The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word POOLED
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
P
O
O
L
E
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Gathered" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gathered = pooled.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does POOLED mean?
POOLED verb- (of a liquid) To form a pool.
- To put together; contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of.
- To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.