The Society's seal and three photographs

About us

Follow this link to see our formal Constitution, Standing Orders, and other policy documents.

How SANT is governed

As from 1 January 2021, we are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registration number, 1188638). Click here for our entry on the Charity Commission website. The Society operated for many years as an unincorporated association with charitable status (registration number 230888) with the same name and the same charitable objects. Click here for the Charity Commission entry for the pre-2021 body. The CIO is operating in the same way, with a membership which elects the trustees (Members of Council) and the officers of the Society. This more modern form of charitable status makes it easier for the Society to hold assets and make contracts, and offers the charity trustees the comfort of limited liability. 

 We produce an Annual Report and Accounts, which are submitted yearly to the Charity Commissioners.

Our Constitution requires that there should be not less than 14 nor more than 16 elected charity trustees. These consist of the six officers of the CIO, namely the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Librarian, the Editor and the Keeper of the Archaeological Collections, and up to 10 other members. To be eligible to stand as President, any candidate must already be a charity trustee. In addition the immediate Past President of the CIO is an ex officio trustee. The members' section also includes the Standing Orders for Council and the terms of reference of the committees.

Two officers and two ordinary trustees will be standing down at each AGM, chosen on the basis of length of service or by lot if necessary, but may stand for re-election. We are always happy for anyone to put themselves forward as a Council member, and would particularly welcome anyone with legal knowledge, following the sad death of our member His Hon Christopher Walton.

See below for a list of Council members,members of our Committees, and representatives on outside bodies. Our Standing Orders for Council meetings, and for individual committees have been in force since we became a CIO in January 2021. They will be reviewed annually.

All members of Council are expected to declare their interests each year.

Privacy and Data Protection

We take our members' privacy very seriously, and:

Our Data Protection Policy is reviewed at each May Council Meeting. Our registration number with the Information Commissioner's Office is A8266316.


The individuals running the Society

Officers and Council

PRESIDENT

D. H. Heslop, BA, FSA

SECRETARY:

Charles Dodds

TREASURER:

Professor S. D. Pallett, MA, ACA, PFHEA

 EDITOR:

D. P. O’Meara, BA, MA, MSc

LIBRARIAN:

Mike Darke

KEEPER OF COLLECTIONS:

L. Allason-Jones, OBE, BA, MLitt, FSA, FMA, FRSA

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:

N. Hodgson, MA, PhD, FSA

COUNCIL:

M. Alberti, MA; R. Collins, MA, PhD, FSA, FHEA; S. Collins, BA, MA, PhD; D. Cutts, BA; R. W. Fern, BA; F. C. McIntosh, BA, MLitt, PhD; K. C. Mountain, BA, MA, FSAScot; R. M. Pears, BA, PhD, DMS, DipILM, FHEA, FSA; S. Ward, MA; G. N. Woodward, MA, MA,

All officers and Council members are trustees of the Society.

Sub-committees of Council:

The President is an ex officio member of all committees.

Executive:

David Heslop (President); Nick Hodgson (immediate Past President); Charles Dodds (Secretary); Don O’Meara (Editor); Simon Pallett (Treasurer); Mike Barke (Librarian; Lindsay Allason-Jones (Keeper of Collections); Richard Pears (Activities Committee); Derek Cutts; Roger Fern

Activities and Membership:

Chair: Richard Pears; Secretary: Geoff Woodward; Indoor Meetings Secretary, Social Secretary and Social media secretary: Katie Mountain; Country Meetings Secretary (acting): Richard Pears; Country Walks Secretary: Rosie Serdiville; Summer Walks Secretary: John Griffiths; other members: Marta Alberti, Ann Marie Nicol; Freda Thompson, Sue Ward, Daniel Riddell

Library:

Chair/Librarian: Mike Barke; Secretary: Charles Dodds; other members: Rebecca Knight, Phil Thirkell, Denis Peel

Collections:

Chair: Lindsay Allason-Jones; Secretary: Sally Bird; Keeper of the Pipes: Kim Bibby-Wilson; Keeper of the Coins: Rob Collins; other members: Anne Moore, Frances McIntosh

Publications:

Chair: Nick Hodgson; Secretary: Sue Ward; Editor of Archaeologia Aeliana: Don O’Meara; Production Editor of Archaeologia Aeliana: Roger Fern; News Bulletin editor: David Heslop; Stock and sales: Bill Griffiths. Other members: Richard Pears; Adam Leigh; Ruth Connolly; Alan Beale

Music: Ad-hoc, as convened by Kim Bibby-Wilson

Conservation Officer: John Griffiths

Other Ad-hoc committees reporting to Council:

Investment Committee: Simon Pallett, Sue Ward, David Heslop

Representatives of the Society on outside bodies:

Newcastle upon Tyne Conservation Advisory Panel: John Griffiths

Bagpipe Museum Liaison Committee: The President, Kim Bibby-Wilson, Lindsay Allason-Jones.

Heart of the City Partnership: Richard Pears; Katie Mountain

GNM Committees:

Board of Governance: Rob Collins

Library liaison: Mike Barke, Richard Pears

A full list of all officers and Council for past years is included in the Society's Annual Report for each year.

You can reach any of the officers or committees of the Society by contacting the Hon. Secretary by e-mail, or by writing to him at the Society's Office.

Members of the Society's Council (only) can see copies of Council meeting papers by clicking here

In the future, don’t forget your past