Jewish Child’s Day has bucked a recessionary trend by reporting a 20 per cent rise in unrestricted income for its latest financial year.

The £775,000 in this category can be put by the charity to towards children’s agencies which meet its applications criteria. Restricted income is from trusts which specify the agencies which can benefit.

Treasurer Stephen Moss reported on a challenging year for JCD. “But despite the financial turmoil, our overall appeal income [£968,000] came to within six per cent of the previous year, which was a major achievement.”

However, there had been a “significant drop” in restricted income, as the result of two trusts not renewing their support.

The average donation was up by three per cent although the number of donors had fallen. JCD helped 119 children’s organisations during the year under review, compared to 104 in 2007-8 and 91 in 2006-7. Executive director Daniel Burger said this was “a clear sign of the economic climate”.