A Bushey bake-off started by members of the local United synagogue produced thousands of sweet treats for key NHS workers in London area hospitals including the Royal Free and Watford General.

More than 300 bakers supported the initiative of Laura Bloomberg, 48, and husband Spencer, providing some 7,000-plus homemade biscuits, 1,250 cupcakes and 50 cakes.

These were individually packed, accompanied by messages of thanks from children.

They were distributed through volunteering group You Donate, We Deliver, established by the Bloombergs’ friends, Katie Commissar and Sarah Laster, to help transport items such as home-cooked meals and PPE to NHS frontline staff.

Mrs Bloomberg told the JC that there had been deliveries to 15 hospitals, care homes and foodbanks.

The bake-off had been organised to engage the “many people wanting to get involved [in support activities] but who don’t know how”.

It had “brought the community together in a very loving and relatively easy way”.

Among grateful recipients was an ambulance worker in Brent who said: “Having a cup of tea and a delicious snack is a luxury at the moment. More than that, knowing that the public are behind us really does keep us going.”