A MASSAGE training centre has raised thousands of pounds to help refugees by completing an eight-hour massage marathon.

Jing Advanced Massage Training gave a total of 72 treatments between 2pm to 10pm, including one for Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas.

The centre raised more than £5,000 for charities which help refugees at home and overseas in places such as Calais.

Nina Frizoni, 33, director of student development at the centre in Bond Street, Brighton, said: “I absolutely loved being a part of the day and we want to thank everyone who took part or donated to such a worthy cause.

“We sat down to plan the massage marathon fundraiser in September last year after a colleague suggested it.

“All of us felt after the initial discussion that it would be a great idea.

“We just really care about refugees and the situation thousands are in right now is just not good enough, especially after what was happening with the fires and people being made to leave the refugee camp in Calais.”

Three speakers from charities the money was raised for, Brighton Voices in Exile, The Hummingbird Project and The Flying Seagulls Project, held a Q&A session with guests.

Therapists gave massages for a minimum donation of £25 to one or all of the three chosen charities.

The two directors of the training centre, Meghan Mari and Rachel Fairweather, ran a workshop on mindfulness and relief for trauma and chronic pain in the morning, attended by 34 therapists from all over the country.

Ms Lucas gave a speech at the event, which was on March 2, to raise awareness about the plight of refugees and the work that local refugee charities carry out.

Ms Frizoni said: “If we could just bring some joy and light to the situation then it could only be a good thing.

“It was such a great team effort with ten of us working on the day.

“The whole day was such a massive success as well as being informative, inspiring and touching.

“We want to do this every six months and are now planning a similar event for August.”