It’s less than a week to go before the biggest inter-Jewish schools event of the year in the UK, the annual Etgar Challenge.

The Jewish general knowledge quiz for primary schools expects to attract 1,000 participants this year, a record attendance.

While children were in the final throes of revision this week in hope of lifting the Etgar Trophy, organisers were busy making preparations for the day.

Students from London’s Kisharon Vocational College helped to pack 1,000 goodie-bags of sweets and other items, which children will take home at the end of the contest.

The college, based in Childs Hill Library, offers students with learning disabilities the opportunity to gain workplace skills such as numeracy, literacy and communication.

Avi Braunold , the college’s manager, said she was delighted Kisharon students were able to lend a hand to the Etgar team. 

“It is important to recognise that everyone has skills that they can use to help others and our students can be active members of the volunteering community,” she said.

Kisharon volunteer Shammai Rotenberg, who works at a hotel in Watford, said, “I was so pleased to see what we had done together and I feel very proud."