A charity is holding a fundraising event for people living in Syrian refugee camps.

Masoom, in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, has organised a women-only ball in an attempt to raise £20,000 for blankets to help families in the Olive Tree camp on the Turkish border.

Coordinator Kenzah Khan said: “It gets really cold there and children are dying in their sleep as the temperatures plummet.

“A lot of people want to help but they’re not sure how to.”

Masoom has run a fundraising event every year since it started in 2008 and last year it raised £19,000 for flood victims in Pakistan.

This year, more than 300 women will enjoy a three course meal with entertainment, including drumming, spoken work poetry and a fashion show finale at Ivory Mansions in Leytonstone High Road.

Ms Khan said the fact that the event is women-only means young Muslim women attending can “let their hair down.”

She said: “We want to let our hair down and we can’t do that if the men are there.”

Ms Khan said women from other backgrounds attending might be surprised to find Muslim women disrobing at the door to reveal their glamorous ball gowns underneath.

To find out more about Masoom visit masoom.org.uk or www.facebook.com/masoomcharity