I’VE been thinking about this a lot as I’ve been on the road alone. It’s been really preying on my mind. I’m trying to avoid the news and social media and not talk about anything political, but at the same time I don’t want to be apathetic because you have to stand up,”

Musician Ed Harcourt, author of Furnaces, billed as one of the most explosive albums of 2016, is feeling conflicted.

“The people who voted for Trump will say, ‘we told you so, suck it up’. But if you look at the surge of the far right, it’s kind of scary and, if you ignore it, it’s not good at all. You need to be aware of it, but it’s exhausting, all these people putting up links. I just feel exhausted… 2016 can totally go and do one.”

Harcourt shivers as he speaks to us from the misty Staffordshire moorlands – a brief interlude on his solo tour around the country.

“It’s absolutely beautiful here, snow everywhere, sheep, it’s absolutely amazing, I’m pretty much in the clouds, it’s pretty mad.”

The singer steps into the shelter of his car to continue. He is curating a special event at the Union Chapel on December 2 for the Flying Seagulls project, a charity which sends entertainers to visit refugee camps, hospitals and orphanages to bring some reflief to children in dire situations. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Carl Barat, The Magic Numbers and more are on the bill.

The events of 2016 are very much on Harcourt’s mind.

“I’ve got a new song, Velvet Gold, that I originally wrote about Tony Blair, but it could totally be about Trump. Maybe I’ll get it out and remix it and release it for inauguration day,” he said.

“I don’t want to see his orange oompa loompa face anymore. He’s an interesting car crash. There’s been an over-saturation of this heinous buffoon.”

He admits Furnaces may well have taken on renewed relevance in recent days. He said: “It’s always come from the perspective of being a father and being aware of what we’ve done, where we’re going – how do we address that? I was just looking around me and seeing what’s happening in the world and trying to make head or tail of it.

“I suppose when it came out it did seem a bit prescient, but time will tell – we’ll see how it ages. I had to do a gig on the day Trump got elected. When I was singing it, it felt like a renewed rage.”

In the meantime, Harcourt is doing his part to assist the plight of child refugees. The father-of-two met Flying Seagulls founder Ash Perrin at Hop Farm festival, a few years ago.

He said: “I had my kids with me. I saw him performing and he made an impassioned speech about what he does, where he had been, perceptions people have, he talked about Romany gypsy kids. He asked if any of us were musicians. We got talking, I gave him some equipment, an old trombone, melodicas, amps, guitars.”

A friendship ensued and when Ash asked Harcourt to curate the Union Chapel gig, he was happy to oblige.

“They asked me, it seemed like the right thing to do. I’ve done a few things for charity. Having seen what they do, it seems like a very important thing to get involved in. They’re going out there, making a difference for these kids, they’re literally stuck in camps,” said Harcourt.

“This is a really bad crisis. Having empathy and compassion is the most important thing. And trying to imagine what it’s like… the thought of my children being in that situation, I can’t even bear it. I know people who’ve been out to these camps, I’ve seen accounts of people who’ve experienced and spent time with these children and families. The Flying Seagulls try and alleviate the situation, give them something to laugh about.

“We’re becoming a more desensitised society and I’m just happy to help in any way I can. None of us are trying to stand up on a soapbox.”

As well as performing on the night, Harcourt is also musical director. He said: “I brought in all the musicians and singers. Dirty Pretty Strings quartet are coming in, playing some songs, it’s a fun event to raise money. We’ve got pictures from someone who’s been in the ‘jungle’ in Calais. We’ll auction them and Christian Stevens a journalist, my friend, who has been in Aleppo, has pictures we’re going to auction. I asked a lot of people I worked with.

“I’ve worked with Sophie Ellis-Bextor before, Carl Barat is pretty much family, The Magic Numbers – they are doing it to raise money, not for any fee.

“For this kind of event, The Union Chapel is perfect. I want to keep it low-key, not frenetic, stripped down. We’ll have a knees-up afterwards, it’s not just about being sombre. There’s a tendency when there’s a crisis for people to get too overwrought. It’s a gathering of like-minded people.”

Tickets are still available for the gig, which Harcourt is hoping will be memorable.

He added: “I’m hoping I’ve organised a really special musical night. I think it’s going to be a lovely beautiful night and for a good cause I believe in. I’m really happy that people are interested in it.”