Advancing welfare

The closest of the Society’s charitable associations is John Watson’s Trust, the legacy of John Watson WS, assisting disadvantaged children in Scotland. JWT provides grants in excess of £150,000 each year to children and young people for educational needs. Grants are made for support learning, specialist classes, equipment and to allow young people from all backgrounds to experience independence through trips and activities. Administration has been carried out in-house by the WS executive team for over ten years.

As a not-for-profit organisation, the Society understands the needs of Scottish charities. Our ethos is aligned with our charity clients. We are uniquely placed to modernise administration. We look proactively for ways to contribute to pubic benefit, add value and make cost savings. We believe in personal service and receive outstanding feedback from the trustees with whom we work.

Currently, we provide our service to a select group of charities, with a diverse range of purposes from children and young people, to the arts, heritage and education, to financial relief for older people and building capacity in smaller voluntary organisations in the UK. In each case, we have reduced operating costs, advanced sustainability, improved governance, streamlined funding processes and provided practical help by sourcing trustees and setting up websites and marketing campaigns.

The charity administration service has grown in a short space of time to become an important modern expression of the Society’s tradition of charitable endeavour. There is enormous potential to expand in this area. As one of the oldest public benefit, not-for-profit incorporated bodies in Scotland, we aim to build on our success and contribute to a thriving modern charity sector.