01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC047002
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Wider, but within one local authority area
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 0
- Postcode
- KW17 2LR
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
The Trust was formed in November 2016 to respond to the destruction of Orkney’s archaeological sites by the sea. Orkney is a group of 70 islands with a landmass of only 975 square km but over 980 km of coastline, with many archaeological sites situated on the foreshore and subject to ongoing coastal erosion. Global warming, the effects of climate change and melting polar ice are promoting higher sea levels and changing weather systems with increased storminess, which is exacerbating an existing problem. The Trust's priority project is the ongoing excavation at the Knowe of Swandro, Rousay, a possible Neolithic chambered tomb and a large settlement occupied from around 1000BC to AD1200. The Trust responds to emergency situations which arise due to coastal erosion, for example in recent years we have funded work at Cata Sands in Sanday, where a Bronze Age/Neolithic settlement was revealed by the erosion of a dune system.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It makes grants, donations, loans, gifts or pensions to individuals
- It makes grants, donations or gifts to organisations
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
The organisation's purposes are to advance education, heritage and culture for people of all ages, backgrounds and levels of capability from anywhere in the world through the pursuit of archaeological activities, in the widest possible ways, at Swandro and its environs by: 4.1.1 encouraging and providing opportunities to learn about the heritage and archaeology of Swandro and its environs. 4.1.2 encouraging and providing opportunities to become involved in archaeological activities at Swandro and its environs. 4.1.3 offering a range of activities, including without limitation: public lectures. exhibitions. tours. visits. summer schools and work experience opportunities and public participation, in a volunteer capacity, in the widest possible range of archaeological techniques and tasks, all in pursuit of the widest possible understanding of, interest in and development of the archaeological work at Swandro and its environs. 4.1.4 facilitating the publication of the results of and the maintenance of the records of archaeological activities carried out in relation to Swandro and its environs. 4.1.5 facilitating the promotion of the preservation of and public display of the collections of archaeological artefacts and ecofacts, obtained from Swandro and its environs. 4.1.6 working with other organisations and individuals, including schools and universities, to further the aims of the organisation. and 4.1.7 serving Swandro and its environs by an active involvement in its future excavation and presentation.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Total income | Donations | Charitable activities income | Trading income | Investment income | Other income | Total expenditure | Raising funds | Charitable activities spending | Other spending | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2025 | £79,050 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £48,086 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 0 | 15 February 2026 |
| 31 December 2024 | £29,687 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £45,299 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 0 | 19 February 2025 |
| 31 December 2023 | £28,291 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £50,294 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 0 | 20 February 2024 |
| 31 December 2022 | £82,616 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £49,728 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 0 | 15 March 2023 |
| 31 December 2021 | £8,821 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £2,547 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 0 | 22 March 2022 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- Bayview, Birsay, Orkney
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.swandro.co.uk
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.