MORE than 80 people have gathered at a lunch in York to help victims of the war in Syria and say no to Islamophobia.

The meal at Lord Deramore’s Primary School in Heslington was organized by Nations of York Collective (NYC) and raised more than £1,000 for Hands Up Foundation, a charity funding health and education work in Syria.

It featured authentic ethnic food from the Middle East, which was contributed by York Mosque and Islamic Centre, with volunteer cooks creating a three-course feast of vegetarian and meat dishes.

Doaa Shohaieb, a NYC founding member, said its mission was to create spaces to exercise tolerance by giving locals the opportunity to interact with their unknown neighbours in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, adding:“We are proud to live in a diverse community.”