477
100,000
650,000|
|---|---|---|
|||£1,772,538|
A Fixed Asset Fund has been set up as a separate designated reserve from 2013 to represent the extent to which the Society’s general reserve has been utilised to acquire fixed assets. This ensures that the balance on the general reserve gives a better indication of the funds available to the Society. Other Designated Funds have been established to reflect potential future costs and liabilities of the Society. With the uncertainty over the affordability to the Society of the rent for New Burlington House in the medium term, the Building Fund was set up in 2017 to cover the financial risks and liabilities associated with finding and moving to alternative premises if required. The balance of this fund now stands at £900,000.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
|17.
**GENERAL RESERVE**
Balance 1stJanuary
Net Movement in funds for the year
Transfer from Designated Funds
Transfer (to) Designated Funds
Transfer from Restricted Funds
Balance at 31stDecember|**2020**
£
2,654,248
796,209
-
(208,733)
-
£3,241,724|**2019**
£
2,184,048
837,484
-
(367,284)
-|
|---|---|---|
|||£2,654,248|
## 18. **ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS 2020**
|Endowment and
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds|**Investments**
**Fixed**
**Assets**
**Current**
**Assets**
**Liabilities**
**Total**
£
£
£
£
£
1,493,816
1,500,000
118,874
-
3,112,690
2,540,481
823,221
3,809,827
(1,950,534)
5,222,995|
|---|---|
||£4,034,297
£2,323,221
£3,928,701
£(1,950,534)
8,335,685|
## **ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS 2019**
|Endowment and
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds|**Investments**
**Fixed**
**Assets**
**Current**
**Assets**
**Liabilities**
**Total**
£
£
£
£
£
1,377,735
1,500,000
201,623
-
3,079,358
2,526,006
864,488
3,075,316
(2,039,024)
4,426,786|
|---|---|
||£3,903,741
£2,364,488
£3,276,939
£(2,039,024)
7,506,144|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 19. **PREMISES**
The Society has a long term (80 year) lease on its New Burlington House premises which was negotiated in 2005 with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, now administered by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The annual rent is based on Government accounting methodology involving annual valuations. During the year, both the current year and arrears invoices were paid. Negotiations are continuing with MHCLG with the aim of an affordable and sustainable updated lease agreement.
## 20. **RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**
|Net income for the reporting period
Adjustments for:
Interest paid
Depreciation
(Gains)/Losses on investments
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
(Increase) in Debtors
Increase/(Decrease) in Creditors|**2020**
£
829,541
8,951
48,440
(71,563)
(86,370)
(70,238)
(78,059)
£580,702|**2019**
£
985,450
10,379
52,092
(460,847)
(109,438)
88,877
(533,506)|
|---|---|---|
|||£33,007|
## 21. **RELATED PARTY DECLARATIONS**
There were not any transactions with related parties during the year.
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
## 22. **COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2019**
|||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Endowment**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Notes**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Total**|
|||£|£|£|£|
|**Income and Endowments From:**||||||
|Donations and Legacies|2|18,916|1,500|-|20,416|
|Charitable Activities||||||
|Members’ Contributions||152,012|-|-|152,012|
|Publications|3|1,747,209|-|-|1,747,209|
|Scientific Meetings||8,479|-|-|8,479|
|Library||7,542|-|-|7,542|
|Other Trading Activities|4|57,013|-|-|57,013|
|Investments||70,863|38,575|-|109,438|
|**Total Income and Endowments**||2,062,034|40,075|-|2,102,109|
|**Expenditure On:**||||||
|**Raising Funds**||||||
|Investment Management Costs||7,149|4,166|-|11,315|
|**Charitable Activities**|6|||||
|Education||218,728|31,375|-|250,103|
|Publications||419,738|-|-|419,738|
|Scientific Meetings||214,751|-|-|214,751|
|Library||304,869|4,768|-|309,637|
|Collections: (Curatorial)||159,190|-|-|159,190|
|Collections: (Conservation &||141,631|-|-|141,631|
|Digitisation)||||||
|Research Sponsorship||49,661|21,480|-|71,141|
|**Total Expenditure**||1,515,717|61,789|-|1,577,506|
|**Net Income/(Expenditure) before**||||||
|**Investment Gains/(Losses)**||546,317|(21,714)|-|524,603|
|Net Gains/(Losses) on Investments||291,167|77,221|92,459|460,847|
|**Net Income/(Expenditure)**||837,484|55,507|92,459|985,450|
|Transfers||-|-|-|-|
|**Other Recognised Gains/(Losses)**||-|-|-|-|
|**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**||837,484|55,507|92,459|985,450|
|Fund balance brought forward at||||||
|1/1/2019||3,589,302|2,255,424|675,968|6,520,694|
|Fund balance carried forward at||||||
|31/12/2019||£4,426,786|£2,310,931|£768,427|£7,506,144|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
**Appendix: Full Listing of the Linnean Society’s Meetings, Events and Workshops 2020**
|**Date**|**Type of Event**|**Speaker (s)/**
**Organisers**|**Title**|
|---|---|---|---|
|8thJanuary|Lunchtime Lecture|Ms Ellie
Armstrong|Queer(y)ing Natural Histories|
|16thJanuary|Evening Meeting|Professor Jane
Hill|Biodiversity Winners and Losers from
Climate Warming|
|21stJanuary|Discovery
Workshop|Dr Rebecca
Jewell and Ms
SandyRoss Sykes|Drawing and Painting a Nature Tableau|
|28thJanuary|Discovery
Workshop|Mr Stephen Hall|Drawing Nature: Teaser Workshop|
|4-5 February|Discovery
Workshop|Dr Rebecca
Jewell and Ms
SandyRoss Sykes|Drawing and Painting Mythical Creatures|
|5thFebruary|Lunchtime Lecture|Professor Stella
Sandford|From Logic to Nature: ‘Genus’ and
‘Species’ in Philosophy and Biology|
|7thFebruary|Day Meeting|Linnean Society
Student
Conference|Student Spotlights 2020: Discover the
next generation of natural historians|
|13thFebruary|Special Event|Ms Kim Walker
and Professor
Mark Nesbitt FLS|The Botanical History of the Gin & Tonic|
|14thFebruary|Lunchtime Lecture|Dr Alex Dehgan|The Snow Leopard Project and other
Adventures in Warzone Conservation|
|25thFebruary|Discovery
Workshop|Mr Stephen Hall|Drawing Nature: Accuracy, Proportion
and Scale|
|27thFebruary|Evening Meeting|Professor Jason
Hall-Spencer|The Ecological Effects of Ocean
Acidification|
|4thMarch|Lunchtime Lecture|Dr Richard Smith
FLS|The World Beneath: A Marriage of
Underwater Photography and Marine
Biology|
|12thMarch|Special Event|Dr Gregory Dunn|The Science behind Sparkling Wine|
|7thMay|Linnean Learning|Mr Joe Burton|Primary School Session: Special Species|
|20thMay|Discovery
Workshop|Mr Angelo
Vermeulen|BH Lunchtime Scientist: Angelo
Vermeulen|
|22ndMay|Special Event||AnniversaryMeeting2020|
|10thJune|Lunchtime Lecture|Ms Pia Östlund|The Lost Art of Nature Printing|
|18thJune|Evening Meeting|Professor **Robert**
**J. Whittaker**|Life on Islands: Cycles of Arrival, Change
and Loss|
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LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2020
|||||
|---|---|---|---|
|22ndJune|In association with
Royal Society of
Biology South West
Branch|Eleanor
Drinkwater|Wallace & the Caterpillars: A Colourful
History of Discovery|
|3-28 August|Linnean Learning|Mr Joe Burton|Nature Weeks for 12-16 year olds|
|12thAugust|Linnean Learning|Mr Joe Burton|A Beginner's Guide to Drawing Animals|
|9thSeptember|Lunchtime Lecture|Dr Erica
McAlister FLS
FRES|The Inside Out of Flies and Why They
Matter|
|24thSeptember|Evening Meeting|Dr Silvia Pressel
FLS|Key Land Plant Innovations in Bryophytes|
|6thOctober|Science Policy
Lecture in
association with
the Systematics
Association|Prof Dieter Helm
CBE|Natural Capital, Biodiversity & Net Zero:
Foundations of a Green Economy|
|7thOctober|Lunchtime Lecture|Dr Matt Doggett|Underwater Photography for Science and
Conservation|
|28thOctober||Ms Jo Wilbraham|Desmid algae: Jewels in the Bog|
|4thNovember|Lunchtime Lecture|Prof Sophien
Kamoun FRS|Keeping up with the Plant Killers|
|12thNovember|Darwin Lecture in
association with
the Royal Society of
Medicine|Professor
Michael
Hochberg|Cancer Evolution: From Cells to Species
and Back|
|16thNovember|Evening Meeting in
association with
the British
Ornithologists Club|Professor Jon
Fjeldså|The Evolution of Passerine Birds
Explained|
|18thNovember|Lunchtime Lecture|Mr Andrew Lewis
FLS, Mr Vijay
Ramesh and Ms
Pooja Choksi|Sounds of the Wild|
|20thNovember|Special Event:
Launch of
Treasures Book|Society staff and
curators|L: 50 Objects, Stories and Discoveries
from the Linnean Society of London|
|26thNovember|Evening Meeting|Dr Nathalie
Pettorelli|Climate change and its impacts on
biodiversity- a bird's eye view|
|2ndDecember|Founder’s day
Lecture|Prof Brycchan
Carey|Gilbert White of Selborne: Poet, Preacher,
and Naturalist|
|9thDecember|Lunchtime Lecture|Dr Ellie Devenish-
Nelson and Dr
Howard Nelson|Challenges and opportunities for
Caribbean endemic bird conservation|
|17thDecember|Christmas Lecture|Prof Samuel
Turvey|Learning from the Past - Environmental
Archives and Historical Baselines|
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