Director of the Anne Frank Trust receives MBE

Gillian Walnes the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Anne Frank Trust UK has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours with the award of an MBE.

Gillian has spent twenty years travelling the length and breadth of the British Isles organising Anne Frank exhibitions, which have been seen by over 3 million people.  The charity was started from a room in Gillian’s home in Dorset in 1990 and until 2004 was run from her home in north London.  

The Anne Frank Trust UK started following a visit by the Anne Frank in the World exhibition to Bournemouth in 1989.  Gillian had been a well known human rights campaigner and was approached by a friend of the Frank family, Rabbi David Soetendorp, to help stage a “new to Britain” travelling exhibition in the town.  

After its success with over 10,000 visitors, Gillian approached the Director of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam suggesting that the exhibition should be permanently based in Britain.  The Anne Frank Trust received authorisation from the Anne Frank House to carry out educational work in Anne Frank’s name, and the charity was set up in 1990 and launched at the House of Commons in 1991. 

As well as the expansion and growth of the charity, key achievements over the 20 years have included the creation of the Anne Frank Declaration, which world and national leaders, as well as thousands of children, have signed;  the introduction of national Anne Frank Day for schools and the Anne Frank Tree planting project, which has resulted in hundreds of trees being planted in prominent sites to commemorate children killed through wars and persecution. 

Commenting on her honour, Gillian said:
“I will be accepting this huge honour on behalf of the talented and dedicated team of people who make up the Anne Frank Trust, as well as all those around the UK who have organised and supported Anne Frank exhibitions and projects – they are the embodiment of Otto Frank’s wish that his daughter’s inspirational writing be a general force for good. 

“This honour is richly deserved and a huge tribute to the leadership and success Gillian has brought to the Anne Frank Trust,” said Dr Ann Limb, Chair of the Trustees.

 Posted 1.01.10

65 years since the Liberation of Auschwitz
Read story >>