The Oral History Society

Analysis

The Oral History Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Powys. It was registered in March 1984, 42 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it provides human resources, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Oral History Society reported income of £73k and spending of £62k, spending 85% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £49k to £73k (+48%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 47%. Over the whole period it spent 92% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Oral History Society sits at the 75th percentile: it is larger than about 75% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 66th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Eilidh Macleod Memorial Trust (£73k), Sleaford Little Theatre (£73k) and Devizes Arts Festival (£73k).