Four Jewish groups were among those honoured at the annual London Faith and Belief Community Awards this year.

Jewish Care, Sustaining the Secluded and the Paperweight Trust were recognised by the Faith & Beliefs Forum at Westminster Abbey for their resourcefulness in response to the pandemic, while Project ImpACT were among initiatives hailed for inspiring youth.

When in-person services had to be closed after the Covid-19 outbreak, Jewish Care adapted “by tripling supply of their Meals on Wheels programme, transforming in-person services to be covid-appropriate and still giving the emotional, spiritual and cultural connection that the community needed when they couldn’t physically be together,” FBF said.

They initiated an online befriending programme and ran virtual events and since reopening the centres, “they’ve also been able to run traditional Jewish mourning ceremonies for the bereaved”. 

Paperweight - which offers personal advice that can range from applying for benefits to sorting out wills - helped 3,500 clients on over 5000 issues, requiring more than 70,000 volunteer hours given by caseworkers during Covid, FBF said.

“In one instance during lockdown, a caseworker actually attended the funeral of his client’s parent, as this was the only opportunity to meet directly, pay respects, and show sympathy, solidarity and humanity.”

Sustaining the Secluded - which delivers hot meals to the elderly in Hackney - has organised a “willing band of 175 volunteers to prepare, cook, pack and deliver individual meals to the frail and elderly.

“As well as the meal, the human contact provided by the delivery volunteers is an important social and welfare benefit, making sure all is well, and that users are able to unpack and access the meals, thus safeguarding their health, wellbeing and independence at home for as long as possible," FBF said.

Since lockdown Project ImpAct, which encourages youth volunteering, enlisted 500 teens from across 28 schools to support more than 20 charities.

They contributed 3,000 volunteering hours during the pandemic, including making and distributing over 4,000 meals, supporting food banks and homeless shelters and also baking for the NHS, care homes and emergency services to thank them for their service.

Phil Champain, director of the FBF, which gave awards to 38 projects from different communities, said,  “Faith and belief groups are at the centre of community life in London, providing vital services and support to those in need and a strong sense of belonging to their members and beneficiaries. We believe that the power of collaborative faith and belief based social action needs to be supported, recognised, and celebrated.”