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Make a difference

How your membership impacts the geosciences and how you can give back

Your membership impact

Over 2024, you membership has enabled the Geological Society to action initiatives benefiting the wider geoscience community.

The Geological Society - through its Lyell Collection, Publishing House and Geoscientist magazine - was able to disseminate information across a wide range of groups, broadening access to vital research and advancing geological knowledge globally.

  • 1 million articles from the Lyell Collection were downloaded
  • 18 new book titles were published
  • Geoscientist views online reached 55,158

Your support via your membership has allowed us to reach younger groups of people, helping them to engage with the geosciences from an early stage.

  • 95,000 people accessed online resources
  • The Education Team engaged with 3930 young people through schools and outreach
  • 730 students joined the annual Careers Fair, sparking curiosity about geoscience careers

The new lease-agreement has allowed us to retain our prestigious London location, Burlington House, enabling us the host a variety of in-person activities.

We would like to thank those who have supported the Geological Society in pursuing this matter, including Fellows and Friends who have made such efforts to reach a positive outcome.

We look forward to welcoming many more thousands of visitors to Burlington House over the coming decades, and continuing to provide a base for geoscience to thrive.

  • Multiple Events, Public Lectures and Training Courses were held throughout the year, reaching a wide audience of geoscientists, students, policymakers and the public
  • Megalosaurus Month welcomed over 3,200 people
  • The annual Open House Day welcomed over 1000 visitors

The Geological Society awards and administers a range of funds and grants for a broad scope of research activities.

14 research grants totalling £24,000 were awarded in 2024, enabling cutting-edge research that advances the understanding of Earth’s processes.

This has been made possible through charitable donations and supported by the Fellows who sit on the Research Grants Committee panel.

How you can support us further

Want to help pass on the passion for geoscience? The Society offers many ways in which members can get involved with what we do.

Earth Science Week

Earth Science Week is held annually in October with a set theme. The outreach team are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to run events and activities during the week.

You can download an information pack and find out more on the Earth Science Week page or contact outreach@geolsoc.org.uk

Volunteer in Earth Science Week
Earth Science Ambassadors Scheme

Our Earth Science Ambassadors Scheme aims to show how interesting and inspiring Earth sciences can be through fun demonstrations in the classroom. Becoming an Earth Science Ambassador is a great way to inspire the next generation of Earth scientists, whilst benefitting your professional development. Free training and resources are provided.

If you are interested in signing up to become a Geological Society Earth Science Ambassador or just wish to find out more about the scheme visit the Earth Science Ambassors webpage or email education@geolsoc.org.uk

Become an Earth Science Ambassador
Other volunteering opportunities

Keep an eye out for other volunteering opportunities on our website and through announcements via our LinkedIn page.

Committees

Fellows of the Society are welcome to volunteer to join one of the Society's reporting committees.

These include: 

  • Training Course Committee
  • Professional and Chartership Committee
  • Publications and Information Committee
  • Science Committee
  • Audit Committee
  • Awards Committee
  • Elections Committee

Find out more about the Society's reporting committees.

View all committees
Groups

Take an active role in your region or in your geological specialism by joining one of the Society’s Regional and/or Specialist Groups. With over 30 groups in total, there's something for everyone.

View all Regional Groups

Collections

Help safeguard the Society’s most important collections for future generations by sponsoring one of our books, archives or maps.

Find out more by visiting our Sponsor our collections webpage or alternately contact library@geolsoc.org.uk directly.

Sponsor Our Collections
Company partnerships

Partnering with the Geological Society can enhance your brand, while helping to meet Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives.

There are a number of ways businesses can get involved, including supporting our education and outreach activities or sponsoring a conference or event. We understand that no two businesses are the same and we will work with you to develop a bespoke package tailored to meet your specific needs and objectives.

Assist the Geological Society in continuing to host events that reach all areas of geoscience, educating students through to experienced Earth scientists alike.

Contact our events team today!

Donations

As a charity, we rely on funding from a variety of sources in order to continue and grow our activities.

Donating to our work is a way of investing in the future of geoscience, ensuring that more people have an opportunity to share our passion for investigating the Earth.

Your support is critical if we are to have a chance of securing the future geoscience expertise necessary to address the global challenges we face.

Make a donation
Legacies and gifts

When you leave a gift in your Will to the Society or choose to donate in someone’s memory, you help ensure that we can continue to champion the Earth science community for future generations. 

How to leave a gift
Trusts

We are very grateful to the Trusts and Foundations that support our activities.

This valuable help enables us to offer an increasing range of educational and community outreach activities, improve access to geological resources, conserve and develop our world class library and continue to grow our activities championing a diverse and inclusive geoscience community.

We would be delighted to work with you on supporting the Geological Society through your Charitable Trust or Foundation; helping to promote the future of geoscience.

Find out more
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The Written in History appeal is now closed after successfully reaching its target

In the autumn of 2022 the Geological Society launched Written in History, a campaign to fund the conservation of 12 volumes of letters sent in to Assistant Secretary’s office of the Geological Society between 1834 and 1880. Despite being one of the primary records of the Society’s history, they had to be closed off due to their poor condition.

The good news is that, thanks to the generosity of numerous donors, Written in History has now reached its target which has allowed us to conserve all of the volumes. For the first time we can now read letters which have not been looked at since they were originally bound into the volumes around 150 years ago.

Your donations have enabled us to have the letters conserved in such a manner that they can finally be catalogued properly and opened to researchers.