Jo Cox death: Fundraising page raises more than £500,000 in just a day

More than 14,000 people have donated so far

The GoFundMe page was set up by the murdered MP’s family and friends to raise money for the charities “closest to her heart” and has received donations from more than 9,000 people (PA)

A fundraising page set up in memory of Jo Cox has reached more than £500,000.

The page, set up by the MP’s family and friends on Friday to raise money for the charities “closest to her heart”, has received donations from more than 14,000 people and been shared 13,000 times.

The funds will go towards the Royal Voluntary Service, a charity that works to combat loneliness in Jo’s constituency, HOPE not hate, which seeks to challenge and defeat the politics of hate and extremism in Britain and the White Helmets, a group of volunteer search and rescue workers in Syria.

As of Sunday morning, the page had raised £580,000.

Ms Cox’s husband, Brendan Cox, encouraged people to donate via a tweet stating that “protecting people in Syria”, “tackling loneliness” and “fighting extremism are some of the causes Jo fought for.

One donator wrote: “Such a huge loss of a really good person. In her memory, we should all try to be better people and work to support causes that were dear to her”.

Another wrote: “Such a huge loss of a really good person. In her memory, we should all try to be better people and work to support causes that were dear to her.”

Leaders across the world have expressed shock at the murder of the MP, including Barack Obama, who called Mr Cox to offer his condolences.

Mrs Cox, 41-year-old MP for for Batley and Spen and mother-of-two, was fatally shot and stabbed outside her constituency office on Thursday.

A local man named Tommy Mair has been charged with her murder.