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← Dorothy Dunnett Society

2025-12-31-accounts

Dorothy Dunnett Society TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

Charity No: SC030649

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

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) 2005 Act and the
Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity Trustees consider that the audit
requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 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 whetherparticular matters have come to myattention.		 The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance
with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the
Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity Trustees consider that the audit
requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 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 whetherparticular matters have come to myattention.		 The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance
with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the
Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity Trustees consider that the audit
requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 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 whetherparticular matters have come to myattention.
Basis of independent
examinter’s statement		 My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts
(Scotland) Regulations 2006. 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 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, and
• 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
understandingof the accounts to be reached.
Signed
~~a~~		 ~~a~~ Date 10th February 2026
Name
~~a~~		 Marcus Croy
~~a~~
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body (if
any):
~~a~~		 FCCA
~~a~~
~~ee~~
Address
~~pe~~		 1 RavenscraigStreet, Kirkcaldy, Fife, KY1 2AL
~~pe~~

ii DOROTHY DUNNETT SOCIETY

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period

Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period
Period start date Period end date
Day Month Year Day Month Year
From 01 01 2025 To 31 12 2025

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS
Charity Name Dorothy Dunnett Society
Other names Charity is
known by
Registered charitynumber SC030649
Charity’sprincipal address 1/2 West Grange Gardens, The Grange, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 2RA

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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)
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Names of the Charity Trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report Names of the Charity Trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report Names of the Charity Trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report Names of the Charity Trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report
Trustee name Ofce (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Nicky Cannon Chairman 27 April 2025
2 Jenna Hegarty Secretary 27 April 2025
3 Lesley Burnie Treasurer
4 Suzanne McNeill
5 Deborah Conway Read
6 Lisa Hopkins
7 Jill Harrison
8 Julia Hart (co-opted) 6 September 2025
Names of all other Charity Trustees during the period, if any (for example, those who resigned part way through the
fnancialperiod)		 Names of all other Charity Trustees during the period, if any (for example, those who resigned part way through the
fnancialperiod)
Name Dates acted if not for wholeyear
Simon Hedges, Chairman 1 January to 27 April 2025
Fiona Adams, Secretary 1 January to 27 April 2025
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Type of governing
document		 The Charity is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It is governed by its constitution,
which was adopted on 18 April 2015. The Society was incorporated on 28 September 2015 as a result
of a ‘Change to SCIO application’ by the Society, which had been an Unincorporated Association
registered as a Charity since 1 September 2000.
Trustee
recruitment and
appointment		 Membership of the Board of Trustees is open to all members. Trustees are elected at the Annual
General Meeting, which is normally held in April. Under the constitution, there must be a minimum
of four and not more than eight Trustees. The Trustees are elected annually, but the Board may at any
time appoint any member of the Society to join the Board in order to fll a vacancy.

dorothy dunnett society iii

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Charitable
purposes		 The Society shall seek to:
a) advance the education of the public concerning the history, politics, culture and religion of the 11th,
15th and 16th centuries by promoting the study of and research into such subjects generally and into
such subjects particularly as they relate to the works of Dorothy Dunnett and to disseminate to the public
the results of such research;
b) foster the appreciation and recognition of the literary works of Dorothy Dunnett;
c) ensure that the manuscripts, letters, reference materials and research papers of Dorothy Dunnett are
preserved and are accessible.
Summary
of the main
activities
in relation to
these objects		 The Society has undertaken a range of activities that contribute to its charitable purposes and to
provide public beneft in our promotion of knowledge, research and appreciation of the work of Dorothy
Dunnett.
At the end of 2023, the Society inaugurated two annual grants for research in history, politics, culture,
or religion in the 11th, 15th and 16th centuries. Working in collaboration with the University of the
Highlands and Islands (UHI), the grants are known as the Dorothy Dunnett Centenary Awards and aim to
continue the long-lasting legacy of Dorothy Dunnett.
The Centenary Awards consist of a £1,000 grant to a PhD student and another grant of £500 to a PHD
or Master’s student at the UHI. This support will facilitate high-quality research and increase interest of
Dorothy Dunnett’s name in academic and literary circles. These grants will be funded for four years, with
a view to extending the funding if the scheme proves successful. Funding for this has been earmarked in
the Special Projects fund.
The topics of the research must ft with the Society’s objective of developing and supporting
knowledge in Dorothy Dunnett’s areas of interest, to foster understanding and appreciation of her work.
Two recipients for 2026 were chosen from a very strong feld. We have awarded £1,000 to Sophie Durbin
for her PhD research into facilitating fruitful cognitive encounters with the burial archaeology of early
medieval Scotland; and Harley Botham received £500 towards her PhD research examining diplomatic
and intercultural contact between the Norse world and al-Andalus, the Balearic Islands and North Africa
from the eighth to the twelfth centuries.
We contributed £1,250 to Dr Tobias Capwell towards the cost of illustrations in his book_Armour of the_
English Knight: An Armourers’ Album. We also provided a grant of £1,000 to Dr Munire Zeyneb Maksudoglu
for travel and accommodation costs to enable her to deliver a speech on_Safe-Conduct Letters as the_
Emblem of Global Order and Sovereignty_at the MEMOsOrient Conference: New Encounters in Capetown,
South Africa.
The magazine_Whispering Gallery_was produced four times throughout the period. The articles in it
cover a range of historical and literary themes that take their impetus from Dorothy Dunnett’s books.
We held another successful Dunnett Weekend in April which was attended by over 70 people, some of
whom were non-members. This was our frst venture away from Edinburgh with the event being held in
Dumfries.
We also organised a Lecture Day in Leicester which was attended by over forty people, which again
included some non-members.
The Board’s thanks go to Julia Hart who did a wonderful job of organising the events and fnding
fascinating speakers.
In 2024, in order to increase our outreach to non-members and to make events more accessible
to overseas members, we inaugurated a series of on-line lectures, The DunNETt International Online
Lectures. In 2025, our speakers were Domagoj Krpan on ‘The Infuence of Marko Marulić on 16th-Century
European Intellectual Life’ and Dr David Hefernan on ‘Forging the Triangular Alliance: The O’Connors, the
MacDonalds and Franco-Scottish politics, c. 1540-1560’. These have been made available on our YouTube
channel. The lectures were well-attended with about 30 people taking part on-line at each lecture. This
initiative is also being led by Julia Hart.
Liaison continues with the National Library of Scotland regarding the preservation and accessibility
of the Dorothy Dunnett archive which contains personal and professional information about Dorothy
Dunnett’s research and works.
Together with the Historical Writers’ Association and Curtis Brown, Literary Agents, the Society
continued the short story competition, which attracted many excellent entries and a worthy winner
whose story was published in the December 2025 issue of_Whispering Gallery. The Society’s contribution
towards the competition was £1,000. In addition, the six shortlisted authors have had

iv DOROTHY DUNNETT SOCIETY

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

their stories published as an e-book by the HWA and Dorothy Dunnett Society, available through Amazon. The 2025 International Dorothy Dunnett Day (IDDD) took place on 8th November in 25 locations worldwide. Dunnett fans gathered in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and on Zoom to celebrate her works and to share good company. IDDD brings together local groups in person as well as online. Members of the Dorothy Dunnett Society coordinate these gatherings, and regional members and non-members alike have the opportunity to discuss all things Dunnett – and beyond. IDDD has been running now for 15 years and remains a highlight on many an annual calendar. Our Twitter and Instagram accounts and our Facebook group are continually updated and are a primary source for promoting appreciation and recognition of the literary works of Dorothy Dunnett. Our Facebook and Twitter accounts have provided a much-appreciated channel of communication for readers around the world. Currently the number of members of the Facebook group is 2,601 (21% up on last year); the Facebook page 1200 (no change) and Instagram 860 (up 6%). X (formerly known as Twitter) is at 1,692 (5% down) which we think is due to a general drift away from X. BlueSky has decreased to 641, (7% down). There are 404 subscribers to our Youtube channel (up 18%). Most of these figures are higher than the membership of the Society itself, which demonstrates the importance of our continuing to engage with social media platforms. The trustees appreciate the support of members throughout the world who contribute in many ways, large and small, toward the continued strength of the Society.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Summary
of the main
achievements of
the
Charity during the
fnancial period		 The Dunnett Weekend and Leicester Day lectures were a great success.
We continued funding the Dorothy Dunnett Centenary Awards in collaboration with the University
of Highlands and Islands.
We awarded the Historical Writers’ Association prize.
We continued the series of on-line lectures.
Work started on a major website re-design of the Society’s website with the aim of modernising
and streamlining it with a view to making it a better resource for current members and to attract new
ones. This is being funded from special reserves. The website designers are Pooka & Co.
We awarded two grants to academic researchers.
Engagement with both members and non-members continued to grow through the use of social
media platforms.
Four issues of the Society’s magazine,Whispering Gallery, were produced this period. The quality of
content andpresentation is highly praised bythe membership.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Brief statement of
the Charity’s policy
on reserves		 The Society’s policy is to maintain reserves that would be at least equivalent to one year’s core
business expenditure, which is currently £26,000. We also hold a future subscriptions liabilities fund
of £7,000 to cover those members who pay up to four years in advance.
Details of any
defcit		 There is a defcit in this fnancial year of £5,870. This is partly due to the UHI award of £1,500 and
payments to Pooka & Co of £3,006 for website redesign – both of which are being funded from
reserves rather than income. The balance is due to timing issues as the Society operates on a
payments and receipts basis.
Donated facilities
and services (if
any)		 All the activities of the Society are supported by the members on a voluntary basis. Trustees are not
paid to attend meetings and they donate their time to the Society. Some Trustees and members
donate their travel expenses to the Society.

dorothy dunnett society v

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

OTHER OPTIONAL INFORMATION

The Society will continue its core activities of producing Whispering Gallery on a quarterly basis.

The Society will continue to work with the Historical Writers’ Association and Curtis Brown Literary Agents on running a historical short story competition.

Work will continue on producing guides to locations that feature in Dorothy Dunnett’s books. Future locations include Venice (due to be published in 2026), Malta, Paris, London and other parts of France.

Liaison will continue with the National Library of Scotland to ensure that the manuscripts, letters, reference materials and research papers of Dorothy Dunnett, including digital and photographic material, are preserved and are accessible. International Dorothy Dunnett Day will be celebrated by members across the world each autumn close to the anniversary of the publication of The Game of Kings , Dorothy Dunnett’s first book, whether in person or on-line. The DunNETt International Online Lectures will continue in 2026 with the next one being planned for February 2026. A special on-line lecture is planned where Jelle Deltombe from the Adornes Estate and the Jerusalem Chapel in Bruges, Belgium, will give a talk on Anselm Adorne who features in the Niccolò series.

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DECLARATION
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DECLARATION DECLARATION DECLARATION
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees:
~~ee~~
Signature(s)
~~i~~
~~a~~		 ~~re~~
~~es~~		 ~~re~~
Full name(s)
~~a~~
~~a~~		 Nicky Cannon
~~es~~
~~es~~		 Lesley Burnie
Position(s)
~~a~~
~~a~~		 Chair
~~es~~
~~es~~		 Treasurer
Date
~~a~~
~~a ~~		 7th February 2026
~~es~~
~~ee~~		 7th February 2026
~~ee~~

vi DOROTHY DUNNETT SOCIETY

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FROM 1ST JANUARY TO 31ST DECEMBER 2025

2025 2024
RECEIPTS Note £ £
Subscriptions 23,509 25,553
Donations 2 2,162 2,022
Dunnett Edinburgh Weekend Current Year 13 12,872 9,916
Dunnett Edinburgh Weekend Future Year 14 0 2,166
Summer Dunnett Day 15 4,395 6,986
Merchandise 8 4,416 4,704
Bank Interest 10 1,747 37
Gift Aid 17 2,195 1,574
Miscellaneous 0 0
Total Receipts 51,296 52,958
PAYMENTS_For advancement of education, the arts, heritage and culture_ For advancement of education, the arts, heritage and culture
Dunnett Edinburgh Weekend Current Year 13 11,599 13,010
Dunnett Edinburgh Weekend Future Year 14 1,070 1,518
Summer Dunnett Day 15 3,813 5,014
Whispering Gallery 19,307 18,968
Awards and Prizes 9 3,561 2,515
Special Projects/Centenary 2 4,506 1,500
Merchandise 8 2,177 6,640
Publications/Guides 8 0 2,148
Special Events 16 307 239
Donations and Subscriptions 7 20 20
46,360 51,572
F_or Governance costs_
Trustees’ and Officers’ Expenses 5 5,460 3,042
Gifts for Retiring Trustees and Officers 197 0
Administration Costs 11 2,951 3,787
Online Presence 12 2,198 2,848
10,806 9,677
Total payments 57,166 61,249
SURPLUS/-DEFICIT -5,870 -8,291
STATEMENT OF BALANCES
Cash Funds
Opening Balance		 56,430 64,721
Surplus/-Deficit -5,870 -8,291
Closing Balance 50,560 56,430
of which:
Cash
Cash		 11,813 19,430
Investments Cambridge & Counties Bank 10 28,147 27,000
Bank of Scotland 10 10,600 10,000
50,560 56,430
Assets 17 1,888 2,194
Liabilities 14 0 1,182

The notes on the next page form an integral part of these accounts

Approved by the Trustees on 7th February 2026 and signed on their behalf by: Nicky Cannon, Chair Lesley Burnie, Treasurer

These accounts have been independently examined and signed as correct by Marcus Croy, FCCA

Marcus Croy

dorothy dunnett society vii

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

NOTES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENT – From 1st January to 31st December 2025

At 31/12/24
General Fund
1,698
Special Projects Fund
20,932
Future Subscriptions Liability
7,800
Reserves
26,000
Total
56,430		 At 31/12/25
53
17,507
7,000
26,000
50,560		 BoS/Paypal
53
11,760
11,813		 Investment
17,507
7,000
14,240
38,747

The Special Projects reserve was used to fund the third tranche of the Dorothy Dunnett Centenary award of £1,500 to University of the Highlands and Islands. It was also used to pay the first instalment of £3,006 to Pooka & Co for our website redesign.

Future Subscription Liabilities is a reserve to cover those members who pay subscriptions of up to 4 years in advance. Reserves are to allow one year’s core business to continue.

viii DOROTHY DUNNETT SOCIETY