Hastings festival to raise money for refugees

Hastings Literary Festival organisers have promised to back two Sussex groups offering support and advocacy for refugees.

During the festival, taking place September 23–25, there will be a fundraising collection for Hastings Community of Sanctuary and the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group.

The festival line-up includes an event featuring the broadcaster Bidisha, with Refugee Tales editor David Herd and poet Simon Smith talking about and reading from Refugee Tales IV which shares the stories of people who have experienced indefinite immigration detention in the UK.

Hasting Literary Festival founder and director Sam Davey said, “Our Refugee Tales event is a powerful reminder that the refugee crisis is worsening every day and that the people who most need our help are suffering greatly.

“Our fundraising efforts during the festival will go to two outstanding organisations who are making significant efforts to alleviate that suffering.”

For information about Hastings Literary Festival: https://www.hastingslitfest.org