As an MP, I see first-hand the vitally important work that charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises do every day. The health, social and economic effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic make this work more important than ever.

But these organisations are being hit hard by the pandemic themselves. The NCVO, which promotes the work of the voluntary sector, predicts that the sector will lose £4.3 billion in income over the coming 12 weeks due to the virus.

There is a real risk that, without an immediate injection of money, many charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises of all sizes will soon close.

Along with many other MPs, I’ve signed a joint letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, urging him to provide emergency support to the charity, voluntary and social enterprise sector at this crucial time. You can see the full text of the letter here.

We cannot afford to lose these organisations and the Chancellor needs to take action urgently to ensure that they survive.