A GROUP set up in Oxford has collected £150m in pledges to fight global poverty.

Oxford Martin School research fellow Dr Toby Ord founded Giving What We Can in December 2009.

The society encourages people to pledge to donate at least 10 per cent of their income to charity and it researches which charities will be the most effective.

There are currently 461 members including academics, students, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and bankers.

American philanthropist Jim Greenbaum, founder of the Greenbaum Foundation, recently pledged $75m (£45.5m).

Dr Ord said: “I’m delighted that Jim Greenbaum has chosen to make this pledge, and it’s fantastic that so many others have also pledged to donate part of their income.

“In January 2013 we welcomed our 300th member, and as of today we have 461. We have also reached $250m in pledges (£150m).

“We have received several major donations to help with the running of Giving What We Can, including a donation of £90,000 from Fred Mulder, an art dealer and former Oxford philosophy student, and £120,000 over the next three years from Luke Ding, a financier and philanthropist.”