Scottish Federation of Organists
Trustees’ Report
Year ended
31 December 2025
Scottish Federation of Organists Scottish Charity SC023967
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Scottish Federation of Organists (SFO) Reference and Administrative Details
Charity name : Scottish Federation of Organists Charity Registration Number : SC023967 Contact Address : The Secretary Scottish Federation of Organists A M Bicket Smithy Cottage Whitecairns ABERDEENSHIRE AB23 8XD
President Peter Thornton – from 10 May 2025: Trustee Vice-President Caroline Cradock – from 10 May 2025: Trustee Secretary Allan M Bicket: Trustee Treasurer David Little: Trustee Publications – website John Riley: Trustee Salaries and Contracts Andrew Forbes: Trustee Organ advice Matthew Hynes: Trustee Redundant Organs Robin Bell: Trustee SCOTS rep Andrew Macintosh Trustee IAO rep Caroline Cradock: Trustee Immediate Past President Simon Glenarthur – from 10 May 2025: Trustee Secretaries Aberdeen - Allan Ritchie: Trustee Lanark – tbc: Trustee Stirling – Gillian Mole: Trustee Borders – current representative Sarah Brown: Trustee Edinburgh – Russell Duncan: Trustee Tayside – Bryan Weir: Trustee
Representative of Glasgow Society – Andrew Forbes: Trustee
Principal Office Bearers :
President Simon Glenarthur until 10 May 2025; then Peter Thornton Vice-President Peter Thornton until 10 May 2025; then Caroline Cradock Secretary Allan M Bicket Treasurer David Little (from 14 May 2022) Independent Examiner: Donald N Gordon St Bride’s Cottage South Kingennie Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 3PA Bankers : Co-operative Bank
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Scottish Federation of Organists Trustees’ Annual Report
Preface: The SFO Committee
The Committee of the Scottish Federation of Organists meets twice a year: the March Committee Meeting is in person in Perth; the September Committee Meeting is via Zoom.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
The Charity is administered in accordance with its Constitution, adopted on 05 May 2018, amended 11 May 2024 [anent the Hollins Scheme]. Charitable status has been granted and has been in place since 6[th] May 1995 [Scottish Charity Number SC023967]
Recruitment and appointment of Trustees
One Trustee is nominated by each of the participating Scottish Organists’ Associations and Societies. The individual Associations and Societies take turn in rotation to nominate the Vice-President of the Federation.
The local Associations and Societies are:
Aberdeen & District Organists' Association Borders Guild of Organists Edinburgh Society of Organists Glasgow Society of Organists Lanarkshire Society of Organists Stirling & District Society of Organists Tayside Organists' Society
The Secretary and Treasurer are elected yearly at the Annual General Meeting. Convenors of the Salaries and Contracts Sub-Committee; Publications/Website SubCommittee; and the Organ Advice Sub-Committee, all of whom are appointed by the Committee of the Federation are also ex officiis members of the Committee of the Federation.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Federation on 10 May 2025, Dr Peter Thornton became the President, and Dr Caroline Cradock became Vice President. Mr David Little was elected as Treasurer, and Mr Allan Bicket as Secretary.
Organisational structure
Under the Constitution the Charity is administered by its Committee, the Society representatives being the trustees of the Charity. The Committee meets twice in every year, in March and September. The three above-mentioned subcommittees whose Convenors are members of the Committee and as such Trustees, meet from time to time and report to the Committee at the subsequent meeting.
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Objects
The Charity’s general objects shall be to advance the education of its members and the public in the art of music with special reference to organ and choral music; specifically:
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(1) to advance the education of the members and the public in the art of music with special reference to organ and choral music; and
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(2) to promote the advancement of the arts, heritage and culture through organ music and the work of organists in Scotland, and in furtherance thereof: -
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(a) to provide a forum for discussion of all matters pertaining to local Associations and Societies of Organists in Scotland, including support for the establishing of new Associations and Societies in Scotland for the benefit of the public.
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(b) to maintain close liaison with the Churches in Scotland and, in particular, with the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team of the Church of Scotland.
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(c) to speak authoritatively on behalf of the organists of Scotland on all matters pertaining to their art and musical work.
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(d) to meet annually in Conference, to arrange for lectures and recitals to which the public shall be encouraged to attend, and to afford facilities for discussion on all matters relating to organists and music generally.
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(e) to promote and maintain the relationship between the individual Scottish Associations/Societies and the Scottish Federation of Organists.
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(f) to promote and maintain the existing links and relationships between the Scottish Federation of Organists and the Incorporated Association of Organists.
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(g) to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the foregoing Objects.
Achievements and Performance
The Federation is pro-active in the support, staging and profiling of the Annual Conference of the Scottish Federation of Organists, and the maintenance of a relationship with the United Kingdom wide Incorporated Association of Organists. The 2025 Conference was held in Newport-on-Tay, organised by the Tayside Organists’ Society, 9[th] – 10[th] May 2025.
It has also supported the publication of an extensive encyclopaedia of pipe organs in Scotland, past and present, prepared by Alan Buchan; a revised edition of this was published during 2020. The Federation also profiles information on its website relating to levels of remuneration for organists and gives advice to churches and other interested parties about restoration or organs and related matters.
The Federation also administers the Alfred Hollins Memorial Scheme (see infra – Financial Position page 5). At the 2025 Annual Conference, the Scheme supported the Alfred Hollins Recital, given by Mr Andrew Forbes: the recital was open to the public and Mr Forbes introduced his programme, outlining the reasons for his choice of programme, which included music by Alfred Hollins. There was a further connection with Alfred Hollins as the Conference included a talk, by David Smith on the organ builder John Miller who built the organ in Bonnethill Church Dundee, inaugurated by Hollins, and a recital by Alison Malcolm on the organ of St Mary’s Scottish Episcopal Church Newporton-Tay, which included three compositions by Hollins, one of which he played at the inaugural recital at Bonnethill. This event was open to the public.
A website is maintained, providing information about the Federation and the activities of its constituent Associations and Societies.
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During 2022, the SFO website was rebuilt by Mr John Riley: this site provides information about vacancies and links to other useful resources. Development of the website has been ongoing in the years following.
Financial Position
During 2025, the expenditure incurred by the SFO remained consistent with the previous year, as travelling expenses of Committee members were reduced by holding one committee meeting via Zoom (September 2025) and one in person (March 2025). The grant to the SFO from the Incorporated Association of Organists (IAO) was paid in accordance with the policy agreed between the SFO and the IAO.
During the period under review, £828 was received by way of grant from the Incorporated Association of Organists. Expenditure was made to secure the maintenance of the website, currently being rebuilt, and a contribution was made towards the expenses incurred by trustees in their attendances at the October committee meeting, held in Perth.
During 2023, The Alfred Hollins Memorial Fund was wound up, with the approval of OSCR. The Alfred Hollins Memorial Fund monies were recovered from the Bank of Scotland after many months. These funds are now held by the SFO: these funds will be ring-fenced for particular uses, which have been incorporated in the SFO Constitution, under the title: The Alfred Hollins Memorial Scheme. The Trustees of the Scheme are the SFO President, the SFO Treasurer and the SFO Secretary. The Scheme may award grants to support vision impaired applicants who qualify under the terms of the Scheme; and to support an Alfred Hollins Memorial Recital, as prescribed under the terms of the Scheme. The Alfred Hollins Memorial Scheme funds are currently £4797.60. Information on the Scheme is available on the SFO website: www.scotsorgan.org.uk
Reserves Policy
It is the Trustees’ policy to hold reserves adequate to meet anticipated expenditure. At the end of the accounting period the Charity held unrestricted cash funds of £4290.53. The SFO holds ring-fenced sums of: £2000 to cover developments of additional Associations of Organists in Scotland; and as noted above, The Alfred Hollins Memorial Fund (now renamed The Alfred Hollins Memorial Scheme) amounting to £4797.60.
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The Trustees must prepare financial statements which give sufficient detail to enable an appreciation of the transactions of the Charity during the accounting period. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which, on request, must reflect the financial position of the Charity at that time. This must be done to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and must take reasonable steps for the prevention and/or detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees by
ALLAN M BICKET, Secretary , 16 February 2026
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