The growing hostility faced by British charities has alarmed both regulators and the sector’s leaders.

Mark Simms, the interim chair of the Charity Commission, has condemned the “abhorrent abuse” directed at staff and volunteers, particularly those working with refugees and migrants.

In recent weeks, Simms has met with organisations reporting threats of violence, harassment, and property damage, acts that, he warns, threaten not only personal safety but the moral fabric of civic life.

For centuries, Britain’s charities have served as the country’s conscience, helping those society neglects.

Yet today, some find themselves targeted amid a climate of toxic rhetoric and political polarisation.

While Simms insists that charities must remain open to scrutiny, he draws a firm line between legitimate criticism and intimidation.

The Commission, he pledges, will protect trustees who act lawfully in pursuit of their missions and dismiss complaints designed to use charity law as a political weapon.

The message is clear: a civilised society cannot allow those who serve its most vulnerable to become its latest victims.