A CHARITY that supports refugees and asylum seekers in Swindon has the X-factor, a fundraiser has said.

The Harbour Project, which is based at St Luke's in Broadgreen, was invited to a reception at the Savoy Hotel in London hosted by the X-Factor's Simon Cowell.

The charity was one of more than 50 charities invited to the Health Lottery's tea party. The event celebrated organisations funded by the lottery that are helping to improve people's health and wellbeing.

Claire Garrett, chief executive of the Harbour Project, said: “We had so much fun at the tea party. We felt honoured to be invited to join so many incredible charities to celebrate £100m raised through The Health Lottery. It was a fantastic day and so amazing to be at an event with celebrities like Simon Cowell.”

Other celebrities invited to the tea party included broadcaster Nick Ferrari and singer Darius.

John Hume, chief executive of People’s Health Trust, said: “Thanks to players of The Health Lottery an incredible £100m has been raised for good causes.

“It was important to celebrate the amazing work local charities and community groups are doing in their neighbourhoods, which wouldn’t have been possible without this money.”

The Harbour Project this year celebrated its 18th anniversary. It was set up by a dozen volunteers in 2000 in response to the refugee crisis following the war in Kosovo. Founder member Andrea Hughes said: “We volunteered out of compassion, when we saw people homeless and arriving in the UK with just a suitcase. No clothes and no money.”