Home Countries United Kingdom Arts & Culture Borders Book Festival
BO

Borders Book Festival

Melrose, Scotland Reg: SC037347 (Charity Commission) Sign up to see website
Claim this charity
Ready to give?
100% goes to Borders Book Festival

GiveRadar doesn't take a cut. We couldn't find a direct donate page, so visit their site.

Visit www.bordersbookfestival…
41
Integrity Assessment
Partial transparency
41/100 · methodology

About Borders Book Festival

The Company was established to: (i) promote the arts for the benefit of the public, and in particular to encourage and develop public participation and interest in the cultural and social heritage of the Borders Region. (ii) present public readings and other artistic performances at the annual Borders Book Festival or elsewhere, for the benefit of the local and general public. (iii) support and encourage authors, writers and other practitioners of the arts by providing them with the opportunity to perform or display their talents at the annual Borders Book Festival or elsewhere. (iv) establish and promote international, national and regional exchanges of ideas and information in relation to the arts, by lectures, performances, displays and otherwise in suitable public …

Founded
Headquarters
Melrose, Scotland
Foundation type
Charitable Company

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United Kingdom
Integrity Assessment This charity: 41
Peer average: 86

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for Charity Commission removal, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every £1 goes

· FY2022 · oscr (FY2024)
£0.95
Program£0.95

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Borders Book Festival has a substantially complete profile, sourced from OSCR.

  • GiveRadar holds 4 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2024. See the filings
  • Its integrity score of 41 is below most of the 21,809 arts & culture charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks. GiveRadar bases this on limited verified information so far, with little on record for its governance. Explore United Kingdom data
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (4 filed years)
  • a website
  • a contact email
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • leadership details (present for 90% of comparable organizations)
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Borders Book Festival is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Melrose, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 2006 and has been operating for 20 years. Its registration number is SC037347. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 41/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £499K in annual revenue.

Borders Book Festival's official registration number is SC037347, as recorded in the national registry of United Kingdom.

Borders Book Festival has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 41/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 41 ('Partial transparency') means some public data is on file but key signals are missing - worth a closer look before donating. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.

Borders Book Festival is located in Melrose, Scotland, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 2006 and has been active for 20 years.

Based on official tax filings, Borders Book Festival has £499K in annual revenue. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Borders Book Festival is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. It has £499K in annual revenue.

According to GiveRadar's records, Borders Book Festival is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and overseen by the Charity Commission. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

The Company was established to: (i) promote the arts for the benefit of the public, and in particular to encourage and develop public participation and interest in the cultural and social heritage of the Borders Region. (ii) present public readings and other artistic performances at the annual Borders Book Festival or elsewhere, for the benefit of the local and general public. (iii) support and encourage authors, writers and other practitioners of the arts by providing them with the opportunity to perform or display their talents at the annual Borders Book Festival or elsewhere. (iv) establish and promote international, national and regional exchanges of ideas and information in relation to the... Borders Book Festival is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 2006.

Among arts & culture charities registered in United Kingdom: Its annual revenue of £499K is comparable to the peer average of £629K.

Borders Book Festival is a charitable company limited by guarantee, the most common incorporated form for UK charities. It is registered with both Companies House and the Charity Commission, and must file annual accounts with both regulators. Directors (who are also charity trustees) have limited liability. Its Charity Commission registration number is SC037347.

You can verify Borders Book Festival in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Because this is a charitable company, you can also check its filings on Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/). Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Contact Borders Book Festival directly for current donation methods. UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.

Donations to Borders Book Festival are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.

Borders Book Festival is based in Melrose in Scotland. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.

Borders Book Festival was first registered in 2006, making it approximately 20 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.

Annual revenue
£100K-£1M
Source: oscr (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

4 years on file from oscr (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

Sign up to view
Already have an account? Log in
No credit card · Takes 20 seconds

Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
50
Still gathering leadership data

We check government filings and charity disclosures quarterly. If you represent this charity, claim this page to add officers directly.

Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
£0.5M revenue
FY2024
OSCR
Form filed
£0.4M revenue
FY2023
OSCR
Form filed
£0.4M revenue
FY2022
OSCR
Form filed
£0.3M revenue
FY2021
OSCR

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Have you donated or volunteered here?

Share your experience - it takes 30 seconds. Verified reviews help other donors decide.

Sign up to write a review

Cause areas in United Kingdom

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Education 87,646
Health 28,382
Religion 22,146
Arts & Culture this charity 21,802
Community Development 10,738
Environment 5,683
Social Services 4,899
Youth Development 4,637
See all cause areas in United Kingdom

Most common causes in United Kingdom

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Education 54,780
Arts & Culture 17,729
Disability 17,106
Religion 16,671
Health 15,045
Poverty 14,062
Community Development 11,486
Cultural Heritage 8,526

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
Financial filings
Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 17, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 17, 2026
Profile completeness
65%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 7
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2006
Not available · 4
  • Named leadership
    Board and officer list not yet indexed
  • Executive pay
    Top-officer pay not disclosed
  • Mission statement
    No self-published statement of purpose
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Borders Book Festival

What is Borders Book Festival?
Borders Book Festival is a arts & culture charitable company based in Melrose, United Kingdom. The Company was established to: (i) promote the arts for the benefit of the public, and in particular to encourage and develop public participation and interest in the cultural and social heritage of the Borders Region. (ii) present public readings and other artistic performances at the annual Borders Book Festival or elsewhere, for the benefit of the local and general public. (iii) support and encourage authors, writers and other practitioners of the arts by providing them with the opportunity to perform or display their talents at the annual Borders Book Festival or elsewhere. (iv) establish and promote international, national and regional exchanges of ideas and information in relation to the arts, by lectures, performances, displays and otherwise in suitable public venues. 'the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science' To promote for the benefit of the public the arts (which for the purposes of this clause shall mean the literary or any other arts provided in each case that they are of recognised cultural, aesthetic or educational value) and to foster, promote and increase public participation and interest in the arts, and in particular the active encouragement and development of public participation and interest in the cultural and social heritage of the Borders region'
When was Borders Book Festival founded?
Borders Book Festival was founded in 2006.
Where is Borders Book Festival located?
Headquartered in Melrose, Scotland, United Kingdom.
What is Borders Book Festival's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately £100K-£1M.
Is Borders Book Festival trustworthy?
Borders Book Festival has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 41 out of 100 (Partial transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Borders Book Festival's registration number?
Registration: SC037347 (United Kingdom).
What is Borders Book Festival's website?
https://www.bordersbookfestival.org
Are donations to Borders Book Festival tax-deductible?
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.