A diamond jubilee tea party was held to mark the anniversary of the Southend and District Aid Society.

Guests at the Jewish Care community centre in Westcliff included Jewish Care chief executive Simon Morris, chairman Stephen Lewis, Sir David Amess MP and Rabbi Binyamin Bar. Society chairman Jeffrey Greenstein spoke about how the organisation had raised many hundreds` of thousands of pounds during its 60 years of volunteering, “helping people who cannot help themselves with practical or financial support”.

Stephen Lewis expressed Jewish Care`s “heartfelt appreciation” saying the support charity “could not do what they do locally without the supplementary funds raised by the Aid Society”. Currently more than £4,000 has been raised following the Kol Nidre appeal in the town.

The Aid Society assists elderly Jewish people in the town, organises fundraising events, and is the local support group for Jewish Care.