The 250 supporters at the Jewish Women’s Aid lunch at the Marriott Regent’s Park were told that more women were contacting the domestic abuse charity than ever before with “207 significant calls for help” over the year.

Woman’s Hour presenter Jane Garvey spoke about the diverse issues covered by the show.

Of particular relevance to JWA was a recent programme on coercive control, which had got listeners talking about their own experiences.

The charity’s income last year was £740,000, expenditure slightly less. But demand for its services is rising and whereas JWA could formerly count on one-third of its income from statutory contracts, the figure has dropped to less than 10 per cent.

It is therefore more reliant on the community and charitable trusts than ever before. The lunch raised £160,000.

Chief executive Naomi Dickson noted the “huge cultural change in the wider community that has empowered women to speak up about abuse and I am sure it is having an impact in our own community. A combination of the awareness raised by the #MeToo campaign and our own drive to increase awareness in the community means we need more resources than ever to give the help needed to the women and families who come to us.”