The United Synagogue has launched a Community Development Fund to encourage innovation.

It plans to make up to eight grants a year, worth between £5,000 and £20,000 apiece, to stimulate local ventures.

"This is to encourage shuls to do things they might not otherwise have dared to do," said Jo Grose, the US community liaison manager.

The US is currently in a healthy financial position, sitting on nearly £17 million in cash. It was helped by the sale of both the former Chief Rabbi's residence in Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood, for £12.5 million and the former Waltham Forest Synagogue for £1.9 million. Waltham Forest merged with Wanstead and Woodford Synagogue to form Woodford Forest Synagogue.

But most of the money has been earmarked for various projects including the Bushey cemetery extension.

Financially, the US had a "very positive performance" in 2015 with a surplus of nearly £1 million, the US Council was told at its meeting on Monday.