A fundraiser has been organised to raise awareness for refugees as there are still 79.5m displaced people around the world.

Stand Up to Racism Sheffield will host a Solidarity Night for Refugees on Saturday March 6 at 7pm to raise money for Care4Calais, a charity that works with refugees in France and Belgium.

The event will have music, poetry, quizzes and an auction alongside headline act, award winning comedian Bilal Zafar.

Ebru Garnett, co-chair- of the event, said: “It is important that we allow them to feel human and we treat them as humans.

“It is very important for people to remember that these people didn’t just fall from the sky, they have lives and are very highly educated. They have left very comfortable lives due to lots of different reasons, for example political prosecution, war or famine.”

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of the middle of 2020, 26m of a total of almost 80m displaced people were classified as refugees and around half of those were under the age of 18.

Mrs Garnett said: “They arrive with very few belongings and inadequate footwear and they needed warm coats.

“We did our best to kit them out but the need is constant as there are people arriving and being moved on elsewhere. This fundraiser is a cash injection to boost aid to them.”

In December 2020, Stand Up to Racism organised another online fundraiser where they had donations from trade unions and had spoken words from refugees themselves.

This fundraiser raised around £3,000 where some of the money was sent to Care4Calais and some was sent to help refugees in the UK.

Stand Up to Racism have been partnered with Care4Calais for five years but the pandemic has stopped them being able to visit Calais. The last time they went was in February 2020.

Mrs Garnett said: “There’s an awful lost going against these guys, they have been through so much. They are the toughest and most resilient people and they deserve some respect.”

To attend the event on Saturday or donate, click here.