You're a fighter: Rita's tidings of comfort and hope

As our appeal hits £2.4 million (including 3,500 individual donations from ordinary Londoners) the singer-songwriter pays a visit to one of the charities benefiting

- David Cohen

THE total raised by the Evening Standard's Winter Survival Appeal in partnership with Comic Relief has swelled to £2.4 million, thanks to a final week surge in public donations to £200,000 - with £1,250,000 already given out in grants to charities helping the most vulnerable people struggling with the cost of living in London and across the country.

With one million children in extreme poverty and at severe risk of being inadequately fed, clothed or kept warm this winter, the funds raised have been hailed by struggling charities and parents as a lifesaver, providing food and essentials to families in crisis. We have funded 20 outstanding charities and social enterprises, with the rest of the funds to be allocated in the new year. It marks the biggest disbursement to charities raised by a British news group this year in response to the cost of living crisis.

One such charity was visited by Rita Ora (pictured here and on today's front page), who found the experience highly emotional. The singer had stopped by at a women's refuge, home to 21 families and supported by Buttle UK, a charity we have backed with a £50,000 grant.