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Home > News > Archive 2007 > December > Edgware and Harrow Day Centre's 25th Anniversary

Date:  19 December 2007

A quarter of a century of caring and volunteering

Jewish Care’s Edgware and Harrow Day Centre held a party to mark its 25th anniversary and to thank all its volunteers. Those present included volunteers who founded the project under the auspices of the League of Jewish Women. It was originally based at Middlesex New Synagogue in Harrow but moved to its current site, a community centre in the grounds of Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, in Stonegrove, on 2nd November 1982.

Now run by charity Jewish Care, the day centre is open four days a week offering a wide range of social and therapeutic activities to around 120 elderly people, also providing a hot kosher lunch.

Speaking at the party on Sunday 16th December, Ros Anticoni, chairman of the day centre’s advisory committee and a hands-on volunteer from the League of Jewish Women’s Northwood group, said: “If we were a company we would be giving out big bonuses. People are always overwhelmed by warmth of the centre and relatives feel happy knowing their loved ones are being well cared for and this is due to the encouragement of volunteers.”

Mrs Anticoni praised the volunteer drivers who pick up members from their homes and bring them to the centre. She spoke of the beneficial effects of coming to the centre, noting that members swapped telephone numbers and made many new friends. “It brings a new dimension to their lives,” she added.

Guest included Neil Taylor, Jewish Care’s community services director; there were speeches from the charity’s volunteer manager Pauline Gusack and centre manager Sharon Aboudara, all of whom were effusive in their praise of volunteers.

The last word went to volunteer Ruth Ross, a member of the Stanmore branch of the League of Jewish Women, who has been with the project since its inception. She said: “We started up with 12 members and 24 volunteers – from that little acorn has grown a lovely oak. I’m one of the welfare organisers, I enjoy welcoming the members and I follow through if they don’t come in. I get a buzz from being a volunteer.”