The Queen has done more for charity than any other monarch in history

As Britain celebrates 60 years under the wing of Elizabeth II, new research has shown that the voluntary sector should be particularly thankful.

Research from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) reveals that the Queen is among the world's greatest supporters of charities and has the helped the many organisations of which she is patron raise over £1.4bn.

The Queen is patron to 510 charities in Britain, including Cancer Research UK, the British Red Cross and Barnado's. The wider Royal Family support a grand total of 2,415 charities in Britain, with this figure rising to almost 3,000 worldwide.

Elizabeth II favours charities that tackle community and civic issues. These organisations consitute 14% of her charitable portfolio, with education and training causes following a close second, also amounting to 14%.

John Low, chief executive of CAF, said: "the Queen has set an amazing example when it comes to her charitable support making an enormous difference to millions of people up and down the country; doing more for charity in the last 60 years than probably any other monarch in history...

"We want to promote a culture where supporting charities by giving time or money is the norm. The Queen's work for charities of all types is an example to all of us."

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