Israeli food aid charity Meir Panim raised more than £180,000 from its second UK dinner, held at London’s Sheraton Park Lane Hotel and attended by 300 people.

They enjoyed a gourmet meal prepared by six top chefs, among them Gérard Vié, former chef at the three Michelin-star Trianon Palace restaurant in Versailles. Speakers included British ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould, who praised Meir Panim’s work.

Meir Panim UK chief exective Gaby Blauer said: “Sadly, our work must continue because the situation in Israel today is that one-in-four families lives well below the poverty line — and that includes two-out-of-five children. We assist through nationwide soup kitchens, meals for hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren and various other crucial relief efforts.”