## **The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
## **Showcasing Scotland's Science, Technology and Innovation Report of Council for the period 1st September 2024 to 31st August 2025**
## **204th Session**
## **Patron: His Majesty King Charles III**
**Established 1821 - Incorporated by Royal Charter 1841 Registered Scottish Charity SC015549**
## **The Royal Scottish Society of Arts Showcasing Scotland's Science, Technology and Innovation**
# **Report of Council for 1st September 2024 to 31st August 2025**
**Charity name** The Royal Scottish Society of Arts SC015549 23 Queen's Crescent Edinburgh Postcode EH9 2BB Email: Website: secretary@rssa.org.uk https://www.rssa.org.uk/
**Registered charity number Charity’s principal address**
## **Names of the charity trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report**
||**Trustee name**
**Office (if any)**
**Dates acted if**
**not for whole year**
**Name of person**
**(or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if any)**|**Trustee name**
**Office (if any)**
**Dates acted if**
**not for whole year**
**Name of person**
**(or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if any)**|**Trustee name**
**Office (if any)**
**Dates acted if**
**not for whole year**
**Name of person**
**(or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if any)**|**Trustee name**
**Office (if any)**
**Dates acted if**
**not for whole year**
**Name of person**
**(or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**1**
**2**
**3**
**4**
**5**
**6**
**7**
**8**
**9**
**10**
**11**
**12**
**13**|Professor Beverly Bergman|President||
AGM|
||Dr Carol Marsh|Vice-President||AGM|
||Professor John Sawkins|Vice-President||AGM|
||Dr Alison Morrison-Low|Immediate Past President||Ex Officio|
||Mr Stanley Bird|||AGM|
||Brigadier Joseph d'Inverno|||AGM|
||Dr Patrick Hickey|||AGM|
||Mr Adam Lansdown||from 2/6/25|AGM|
||Dr Stuart K Monro|||AGM|
||Professor Ian Robson|||AGM|
||Mr Peter Jones|Secretary||Trustees|
||Mr Graham Rule|Treasurer||Trustees|
||Brigadier Ian Gardiner|Programme Secretary||Trustees|
## **Names of all other charity trustees during the period, if any, (for example, those who resigned part way through the financial period)**
|**Name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|
|---|---|
|Miss Sophie Goggins|resigned 14/11/24|
|Mr Stuart Brown|stepped down at AGM 2/6/25|
The shield shown on the front page is from the Society's full 'coat of arms' as described by the Lord Lyon King of Arms: “Or, between two eagle owls heads affrontée proper a torch Sable paleways enflamed Gules, on a chief Azure a saltire Argent, all within a bordure Ermine”. The shield has a white border with black marks representing ermine fur. The upper part has a white (or silver) diagonal cross on a blue background. Below that the main body of the shield is yellow (or gold) with two forward-facing eagle owl heads on either side of an upright black torch with red flames. The Society commissioned the local illustrator Sandy Mackenzie to create the computer file based on the description and original painting from the Lord Lyon.
2
## **Structure, governance and management**
The Society was incorporated by Royal Charter on 16th August 1841 and, subject to that charter, is governed by Laws, last altered on 24th June 2013.
The affairs of the Society are managed by a Council (the Charity's Trustees) consisting of: the President, the immediate Past President (if willing), two Vice-Presidents, up to seven Councillors, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and additional Officers as determined by Council. The President, Vice-Presidents and Councillors are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. The immediate Past President holds office ex-officio.
The Secretary, Treasurer, and additional Officers (currently the Programme Secretary, the Webmaster, and the Archivist) are appointed by the Council.
Fellows of the Society are encouraged to put their names forward for election to the Council at the Annual General Meeting.
## **Objectives and activities**
The objects of the Society are the advancement of the Useful Arts in Scotland and the encouragement of Invention which these days is taken to be concerned with Science and Technology.
The Society holds seven or eight lecture meetings each year, all of which are open to the public. Meetings are held at the Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL. During the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic it was necessary to switch to holding meetings entirely online and the Zoom platform was used for this. As face-to-face meetings became possible again Fellows and guests continue to be able to attend online. Subject to the agreement of guest speakers, recordings are retained and may be viewed on request.
When possible meetings are at 7pm on the last Monday of the month (September to April, but not normally December). The AGM is usually on the first Monday of June (to avoid the May Bank Holiday). All lecture are open to members of the public as well as Fellows of the Society.
The Society also organises, for its Fellows and, where appropriate, its guests, visits to places of scientific or technological interest.
The Society annually awards a prize and medal to the best student in the SQA Higher Engineering Science, and Advanced Higher Engineering Science examinations and a Travel Scholarship which enables a third year student in a STEM subject at a Scottish university to obtain experience and expertise over and above what would normally be possible in their undergraduate course.
The Society desires to expand its activities and is actively pursuing means of engaging with schools, colleges, and universities.
Fellowship of the Society is open to all with an interest in science and its place in Society who would like to attend our meetings. Fellows of the Society are entitled to use the letters FRSSA after their names. Applications for Fellowship must be supported by at least one Fellow of the Society to whom the applicant is personally known.
3
## **Achievements and performance**
The lectures, details of which are shown below, provided important insights into new developments in the world of science and technology. Grateful thanks are due to Brigadier Ian Gardiner for his sterling work as Programme Secretary in arranging the meetings. Members of Council are also thanked for proposing speakers and all Fellows are reminded that suggestions for future speakers can be made to any member of Council.
Two outside visits were made during the year, the first being a return visit to the Torness Nuclear Power Station, an Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor. It was attended by a large group of Fellows and guests and we were treated to a fascinating walk round the installation, with very clear explanations of how nuclear power is generated. Understandably, there was a very strong emphasis on safety, which was very reassuring, and it was good to see how it worked in practice with safety built into everything that takes place there. It was clear that this is a very clean technology, and Torness alone can supply electricity to up to 2 million homes, as well as providing many jobs.
The second visit was a tour of the Port of Leith Distillery a fascinating forty metre high building that is Scotland's first vertical distillery.
The Society attended the Science and the Parliament event at Dynamic Earth on 26 November 2024, at which Professor Bergman presented the Society’s awards for the highest marks in Higher Engineering Science and Advanced Higher Engineering Science to Megan McLeod and Mikhail Agakov respectively. Our congratulations go to both prize winners.
The Society also had a stand at the exhibition, which attracted a steady stream of visitors during the breaks, a number of whom expressed an interest in joining the Society.
On 16th December 2024 a special meeting for Fellows was held at which John Whitfield, an award winner of the 2024 RSSA Travel Scholarship spoke impressively about the projects and research experience he gained over the summer whilst working in Toronto.
The year concluded on a high note when three members of Council, Past Presidents Alison Morrison-Low and Professor Ian Robson, and Council member Professor John Sawkins, represented the Society at the Royal Garden Party held at Buckingham Palace on 14 May 2025 which celebrated education and skills. Our three delegates were among only 70 people out of a total attendance of around 7,000 who were selected to be presented to our Patron His Majesty The King.
No award was made of the Bicentenary Travel Scholarship this year.
At the end of the session the Society had 156 Fellows.
The Council is concerned to ensure that the Society continues to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). As a membership organisation the Society has a duty to hold certain records regarding its Fellows. The Society is required to keep appropriate accounting records, including subscriptions paid. It holds very little about non-Fellows other than correspondence with speakers and a simple mailing list. Everyone on this mailing list has confirmed that they wish to continue to receive information about the Society’s activities.
During the session the Society started using Mailchimp to send regular notices to Fellows and others on the mailing list. Each email contains a link allowing the recipient to 'opt-out' of further emails.
The Council considers that the Society makes a useful contribution to the advancement of and public engagement with science and technology in Scotland and that the year in question was very successful. Engagement with more younger people, increasing attendance at meetings, as well as making the activities of the Society known to a wider public is high on the list of objectives for the future.
4
## **Financial review**
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those relating to the operations and finances of the Trust and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate their exposure to major risks.
The Council considers that reserves of the order of £100,000 are needed to generate income necessary to pay the expenses of, and to attract, the quality of speaker the Society needs for its lecture series, and to make awards.
Currently the Society's reserves exceed this amount and the Council is actively investigating how to best use the surplus while being mindful of the potential for future decline in the current high levels of investment income and interest that these reserves are generating.
Details of any deficit: None
Donated facilities and services (if any): None
5
1st Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **Adam Smith in the digital factory PhD BSc Professor Jonathan Corney AMIMechE**
**Professor of Digital Manufacturing School of Engineering University of Edinburgh**
## **Monday 30th September 2024**
The 18th century Adam Smith used his observations about the process of manufacturing pins to illustrate fundamental concepts of productivity and the benefits of specialisation. Remarkably the ideas embodied in Smith’s pin factory have remained relevant despite the introduction of steam power,
electricity, digital control and computer networks to industrial work places. But today, a convergence of artificial intelligence, additive manufacture and robotics appear set to transform manufacturing in such a profound way that Smith’s concepts of productivity could become irrelevant. The lecture put these new technologies in context and discussed their potential impacts on manufacturing industry and the society it serves.
_Jonathan Corney is the Professor of Digital Manufacturing at the University of Edinburgh. His career spans over three decades, including roles as Professor of ‘Design and Manufacture’ at the University of Strathclyde and a mechanical designer of industrial robots. His research primarily focuses on using digital technologies to enhance mechanical design and manufacturing processes. He has led numerous projects funded by the EPSRC and other organizations, contributing significantly to the fields of CAD/CAM and artificial intelligence in manufacturing. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Heriot-Watt University._
_**More about Professor Jonathan Corney from https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/jonathan-corney**_
6
2nd Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **"The abyss gazes also into you": exploring the deepest oceans**
## **Associate Professor Heather Stewart**
**Deputy Director of the Minderoo-University of Western Australia Deep-Sea Research Centre**
## **Monday 28th October 2024**
The deepest parts of the ocean are one of the final remaining frontiers of discovery on our planet. Much of the deep ocean is unmapped and draws in explorers, scientists, cartographers and environmentalists, keen to discover its secrets. Underwater seascapes, comparable in size and complexity to our known continents, unknown ecosystems and processes that defy study
from the surface means there are many gaps in our knowledge that science is hoping to fill. Due to the challenges of research at even moderate depths, almost every expedition venturing below 3000 m throws up a surprise.
Heather Stewart has been lucky enough to participate on a number of expeditions to explore the deepest sea-floors and shared some of what these diverse expedition teams have learned. Heather is lead geologist for the Inkfish Open Ocean Program that brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers to make our view of the deep ocean sharper than ever before.
_Associate Professor Heather Stewart is Deputy Director of the Minderoo-University of Western Australia Deep-Sea Research Centre and Director of Kelpie Geoscience. Heather has more than 20 years of experience in multidisciplinary marine research and exploration with a focus on characterising the geology and physical character of the seabed and sub-seabed. She has participated in more than 35 marine expeditions globally and taken part on a number of remote land-based fieldwork expeditions._
_**Further information about Associate Professor Heather Stewart: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5590-6972 https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-stewart-8409b5237/**_
7
3rd Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **Connectivity in a Modern World: Challenges and Solutions**
# **Professor Harald Haas FREng FRSE FIEEE FIET Van Eck Professor of Engineering University of Cambridge**
## **Monday 25th November 2024**
Digital connectivity is a fundamental yet often overlooked enabler of nearly all aspects of our private and business lives. It supports e-commerce, e-health, e-transport, e-learning, artificial intelligence, and the path to net zero. It is widely expected to be available anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. However, achieving this ubiquity requires significant research breakthroughs and innovations. In this talk, Professor Haas discussed current challenges and showcased solutions being researched as part of TITAN, one of the four UK Telecoms Hubs and involving more than 20 UK partners. Specifically, he showed how light can be used to transmit digital data wirelessly, and how ordinary solar cells can double up as high-speed data detectors.
_Harald Haas FREng, FRSE, FIEEE, FIET received his Ph.D. from The University of Edinburgh, U.K., in 2001. He is the Van Eck Chair of Engineering at the University of Cambridge where he leads the LiFi Research and Development Centre (LRDC). He is the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Edinburgh-based company, pureLiFi Ltd. His recent research interests focus on photonics, communication theory and signal processing for optical wireless communication systems. He has delivered two TED talks and one TEDx talk. In 2022, he received the Humboldt Research Award in Germany for his research contributions._
**https://www.ted.com/talks/harald_haas_wireless_data_from_every_light_bulb https://www.ted.com/talks/harald_haas_forget_wi_fi_meet_the_new_li_fi_internet ?subtitle=en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adrLYxXUM5c&t=15s**
8
4th Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **Artificial intelligence and imaging of the heart**
**Professor Michelle Williams MBChB PhD BSc BA MRCP FRCR FSCCT Professor of Cardiovascular Imaging University of Edinburgh**
## **Monday 27th January 2025**
Imaging of the heart, including scans and x-rays, has transformed modern medicine by helping us to understand disease and monitor treatments. Artificial intelligence (also called machine learning) has great potential to improving imaging research and patient care. This talk discussed what artificial intelligence is and how it is being used in imaging research at the University of Edinburgh. However, there are also challenges to the use of artificial intelligence techniques. It explored the issues and ethical considerations around integrating artificial intelligence into cardiac imaging.
_Professor Michelle Williams is a Professor of Cardiovascular Imaging at the University of Edinburgh and Honorary Consultant Radiologist at NHS Lothian. She is Associate Director of the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre and the Imaging theme lead. Her research, funded by the British Heart Foundation, centres around multi-modality non-invasive imaging of the heart and blood vessels, including using machine learning and other advanced analytic techniques. She is president of the British Society of Cardiovascular Imaging, member of the executive community of the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology, member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography._
## _**More about Professor Michelle Williams from https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/michelle-williams**_
9
5th Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **Meteorites and the origins of Earth’s oceans**
## **Professor Martin R. Lee**
## **University of Glasgow**
## **Monday 24th February 2025**
Did the ingredients for life on Earth come from outer space? Many planetary scientists believe that meteorites rich in water and organic matter seeded the early Earth with bioessential compounds, making the oceans and creating conditions needed for the evolution of life. In this lecture Professor Lee described results of current research on these space rocks including insights from the recent missions by NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to collect samples of primitive water-rich asteroids, and the fall of the Winchcombe meteorite in 2021, which was a pivotal event for UK planetary science.
_Martin Lee is Professor of Planetary Science in the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow. He is a geologist by training, having studied at the Universities of Leicester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Essex, and Edinburgh before joining Glasgow in 2000. The focus of his work is on exploring the early history of the solar system through studying meteorites and samples returned from asteroids using high-resolution analytical techniques including transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. Asteroid 8152 Martinlee (1986 VY) is named in his honour._
## **More about Professor Martin R. Lee from https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/ges/staff/martinlee/#researchinterests**
10
6th Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **Traumatic brain injury and lifelong brain health - time to ban heading in football?**
**Professor Willie Stewart MBChB, PhD, DipFMS, FRCPath, FRCP Edin Consultant Neuropatholgist Glasgow**
## **Monday 31st March 2025**
Over the past decade or so there has been growing concern over potential lifelong brain health consequences of exposure to repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury. In particular, reports of high-profile former contact sports athletes with dementia have led to questions over the safety of these sports, with governing bodies introducing rule changes in an
attempt to mitigate risk. In this talk Professor Stewart looked at the research evidence behind these concerns and discussed whether rule changes are justified, or unnecessary.
_Prof Stewart is Consultant Neuropathologist at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, and Honorary Professor at the Universities of Glasgow and Pennsylvania. Prof Stewart leads an internationally regarded research laboratory engaged in multiple programs pursuing themes from cells to society in traumatic brain injury research. Working with the unique and comprehensive Glasgow TBI Archive, his research describes the complex neuropathology of brain injury across a range of exposures and survivals, with particular reference to the link between TBI and neurodegenerative disease. Prof Stewart directs the FIELD programme of research, which aims to describe lifelong health and dementia risk in former soccer and rugby players, and is Co-PI on the multicentre collaborative research programs TBI-REPORTER and TRANSFORM-TBI._
## **More about Professor Willie Stewart from https://gbirg.inp.gla.ac.uk/**
11
7th Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
# **Building brain health across the life course**
**Professor Alan Gow FHEA FBPsS Professor in Psychology Heriot-Watt University**
## **Monday 28th April 2025**
As we age, we may experience changes in our thinking skills. While there are characteristic trends in these changes, there is also variation between people in the timing and extent of this. From large-scale studies following people over the life course, lifestyle, behavioural and environmental factors associated with brain health have been identified including education and occupational factors, social, physical and mental engagement, and positive health behaviours. Each factor’s contribution to
brain health might be individually small, directing attention towards their cumulative effect. Though identifying brain health promoting factors is important, a current priority is translating those into real-world interventions that might build or maintain brain health across the life course.
_Alan’s research identifies the lifestyle factors that protect or harm the ageing brain. He focuses on modifiable factors including activity engagement and social connections, as these provide targets for intervention. He leads The Ageing Lab at Heriot-Watt University (https://healthyageing.hw.ac.uk/), and directs activities via wattAGE, the research network focussed on healthy ageing within the University’s Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies. Ensuring research has impact is a priority, and Alan has contributed to SAPEA’s “Transforming the Future of Ageing” report and the Global Council on Brain Health. Alan also leads various outreach activities sharing what we think benefits brain health, ranging from talks with older people’s groups, performances at festivals and science events, and media contributions. Those activities were recognised by the British Psychological Society Public Engagement and Media Award in 2016, and as one of two runners-up in the 2019 Nature Research Awards for Driving Global Impact._
## **Professor Gow's research profile: https://researchportal.hw.ac.uk/en/persons/alan-j-gow**
12
Annual General Meeting and 8th Meeting of the 204th Session (2024-2025)
## **Annual General Meeting**
## **Monday 2nd June 2025**
The President, Professor Beverly Bergman, was in the Chair.
## Agenda
1. To record apologies for absence
2. Minutes of the AGM held on Monday 3rd June 2024
3. Presentation of the Annual Report of the Council for the year ended 31st August 2024
4. President’s Report of the 204th Session of the Society
5. Treasurer’s Report
6. Election of Officers
7. A.O.R.B.
Following the Annual General Meeting, there was a short talk by Dr Stephen Cribb on, "The Geology of Whisky".
The evening concluded with a reception with a light buffet, wine, whisky, and soft drinks.
## **Honorary Fellows**
The Society's Rules allow for the election of up to 10 people “ _Distinguished in the Science of the Applied Arts”_ as Honorary Fellows. Current Honorary Fellows are:
Professor Dame Anne Glover DBE FRS FRSE FASM
Professor Catherine Heymans MPhys DPhil FRSE, Astronomer Royal for Scotland Professor Sir James Hough OBE FRS FRSE FInstP FRAS
Professor Malcolm Longair CBE FRS FRSE
13
## **Prizewinners**
**Technological Studies Higher Prize** 2012 Euan Walker Marr College, Troon 2013 Catriona Sinclair George Watson's College 2014 Suzie Neave George Watson’s College 2015 Michael Hain Hutchesons' Grammar School **Engineering Science Higher Prize** 2016 Scott Bennie Bishopbriggs Academy 2017 Agnijo Banerjee Grove Academy, Dundee 2017 Calum McHugh Lornshill Academy, Alloa 2017 Hanming Liang Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh 2017 Aidan Poon George Watson’s College, Edinburgh 2018 Timothy Brewis Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen 2019 Gilleasbuig Peterson Dollar Academy, Dollar 2022 Robin Ferguson Hutchesons’ Grammar School, Glasgow 2023 Sam Craig Earlston High School 2024 Megan McLeod Ellon Academy Community Campus **Engineering Science Advanced Higher Prize** 2018 Vasilii Hill Madras College, St Andrews 2019 Timothy Brewis Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen 2022 Logan Suddaby Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline 2023 Fraser Price George Watson's College, Edinburgh 2024 Mikhail Agakov George Watson's College, Edinburgh **Bicentenary Travel Scholarship** 2023 Ann-Kathrin Hoffmann University of Edinburgh 2024 Ed Riley University of Edinburgh 2024 John Whitfield University of Edinburgh 2025 _No award made_
## **Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
**Signature(s)** GRAHAM RULE **Full name(s) Graham Norman Rule Position (e.g. Chair) Treasurer Date 26th April 2026**
14
Enter SC No. below
Enter charity name below
**SC015549**
## **The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
## **Receipts and payments accounts**
Period start date Period end date **For the period** 1st September 2024 **to** 31st August 2025 **from**
## **Section A Statement of receipts and payments**
|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**
**SC015549**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Receipts and payments accounts**
**For the period**
**from**
**to**
Period start date
Period end date
1st September 2024
31st August 2025
**Section A Statement of receipts and payments**||||||||
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**A1 Receipts**
**to nearest £**||**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Expendable**
**endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**||**Permanent**
**endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Total funds**
**current period**
**to nearest £**|**Total funds**
**last period**
**to nearest £**|
|Donations|**510**|||||**510**|**0**|
|Legacies||||||**0**||
|Grants|**0**|||||**0**||
|Receipts from fundraising activities||||||**0**||
|Gross trading receipts|**110**|||||**110**|**55**|
|Income from investments other than
land and buildings|**4,538**|||||**4,538**|**4,593**|
|Rents from land & buildings||||||**0**|**0**|
|Gross receipts from other charitable
activities|**2,643**|||||**2,643**|**3,680**|
|||||||**0**||
|**7,801**
**A2 Receipts from asset &**
**investment sales**
**_A1 Sub total_**|**7,801**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**7,801**|**8,328**|
|||||||||
|Proceeds from sale of fixed assets||||||**0**|**-**|
|Proceeds from sale of investments|**0**|||||**0**|**-**|
|**0**
**7,801**
**A3 Payments**
**_A2 Sub total_**
**_Total receipts_**|**0**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**0**|**0**|
|||||||||
||**7,801**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**7,801**|**8,328**|
|||||||||
|Expenses for fundraising activities||||||**0**||
|Gross trading payments|**0**|||||**0**||
|Investment management costs||||||**0**||
|Payments relating directly to
charitable activities|**6,201**|||||**6,201**|**10,887**|
|Grants and donations||||||**0**||
|Governance costs:||||||**0**||
|Audit / independent examination|**150**|||||**150**|**150**|
|Preparation of annual accounts||||||**0**||
|Legal costs||||||**0**||
|Other||||||**0**||
|||||||**0**||
|**6,351**
**A4 Payments relating to asset and**
**investment movements**
**_A3 Sub total_**|**6,351**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**6,351**|**11,037**|
|||||||||
|Purchases of fixed assets||||||**0**||
|Purchase of investments||||||**0**||
|**0**
**6,351**
**1,450**
**1,450**
**_A4 Sub total_**
**_Total payments_**
**_Net receipts / (payments)_**
**_Surplus / (deficit) for year_**
**A5 Transfers to / (from) funds**|**0**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**0**|**0**|
|||||||||
||**6,351**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**6,351**|**11,037**|
|||||||||
||**1,450**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**1,450**|**(2,709)**|
|||||||||
|||||||**0**||
|||||||||
||**1,450**|**0**|**0**||**0**|**1,450**|**(2,709)**|
|||||||||
15
|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**||||**SC015549**|**SC015549**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Section B Statement of balances**||||||||
|**Categories**|**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Expendable**
**endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Permanent**
**endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Total current**
**period**
**to nearest £**|**Total last**
**period**
**to nearest £**|
|**B1 Cash funds**|Cash and bank balances at start of
year|**6,355**|**13,607**|||**19,962**|**22,671**|
||Surplus / (deficit) shown on receipts
and payments account|**1,450**|**0**|||**1,450**|**(2,709)**|
|||||||**0**|**0**|
|||||||**0**|**0**|
|**Signed by one or two trustees**
**on behalf of all the trustees**
**B2 Investments**
**B3 Other assets**
**B4 Liabilities**
**B5 Contingent liabilities**|**Cash and bank balances at end of**
**year**
(Agree balances with receipts and
payments account(s))
**Details**|**7,805**|**13,607**|**0**|**0**|**21,412**|**19,962**|
|||0|0|0|0|0|0|
||||**Fund to which**|**Fund to which**|**asset belongs**|**Market**
**valuation**
**to nearest £**|**Market**
**valuation**
**to nearest £**|
||Investec / Rathbones|||unres|tricted|**226,465**
**-**|**211,359**
**-**|
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
||**Details**|||**asset belongs**|**Total**
**Cost (if**
**available)**
**to nearest £**|**226,465**
**-**|**211,359**
**-**|
|||||||**Current value (if**
**available)**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**|
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
||**Details**|||**Total**
**Fund to which**|**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**|
||||||**liability relates**|**Amount due**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**|
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
||**Details**|||**Fund to which**|**Total**
**liability relates**|**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**|
|||||||**Amount due**
**(estimate)**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**|
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
||**Signature**|||**Print Name**|**Total**|**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**|
||||||||**Date of**
**approval**|
||Graham Rule|||Graha|m Rule||26th April 2026|
|||||||||
16
**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts SC015549**
## **Section C Notes to the Accounts**
|**C1 Nature and purpose of**
**funds (may be stated on**
**analysis of funds**
**worksheets)**
**C2 Grants**
**C3a Trustee remuneration**
**C3b Trustee remuneration -**
**details**
**C4a Trustee expenses**
**C4b Trustee expenses -**
**details**
**C5 Transactions with**
**trustees and connected**
**persons**|The Society's funds are held for the purpose of delivering our charitable objectives. The Society's
unrestricted fund (the majority of the bank account and all of the investments) was worth £234,270. In
addition there are a number of small prize funds (restricted) worth £13,607.
If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person
connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)
If no expenses were paid to any charity trustee during the period then cross this box
(otherwise complete section 4b)
No travel scholarships were awarded in this period, in contrast to 2 scholarships of £2000 in the
previous period.
**Type of activity or project supported**
**Authority under which paid**
**Nature of relationship**
**Nature of transaction**
**Individual /**
**institution**
**Number of**
**grants made**
**£**
**£**
**Number of**
**trustees**
**£**
**Transaction**
**amount (£)**
**Balance**
**outstanding at**
**period end (£)**
**Total**
**-**
**x**
**x**
**-**
**-**|The Society's funds are held for the purpose of delivering our charitable objectives. The Society's
unrestricted fund (the majority of the bank account and all of the investments) was worth £234,270. In
addition there are a number of small prize funds (restricted) worth £13,607.
If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person
connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)
If no expenses were paid to any charity trustee during the period then cross this box
(otherwise complete section 4b)
No travel scholarships were awarded in this period, in contrast to 2 scholarships of £2000 in the
previous period.
**Type of activity or project supported**
**Authority under which paid**
**Nature of relationship**
**Nature of transaction**
**Individual /**
**institution**
**Number of**
**grants made**
**£**
**£**
**Number of**
**trustees**
**£**
**Transaction**
**amount (£)**
**Balance**
**outstanding at**
**period end (£)**
**Total**
**-**
**x**
**x**
**-**
**-**|The Society's funds are held for the purpose of delivering our charitable objectives. The Society's
unrestricted fund (the majority of the bank account and all of the investments) was worth £234,270. In
addition there are a number of small prize funds (restricted) worth £13,607.
If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person
connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)
If no expenses were paid to any charity trustee during the period then cross this box
(otherwise complete section 4b)
No travel scholarships were awarded in this period, in contrast to 2 scholarships of £2000 in the
previous period.
**Type of activity or project supported**
**Authority under which paid**
**Nature of relationship**
**Nature of transaction**
**Individual /**
**institution**
**Number of**
**grants made**
**£**
**£**
**Number of**
**trustees**
**£**
**Transaction**
**amount (£)**
**Balance**
**outstanding at**
**period end (£)**
**Total**
**-**
**x**
**x**
**-**
**-**|The Society's funds are held for the purpose of delivering our charitable objectives. The Society's
unrestricted fund (the majority of the bank account and all of the investments) was worth £234,270. In
addition there are a number of small prize funds (restricted) worth £13,607.
If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person
connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)
If no expenses were paid to any charity trustee during the period then cross this box
(otherwise complete section 4b)
No travel scholarships were awarded in this period, in contrast to 2 scholarships of £2000 in the
previous period.
**Type of activity or project supported**
**Authority under which paid**
**Nature of relationship**
**Nature of transaction**
**Individual /**
**institution**
**Number of**
**grants made**
**£**
**£**
**Number of**
**trustees**
**£**
**Transaction**
**amount (£)**
**Balance**
**outstanding at**
**period end (£)**
**Total**
**-**
**x**
**x**
**-**
**-**|The Society's funds are held for the purpose of delivering our charitable objectives. The Society's
unrestricted fund (the majority of the bank account and all of the investments) was worth £234,270. In
addition there are a number of small prize funds (restricted) worth £13,607.
If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person
connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)
If no expenses were paid to any charity trustee during the period then cross this box
(otherwise complete section 4b)
No travel scholarships were awarded in this period, in contrast to 2 scholarships of £2000 in the
previous period.
**Type of activity or project supported**
**Authority under which paid**
**Nature of relationship**
**Nature of transaction**
**Individual /**
**institution**
**Number of**
**grants made**
**£**
**£**
**Number of**
**trustees**
**£**
**Transaction**
**amount (£)**
**Balance**
**outstanding at**
**period end (£)**
**Total**
**-**
**x**
**x**
**-**
**-**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||The Society's funds are held for the purpose of delivering our charitable objectives. The Society's
unrestricted fund (the majority of the bank account and all of the investments) was worth £234,270. In
addition there are a number of small prize funds (restricted) worth £13,607.|||||
||**Type of activity or project supported**||**Individual /**
**institution**|**Number of**
**grants made**
**£**||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||**Total**|**-**
**-**
**-**|
|||||||
||If no remuneration was paid during the period to any charity trustee or person
connected to a trustee cross this box (otherwise complete section 3b)||||**x**|
||**Authority under which paid**||||**£**|
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
||If no expenses were paid to any charity trustee during the period then c
(otherwise complete section 4b)|||ross this box|**x**|
|||||**Number of**
**trustees**|**£**|
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
||**Nature of relationship**|**Nature of transaction**||**Transaction**
**amount (£)**|**Balance**
**outstanding at**
**period end (£)**|
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|||||||
|**C6 Other information**|No travel scholarships were awarded in this period, in contrast to 2 scholarships of £2000 in the
previous period.|||||
17
**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts SC015549**
|||**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**|**The Royal Scottish Society of Arts**||**SC015549**|**SC015549**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||||||||||
|**Additional analysis (1)**||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||
|**Analysis of receipts and payments**||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||
|**1 Donations**||||||||||||||
|||**Unrestricted**
**funds**||**Restricted**
**funds**||**Expendable**
**endowment**
**funds**||**Permanent**
**endowment**
**funds**||**Total current**
**period**||**Total last**
**period**||
|||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||
|Donations||**-**
**-**
**510**||||||||**-**
**-**
**510**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|**Total**||**-**
**-**
**510**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**510**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||||||
|||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**- **|**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**|**- **|**-**
**-**
**-**|**- **|**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||||||
|**2 Grants**||||||||||||||
|||**Unrestricted**
**funds**||**Restricted**
**funds**||||||**Total current**
**period**||**Total last**
**period**||
|||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||||||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|**Total**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||||||
|||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||||**- **|**-**
**-**
**-**|**- **|**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||||||
|**3 Gross receipts from other charitable activities**||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||
|||**Unrestricted**
**funds**||**Restricted**
**funds**||**Expendable**
**endowment**
**funds**||**Permanent**
**endowment**
**funds**||**Total current**
**period**||**Total last**
**period**||
|||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||
|Subscriptions||**-**
**-**
**2,640**||||||||**-**
**-**
**2,640**||**-**
**-**
**3,680**||
|Gift Aid||**-**
**-**
**3**||||||||**-**
**-**
**3**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||||
|**Total**||**-**
**-**
**2,643**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**2,643**||**-**
**-**
**3,680**||
|||||||||||||||
|||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||
|||||||||||||||
|**4 Payments relating directly to charitable activities**||||||||||||||
|||**Unrestricted**
**funds**||**Restricted**
**funds**||**Expendable**
**endowment**
**funds**||**Permanent**
**endowment**
**funds**||**Total current**
**period**||**Total last**
**period**||
|||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**||
|||||||||||||||
|Publicity, Website, etc||**-**
**-**
**1,901**||||||||**-**
**-**
**1,901**||**-**
**-**
**3,450**||
|Meeting Costs||**-**
**-**
**2,524**||||||||**-**
**-**
**2,524**||**-**
**-**
**2,530**||
|Storage hire||**-**
**-**
**240**||||||||**-**
**-**
**240**||**-**
**-**
**240**||
|Bank charges||**-**
**-**
**-**||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|Insurance||**-**
**-**
**406**||||||||**-**
**-**
**406**||**-**
**-**
**428**||
|Prize||**-**
**-**
**651**||||||||**-**
**-**
**651**||**-**
**-**
**4,239**||
|Excursion costs||**-**
**-**
**480**||||||||**-**
**-**
**480**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|||||||||||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||
|**Total**||**-**
**-**
**6,201**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**6,201**||**-**
**-**
**10,887**||
|||||||||||||||
|||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||-
-
-||
18
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Royal Scottish Society 0f Arts**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2025 which are set out on pages 15 to 18.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement**
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met, or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Signed: T.M.Murray**
Name: Thomas M. Murray
Relevant Professional qualification/professional body:
Address: 3 Dreghorn Loan, Edinburgh EH13 0DF.
Date: 16 May 2026
19
# **The Royal Scottish Society of Arts Showcasing Scotland's Science, Technology and Innovation**
# **204th Session**
# **2024-2025**
## **President**
Professor Beverly Bergman OBE MB ChB PhD FFPH FCMI FSAScot
president@rssa.org.uk
## **Immediate Past President**
Dr Alison Morrison-Low DPhil FSA FSAScot
## **Vice-Presidents**
EUR ING Dr Carol Marsh OBE CEng Hon DEng FIET FIES FWES SIEEE MInstP
Professor John Sawkins MA MSc PhD PFHEA
## **Council of the Society**
Mr Stanley Bird LLB MBA MSc
Brigadier Joseph d’Inverno LLB LLM QVRM TD WS KCHS
Dr Patrick Hickey BSc PhD
Mr Adam Lansdown BSc
Dr Stuart Monro OBE DUniv FRSE FGS
Professor Ian Robson BSc PhD FRAS FinstP CPhys
## **Secretary**
Mr Peter Jones BPharm MSc FRPharmS
secretary@rssa.org.uk 23 Queen's Crescent Edinburgh EH9 2BB Telephone: 0131 622 0428
## **Treasurer**
Mr Graham Rule BA BSc MBCS MIET FRAS FSAScot
treasurer@rssa.org.uk
## **Programme Secretary**
Brigadier Ian Gardiner RM
## **Excursion Organiser**
Mr Adam Lansdown
## **Archivist**
Dr Alison Morrison-Low
## **Webmaster**
Mr Graham Rule
The Royal Scottish Society of Arts is Registered Scottish Charity SC015549