A MITZVAH Day event was held at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch on Sunday.
The day was chosen as it was the last one in Interfaith Week and the event was fitting as it brought people together.
More than 30 volunteers offered cakes and biscuits, along with other free refreshments for patients, visitors and staff.
People came from all over Worcestershire and there were representatives from four different faiths – Christians, Jews, Muslims and Baha’is.
Mitzvah Day is a Jewish-led day of social action which brings together thousands of people worldwide – of all faiths and none – to give their time to make a difference to the community around them.
This year marked the 20th anniversary and more than 55,000 volunteers around the world will give their time to help others on and around Mitzvah Day.
This Mitzvah Day event was organised on behalf of the Worcestershire Interfaith Forum (WIFF) by Yvonne Stollard and Melanie Mann.
They said they could not have done it without the wonderful support of the Hospital Trust and Rev David Ryan and David Chamberlain in particular.
Chair of the Worcestershire Interfaith Forum (WIFF), Rev Catherine Lack, said: “Our Mitzvah Day was, as usual, a super event. – good food, good company and well-attended.
“A big thank you to the hospital staff for making it known throughout the hospital.
“It was great to have staff from all over the hospital, sometimes taking plates of cakes for the rest of their ward staff.
“Useful conversations were had, and there was a great atmosphere.”
They also thanked everyone who made tea and coffee and made conversation which led to it being a ‘great event’.
This year WIFF welcomed many local dignitaries as volunteers, including Chris Bloore MP and Redditch Mayor, Coun Joanna Kane.
Coun Kane said: “It was an absolute pleasure to help Worcestershire Interfaith Forum serve free refreshments to our wonderful NHS staff, plus patients and visitors.
“The key theme for my mayoral year is ‘inclusion’ and the Mitzvah Day event at the Alex was a great example of this, with volunteers from different faiths coming together to help the community.
“I would like to thank Yvonne and everyone else who helped make it happen.”
Coun Bill Hartnett has been an enthusiastic supporter of our Mitzvah Day events for many years.
He highlighted that ‘Mitzvah’ meant ‘good deed’, adding the event was now in its 12th year.
“We gave out teas, coffees, squash and a range of cakes and biscuits to our great NHS staff, patients and visitors, we got lots of smiles it was a heart-warming afternoon.”
Nicholas Lechmere, Deputy Lieutenant of Worcestershire, came to support the event again.
He said it was a great pleasure to be involved in the event.
“A body of people from many different religions and walks of life all freely working together for one cause, helping other people, in the name of God.
“It was again, a huge success and many people in, working in or visiting the hospital were hugely appreciative.”
Last year, with 40 volunteers from five different faiths, the Worcestershire Interfaith Forum (WIFF) were delighted and proud to be joint winners of Mitzvah Day’s ‘Outstanding Interfaith Partnership Award’.
There are hopes it could win again this year.
