Citizens' support platform helps 500 migrants a day

Host families in Brussels have provided more than 70,000 nights of free accommodation to refugees and asylum seekers over the past year, according to new figures from the city's Citizens' Platform for the Reception of Refugees.

The organisation provided an update on its work during a gathering of more than 2,000 people in solidarity with migrants in Maximilian park on Tuesday afternoon.

More than 100,000 nights of accommodation were provided last year - of which 70% were in host families and the remaining 30% in a reception centre in Haren. Some 5,000 potential hosts have joined the network and 40,000 people have registered as supporters.

The group says it is currently looking after an average of 500 migrants every day. A team of 40 volunteers provide support in Maximilian park each night between 20.00 and 1.00 - and the Serve the City association has provided 57,900 free meals over the past year.

In February, the volunteers behind the citizen support platform were named Bruxellois of the year in a public vote by the audiences of Viva Bruxelles, Le Soir, Vlan and BX1.