High tea held to help refugees

THE Geelong community rallied together to show its support for refugees at an event on Monday.

All 80 tickets to the High Tea for Refugees, held at the Spring Creek Community House, sold out.

The high tea was organised by the Surf Coast Shire’s 2018 Citizen of the Year Julie Stevens, and tickets were sold through a number of local refugee support groups, including MOTHERS (Mothers Offering Time, Hope, Engagement, Refugee Support), the Nazareth Social Justice Group, Surf Coast Rural Australians for Refugees (SCRAR), the Combined Children’s Social Justice Group Geelong, the Nazareth Social Justice Group, and the Corangamite Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children.

“We also had people donate who couldn’t come here today,” Spring Creek Community House co-ordinator and SCRAR member Laura Connor said.

“The thing that gets me is I think that a lot of people are frightened to do or say anything politically, but I think they’re overwhelmed and this really shows that they want to do something. That’s really obvious from the response today; that’s heartening.”

She said proceeds from the day would be especially directed to support those on women at risk (subclass 204) visas.

As well as tea and scones, participants also enjoyed door prizes, a raffle and a produce stall.