THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year to 31 December2025
Charity Registered Number SC047809
TRUSTEES REPORT
The Trustees present their report and the financial statements for the year to 31 December 2025.
TRUSTEES
Hilary Anson Steven Anson Angela Shapiro David Shapiro Claire Singerman Howard Singerman
There have been no changes in the Trustees during the year.
CONTACT ADDRESS
46 Larchfield Avenue, Newton Mearns, Glasgow G77 5QN.
THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION
CHARITABLE PURPOSES
The charitable purposes of the Association are the advancement of education and the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science by providing a website, information, educational resources, talks and exhibitions about the Holocaust and the refugee experience to the general public, students and school children and by learning from testimonies of Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution who have settled in Scotland.
REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES
The Gathering the Voices Association (GtV) had another successful and busy year in 2025. We have attended seminars and led workshops with Holocaust educators from across the globe. Our website has on average over 12,000 visitors every month.
Schools
Since 2014
22,500+ pupils and 22,900+ adults have viewed the GtV exhibition 13,500+ pupils and 5,000+ adults have attended GtV presentations
Gathering the Voices and other archives
Copies of all of the transcripts and audio interviews have been passed to The National Library of Scotland.
The new Portal of UK Holocaust Archives features over 46 audio interviews from Gathering the Voices’ website. It is under the auspices of The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and has been commissioned by Lord Pickles, and the Association of Jewish Refugees.
GtV i s also on the Hidden Treasures portal which is under the auspices of the Rothschild Foundation https://celebratingjewisharchives.org/
International Activities
Angela Shapiro has been invited to join the Landecker Digital Memory Lab Editorial Board.
Presentations took place at the National Archives Conference in London, National Holocaust Museum in Melbourne, Australia, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Landshut, Germany and at the Connective Holocaust Memory EXPO (Conference) at University of Sussex. The serious game ‘Suzanne‘ and the graphic novel on Professor Isi Metzstein and his wife Dany were showcased at the conference.
REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES (Continued)
Media Output
We continue to post regular updates on social media sites. GtV is now featured on Instagram and Bluesky, in addition to X and Facebook. Over 441 institutions and individuals follow the Gathering the Voices Facebook page and we have 483 followers on X. We have recently joined Bluesky (103 followers) and Instagram (52 followers). Individuals from institutions such as Yad Vashem in Israel, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington and the Wiener Library in London follow Angela Shapiro on Linked In.
Howard Singerman spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025. Over 1,200 viewed the announcement on X regarding Howard Singerman presenting to school pupils of Hillhead High School in Glasgow about his late mother Susan Singerman.
Claire Singerman was mentioned on Radio 4 's podcast Half-Life by Joe Dunthorne. The podcast series tells the story of his great grandfather’s work with poison gas and cites the interview with Dorothea Brander.
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THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION
Over 4,200 viewed a post on X regarding ‘In Plain Sight’ the film by St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School, East Kilbride.
Events in Scotland
Angela Shapiro chaired a commemoration event for the eightieth anniversaries of the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of the Second World War ‘History, Hunger and Holocaust’ at Glasgow Caledonian University. This event was organised by Dr Ben Shepherd.
Presentations took place on line for the Holocaust Education Trust at a local history and heritage convention run by South Lanarkshire Libraries.
Two videos “In Plain Sight” about the late Professor Isi Metzstein and his wife Dany were developed by St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School pupils in East Kilbride. The staff and pupils used the interviews on the GtV website as one of their primary sources. Also, the launch of a graphic novel about the Metzsteins took place in June at St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School in East Kilbride. It was developed by Magic Torch Comics in association with GtV and school pupils.
Professor Victoria Richardson-Walden, head of the Landecker Memorial Lab, came to Glasgow for five days and met with all 6 trustees and staff from Glasgow Caledonian University, Riverside Studio and Magic Torch Comics. Her detailed report praised the work of GtV and this has been published. Visit https://www.digitalmemorylab.com/spotlight-gathering-the-voices/
TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES
The Trustees received reimbursement of expenses of £642 during the year (2024: £262)
RESERVES
All of the Trust funds are unrestricted general funds and are used by the Trustees to further the work being carried out in accordance with the above charitable purposes.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Jeffrey Jesner will be seeking to continue in the position of Independent Examiner to the Trust.
Approved by the Trustees on 3 May 2026 and signed on their behalf by: -
_Hilary Anson____
Hilary Anson - Trustee
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
This report is made solely to the Trustees of The Gathering The Voices Association in accordance with the terms of my engagement. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not assume responsibility to anyone other than the Centre and its Trustees for my work or this report.
I report on the accounts of the Charity for the Year ended 31 December 2025 set out on pages 4 to 5.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The Charity Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION
Basis of Independent Examiners Statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
Independent Examiners Statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:-
-
which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect, the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have
not been met
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Jeffrey Jesner Glasgow 3 May 2026
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THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES For the Year to 31 December2025
Unrestricted Funds
| Unrestricted Funds | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| RECEIPTS | ||
| Donations | 1,250 | 651 |
| Exhibition | 315 | 1,287 |
| ---------- | ---------- | |
| 1,565 | 1,938 | |
| ---------- | ---------- | |
| PAYMENTS | ||
| Website Costs | 1,500 | 1,770 |
| Exhibition Costs | 1,704 | 750 |
| Insurance | - | 448 |
| Game Development | - | - |
| Travel Expenses | 642 | - |
| Office Expenses | 450 | 857 |
| ---------- | ---------- | |
| 4,296 | 3,825 | |
| ---------- | ---------- | |
| NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR YEAR | £(2,731) | £(1,887) |
| ====== | ====== |
There were no Restricted Funds during the Year.
THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION
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BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 December2025
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| CURRENT ASSETS | ||
| Bank Accounts | £6,441 | £9,172 |
| ===== | ===== | |
| Represented by:- | ||
| FUND BALANCES | ||
| £ | £ | |
| General Unrestricted Fund | ||
| Opening Balance | 9,172 | 11,059 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for year | (2,731) | (1,887) |
| -------- | --------- | |
| Closing Balance | £6,441 | £9,172 |
| ===== | ===== |
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts & Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
These financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 3 May 2026 and are signed on their behalf by:-
Hilary Anson
Hilary Anson - Trustee
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THE GATHERING THE VOICES ASSOCIATION