The Holocaust – a British Perspective: Confronting Evil, Assuming Responsibility

The Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust

The Holocaust – a British Perspective: Confronting Evil, Assuming Responsibility

The Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust

The Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust’s primary activity is to support (by grant-funding) the establishment and subsequent operation of the new UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre to be built in Victoria Tower Gardens, London, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament.

The charity’s activities involve remembering and developing learning on the Holocaust and the historical context in which it occurred.

This website and its content are owned by the Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust.

The Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust’s primary activity is to support (by grant-funding) the establishment and subsequent operation of the new UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre to be built in Victoria Tower Gardens, London, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament.

The charity’s activities involve remembering and developing learning on the Holocaust and the historical context in which it occurred.

This website and its content are owned by the Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust.

The Charity was incorporated as a company on 30 January 2019 (Registered number: 11796550) and was registered as a charity by the Charity Commission on 30 January 2019 (Registered Charity Number: 1181806). Its activities are governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association which have not been amended since incorporation.

The Objects of the Charity are, for the benefit of the public, either directly or by way of making grants:

(a)       to promote mental and moral improvement by remembering and reflecting upon the Holocaust in particular but not exclusively by supporting the establishment, maintenance and preservation of the proposed Holocaust memorial and learning centre at Victoria Gardens in London;

(b)       to advance education in relation to the Holocaust and human rights, in particular democracy and the political context in which the Holocaust occurred and the importance of protecting minorities within a democracy;

(c)       to promote human rights (as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations) throughout the world by

  • raising awareness of human rights issues;
  • promoting public support for human rights; and
  • promoting respect for human rights among individuals and corporations.

(d)       to promote equality and diversity and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, disability, and sexual orientation; and

(e)       to further such exclusively charitable purposes as the trustees may determine which relate to the Holocaust or genocide or persecution more generally.

The Charity was established primarily to support the establishment and subsequent operation of a new UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre (the ‘Holocaust Memorial’), which is proposed to be built in Victoria Gardens, London, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament.  The Charity is not intended to own or operate the Holocaust Memorial but to support it and associated activities (subject always to the discretion of the Trustees) by way of grant-funding.

It is anticipated that the total cost of building the Holocaust Memorial will be in the region of £100 million and charitable funds will constitute approximately a quarter of the total costs.  Subject to planning permission and securing adequate additional funding, the Holocaust Memorial will be built by the UK Government. An application for planning permission was submitted by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Westminster City Council in December 2018 and was called in by the Ministry in November 2019 and is currently the subject of a Planning Inquiry.

The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation was established as a cross-party advisory body and a discussion forum to bring together key parties involved in the Project, to give advice on the content of the exhibition and the design of the Holocaust Memorial and to build support across society for the Holocaust Memorial.  A number of the charity trustees serve on the board of the Foundation.

The Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust’s primary activity is to support (by grant-funding) the establishment and subsequent operation of the new UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre to be built in Victoria Tower Gardens, London, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament.

The charity’s activities involve remembering and developing learning on the Holocaust and the historical context in which it occurred.

This website and its content are owned by the Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust.

The Charity was incorporated as a company on 30 January 2019 (Registered number: 11796550) and was registered as a charity by the Charity Commission on 30 January 2019 (Registered Charity Number: 1181806). Its activities are governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association which have not been amended since incorporation.

The Objects of the Charity are, for the benefit of the public, either directly or by way of making grants:

(a)       to promote mental and moral improvement by remembering and reflecting upon the Holocaust in particular but not exclusively by supporting the establishment, maintenance and preservation of the proposed Holocaust memorial and learning centre at Victoria Gardens in London;

(b)       to advance education in relation to the Holocaust and human rights, in particular democracy and the political context in which the Holocaust occurred and the importance of protecting minorities within a democracy;

(c)       to promote human rights (as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations) throughout the world by

  • raising awareness of human rights issues;
  • promoting public support for human rights; and
  • promoting respect for human rights among individuals and corporations.

(d)       to promote equality and diversity and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, disability, and sexual orientation; and

(e)       to further such exclusively charitable purposes as the trustees may determine which relate to the Holocaust or genocide or persecution more generally.

The Charity was established primarily to support the establishment and subsequent operation of a new UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre (the ‘Holocaust Memorial’), which is proposed to be built in Victoria Gardens, London, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament.  The Charity is not intended to own or operate the Holocaust Memorial but to support it and associated activities (subject always to the discretion of the Trustees) by way of grant-funding.

It is anticipated that the total cost of building the Holocaust Memorial will be in the region of £100 million and charitable funds will constitute approximately a quarter of the total costs.  Subject to planning permission and securing adequate additional funding, the Holocaust Memorial will be built by the UK Government. An application for planning permission was submitted by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Westminster City Council in December 2018 and was called in by the Ministry in November 2019 and is currently the subject of a Planning Inquiry.

The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation was established as a cross-party advisory body and a discussion forum to bring together key parties involved in the Project, to give advice on the content of the exhibition and the design of the Holocaust Memorial and to build support across society for the Holocaust Memorial.  A number of the charity trustees serve on the board of the Foundation.

Our trustees

Gerald Ronson CBE

Gerald Ronson is a UK property developer and entrepreneur. In addition to his business interests in the property and petrol retailing sectors, he is a recognised philanthropist, having raised over £100 million and personally donated more than £30 million. He is directly responsible for raising over £8 million each year for the charities in which he plays a leadership role. He was awarded the CBE in the New Year’s Honours List in 2012 for philanthropy and charitable services. Gerald Ronson is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

Edward Balls

Ed Balls co-chairs the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation with Lord Pickles.
He is Senior Fellow at Harvard University Kennedy School and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics.
He was UK Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer (2011-15) and served in the British Cabinet as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007-2010). Before that he was the UK Minister for Financial Services (2006-07) and the Chief Economic Adviser to the UK Treasury (1997-2004).

Sir Lloyd Dorfman CBE

Lloyd Dorfman CBE is a British entrepreneur who founded Travelex in 1976. He has a long association with a number of charities, including the Prince’s Trust, which he now chairs, and the National Theatre. He established the Dorfman Foundation in 2007, which focuses on the arts, education and a wide range of other charitable purposes.
Sir Lloyd is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Feldman of Elstree

Lord Feldman served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2016. Before being appointed Party Chairman, he was Chief Executive of the Conservative Party. He was elevated to the House of Lords in 2010 and appointed to the Privy Council in 2015.

Peter Freeman CBE

Peter Freeman founded the Argent Group of property companies with his brother Michael in 1981. Argent is best known for its multiphase mixed-use regeneration schemes in London, Birmingham and Manchester, the largest of which is Kings Cross. Peter is a director and investor in Mayfields Market Towns Limited, which is promoting a new town in Sussex, and Chairman of Artichoke, an Arts charity.
Peter Freeman is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

Natasha Kaplinsky OBE

Natasha Kaplinsky is one of the UK’s leading broadcasters and one of the most familiar faces of TV news having worked for Sky News, BBC and channel FIVE. She is an Ambassador for Save The Children.
In 2014 she became a member of the Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission. Natasha was at the forefront of interviewing 112 Holocaust survivors which will form a key part of the exhibition for the planned Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
Natasha Kaplinsky is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

The Lord Polak CBE

Lord Stuart Polak was a youth officer at the Edgware United Synagogue in Edgware, northwest London and served as an officer of the Board of Deputies of British Jews in the 1980s. He joined the Conservative Friends of Israel in 1989 and served as its Director for twenty-six years, until August 2015. He now serves as its honorary president. Lord Polak was created a life peer on 2 October 2015.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Pickles

Lord Pickles co-chairs the United Kingdom’s Holocaust Memorial Foundation with Ed Balls.
Lord Pickles was appointed Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues in September 2015, replacing Sir Andrew Burns. Lord Pickles works closely with the wide range of Holocaust academics, survivors and educational and social organisations in the UK.
First elected to Parliament in 1992 he retired as MP for Brentwood and Ongar at the 2017 general election. He was previously Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He was made a Life Peer in 2018.

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Basildon

Baroness Smith of Basildon is a Labour Life peer. Prior to joining the Lords, she sat in the Commons as an MP, and was first elected in 1997. She currently undertakes the roles of Shadow Spokesperson (Northern Ireland), Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office), Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office Constitutional and Devolved matters) and Shadow Leader of the House of Lords.

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Taylor of Bolton

Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour Life peer. Prior to joining the Lords she sat in the House of Commons as an MP and was first elected in 1974. Baroness Taylor was Minister for International Defence and Security. She was also the first woman to serve as Leader of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, the first woman to serve as Lord President of the Privy Council and the first woman to serve as House of Commons Chief Whip.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Young of Graffham CH DL

After practicing as a solicitor for a year, Lord Young entered the world of business, founding the first of many enterprises in 1961. In 1979, he became involved in politics, leading on programmes to alleviate youth and adult unemployment. He later joined the Cabinet as a Minister without Portfolio, becoming a member of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for Employment and Trade and Industry. In 1990 he became Executive Chairman of Cable & Wireless PLC until 1995 when he retired and founded Young Associates, where he remains as Chairman.

Our trustees

Gerald Maurice Ronson CBE

Gerald Ronson is a UK property developer and entrepreneur. In addition to his business interests in the property and petrol retailing sectors, he is a recognised philanthropist, having raised over £100 million and personally donated more than £30 million. He is directly responsible for raising over £8 million each year for the charities in which he plays a leadership role. He was awarded the CBE in the New Year’s Honours List in 2012 for philanthropy and charitable services. Gerald Ronson is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

Edward Michael Balls

Ed Balls co-chairs the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation with Lord Pickles.
He is Senior Fellow at Harvard University Kennedy School and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics.
He was UK Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer (2011-15) and served in the British Cabinet as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007-2010). Before that he was the UK Minister for Financial Services (2006-07) and the Chief Economic Adviser to the UK Treasury (1997-2004).

Sir Lloyd Marshall Dorfman CBE

Lloyd Dorfman CBE is a British entrepreneur who founded Travelex in 1976. He has a long association with a number of charities, including the Prince’s Trust, which he now chairs, and the National Theatre. He established the Dorfman Foundation in 2007, which focuses on the arts, education and a wide range of other charitable purposes.
Sir Lloyd is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Feldman of Elstree

Lord Feldman served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2016. Before being appointed Party Chairman, he was Chief Executive of the Conservative Party. He was elevated to the House of Lords in 2010 and appointed to the Privy Council in 2015.

Peter Geoffrey Freeman CBE

Peter Freeman founded the Argent Group of property companies with his brother Michael in 1981. Argent is best known for its multiphase mixed-use regeneration schemes in London, Birmingham and Manchester, the largest of which is Kings Cross. Peter is a director and investor in Mayfields Market Towns Limited, which is promoting a new town in Sussex, and Chairman of Artichoke, an Arts charity.
Peter Freeman is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

Natasha Kaplinsky OBE

Natasha Kaplinsky is one of the UK’s leading broadcasters and one of the most familiar faces of TV news having worked for Sky News, BBC and channel FIVE. She is an Ambassador for Save The Children.
In 2014 she became a member of the Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission. Natasha was at the forefront of interviewing 112 Holocaust survivors which will form a key part of the exhibition for the planned Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
Natasha Kaplinsky is a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.

The Lord Polak CBE

Lord Stuart Polak was a youth officer at the Edgware United Synagogue in Edgware, northwest London and served as an officer of the Board of Deputies of British Jews in the 1980s. He joined the Conservative Friends of Israel in 1989 and served as its Director for twenty-six years, until August 2015. He now serves as its honorary president. Lord Polak was created a life peer on 2 October 2015.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Pickles

Lord Pickles co-chairs the United Kingdom’s Holocaust Memorial Foundation with Ed Balls.
Lord Pickles was appointed Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues in September 2015, replacing Sir Andrew Burns. Lord Pickles works closely with the wide range of Holocaust academics, survivors and educational and social organisations in the UK.
First elected to Parliament in 1992 he retired as MP for Brentwood and Ongar at the 2017 general election. He was previously Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He was made a Life Peer in 2018.

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Basildon

Baroness Smith of Basildon is a Labour Life peer. Prior to joining the Lords, she sat in the Commons as an MP, and was first elected in 1997. She currently undertakes the roles of Shadow Spokesperson (Northern Ireland), Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office), Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office Constitutional and Devolved matters) and Shadow Leader of the House of Lords.

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Taylor of Bolton

Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour Life peer. Prior to joining the Lords she sat in the House of Commons as an MP and was first elected in 1974. Baroness Taylor was Minister for International Defence and Security. She was also the first woman to serve as Leader of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, the first woman to serve as Lord President of the Privy Council and the first woman to serve as House of Commons Chief Whip.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Young of Graffham CH DL

After practicing as a solicitor for a year, Lord Young entered the world of business, founding the first of many enterprises in 1961. In 1979, he became involved in politics, leading on programmes to alleviate youth and adult unemployment. He later joined the Cabinet as a Minister without Portfolio, becoming a member of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for Employment and Trade and Industry. In 1990 he became Executive Chairman of Cable & Wireless PLC until 1995 when he retired and founded Young Associates, where he remains as Chairman.