Change is needed to shake up Jewish organisations which court their potential board members on the golf course, to allow women better access to lay leadership.

That was the audience consensus at open meetings organised by the Commission on Women in Jewish Leadership.

Rabbis, archbishops and assorted clergy decorated cakes, made mince pies and organised the winter stores for homeless charity Providence Row, as a follow-up to last month's Mitzvah Day.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, as well as the heads of the Reform, Liberal, Spanish and Portuguese and Masorti Jewish movements, volunteered at the Tower Hamlets charity following a meeting of the Coun

Thirty residents and staff of the special needs Langdon Community residential facility cleared the cemetery of St Margaret's Church in north Manchester and helped to paint the church outhouse.

Twenty Heaton Park synagogue members joined Langdon college students to wash cars in exchange for kosher food which was sent to needy families.

TV personalities and a Euro MP supported the JCC London's Mitzvah Day events.

Great British Bake Off presenter Sue Perkins and Camden Mayor, Councillor Abdul Quadir, dropped into the World Peace Garden by Hampstead Heath station to help JCC volunteers put up decking, clear leaves and weeds and plant bulbs.

Clara Shapero, 11, said: "When I look at this beautiful peace garden, I will see what

Continuing a Mitzvah Day tradition, Glasgow youngsters removed litter and weeds and washed headstones at the Glenduffhill and Sandymount Jewish cemeteries.

The group at Glenduffhill had an extra mitzvah opportunity when asked to join a funeral party that was short of a minyan.

Sussex Jewish Community Care took a trip down memory lane for Mitzvah Day.

Volunteers helped fill 150 "memory bags" with old-fashioned sweets, cards prepared by cheder pupils, vintage photographs and a notebook for recording special memories.

Barnet Mayor Councillor Rita Rutter supported the Norwood Mitzvah Day effort.

Councillor Rutter attended a tea party thrown by Young Norwood volunteers at the Kennedy Leigh Family Centre in Hendon for members of the Unity recreational group for disabled children and young people.

Young Hendon United and Edgware Reform congregants helped to paint a mural at Kennedy Leigh and gave the Norwood

Mitzvah Day brought generations together, with many young participants engaged in activities assisting elderly community members and Holocaust survivors.

Teenagers at the London Jewish Cultural Centre baked scones and miniature Victoria sponges and prepared finger sandwiches with chef Lisa Roukin for a tea party for survivors.

LJCC youth co-ordinator Laurence Field said: "We do so much work

Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone joined Muswell Hill teenagers clearing litter from Cherry Tree Wood as part of a Mitzvah Day venture. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP said she "really enjoyed the good clear up, with some spring bulb planting to top it off. I am always excited to join the local synagogue for this wonderful day of community action.

Mitzvah Day activities kicked off early at Jewish Care's Vi and John Rubens House in Ilford as Leyton Orient footballers Ben Chorley, Terrell Forbes and Moses Odubajo visited residents.

As well as socialising and joining in with singing, the players bought knitted scarves from 95-year-old Hetty Tauber.

Chorley, who previously visited the home last year, said he was moved by talking to reside

Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine played an earthy part in Manchester's Mitzvah Day events.

The actress, who portrays Fiz in the ITV soap, got her hands dirty planting flowers donated from garden centres into wellington boots at South Manchester Synagogue in Bowdon. She was joined by 30 Jewish children and members of the Muslim community.

Mitzvah Day will have joint responsibility for a national Year of Service in 2012, when each of the country's major faiths will hold their own day of social action.

Founder Laura Marks said Communities Secretary Eric Pickles had been impressed by Mitzvah Day and similar initiatives and wanted the government to get on board.

Boris Johnson and Tony Blair have lauded the interfaith aspect of Mitzvah Day.

Mitzvah Day marks the start of the national Interfaith Week and Mr Blair praised the notion of "Jews working with Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Baha'is to go out into their communities to help clean up the area".

Mr Johnson said such co-operation was a "fantastic example of what can happen when people put

The Chief Rabbi was joined by dignitaries from several faiths in marking the start of the annual Interfaith Week at a ceremony in London on Tuesday.