Orphan's No 10 meeting gives new boost to our Fund

Donations to the Evening Standard's Dispossessed campaign have rocketed this week following the announcement that the fund has reached over £7.2 million.

The campaign was boosted this week when orphan Nabil Ahmed, 19, met the Prime Minister at Downing Street to receive a £1 million gift.

Since then, Londoners have flocked to the Evening Standard's website to donate, with more than £13,000 given by readers in just 72 hours.

Donors today urged more to come forward and donate. Sir Terence Conran said: "Wow. Just wow. I am absolutely stunned by the achievements of this campaign, but then again nothing about what London achieves when it puts its mind to it surprises me any more. Is asking for a final push to make double figures beyond the realms of possibility?"

Ash Hodgson, 15, was so moved by the stories of London's dispossessed, that he immediately donated all his savings to the fund.

His father, Russ, 48, today congratulated the campaign and urged Londoners to keep on donating.

The architect from East Finchley said: "The more people who can donate, the more people can benefit. It's something that's incredibly valuable to London."