Veterans charities get less than a third of the emergency cash granted to zoos in coronavirus crisis

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ANGRY veterans charities say they are getting less than a third of the emergency cash won by zoos in the crisis.

Walking With the Wounded reveals veterans are to get £3million to £5million of a £750million government bailout while zoos get £15million.

Angry veterans charities say they are getting less than a third of the emergency cash won by zoos in the crisis

Boss Ed Parker said animals seem “three times more important”.

Meanwhile an influential group of MPs said the Government’s £750 million emergency financial package for charities is “too little, too late” to protect thousands from going under.

In a damning report, the Commons Culture committee blasted the Treasury for “failure to adequately address” the crisis facing non-profit organisations.

Charities have seen incomes plunging at the same time as record demand for their services due to the coronavirus crisis.

The MPs said the £750 million support package was just a sixth of what was needed to fill the £4 billion gap in money coming in to charities, with some smaller charities facing insolvency within weeks without immediate emergency support.

The boss of the committee Julian Knight said: “The strong message that charities gave us was not that they have some sort of right to survive but that people have a right to the services they provide.

“We warned the Chancellor that charities told us they faced a £4bn gap in money coming in, with some smaller charities facing insolvency within weeks without immediate emergency support.

“The sum of money that’s been made available goes nowhere near replacing the income that many charities have lost.”

Meanwhile a separate report has warned that gyms and leisure providers are falling between the cracks as many aren’t eligible for the Government’s support packages.

The Local Government Association said leisure providers that provide vital sport and cultural services for communities are facing “crisis point” without access to the emergency help.

It has called for the Government to ensure leisure trusts have access to key funding to safeguard their services.