Osborne said Jewish Care was “a brilliant charity, and its work to support and enable older people, and those who are living with mental illness and distress is so vital for thousands of people who rely on [it]”.
George Osborne being interviewed by Daniel Finkelstein at Jewish Care's Topland lunch (Photo: Grainge Photography)[Missing Credit]
Guests watched a short film showing the positive impact of one of Jewish Care’s centres on Leon, who lives with dementia, and his son, Michael, who is being supported by the family carers’ team.
This year’s award for outstanding individual who has made significant contributions towards others was given to Trevor Avery, director of Another Space, the education charity that produced the Lake District Holocaust Project in Windermere UK.
Avery, who was awarded a BEM in 2016 for services to heritage in the Lake District, has continued to build the archive collection, which is located within Windermere Library, just one mile away from the “lost” village of Calgarth Estate, where around 300 Jewish refugee children settled after the Second World War.
Accepting the award on stage, Avery said: “The Jewish children who came to Windermere represent a profound act of defiance in overcoming whatever adversities they had to contend with. When I first began working on the Lake District Holocaust project 20 years ago, I had little idea of where it would lead.” Harry Olmer MBE, who is featured as one of the main characters in the film The Windermere Children, was among the lunch guests.
Phillip Greenwold Award winner Trevor Avery with Harry Olmer MBE one of The Boys and Topland Business Group Committee Mark Kingston (Photo: Grainge Photography)[Missing Credit]
The brochure given to attendees this year was created by associate sponsors BKL and included strategic insights and interviews from key leaders in business, sport and politics.
Jewish Care, which receives no government funding and is entirely reliant on the community’s support, must raise nearly £20 million this year to meet the needs of those who rely on the charity. The charity’s services are provided by a team of 1,300 staff members from 54 different nationalities and multiple faiths.
Encouraging the gathering to give generously, Jewish Care President Steven Lewis said that with an ageing community, mental health issues in young people becoming more prevalent than ever, an increasing need for end-of-life care as people are living longer with more complex medical needs, the demand for the charity’s services were growing. He added: “Jewish Care has been hit hard by the recent National Insurance increase for employers, and we now have an additional £1.1 million on our wage bill in the coming year.”
Jewish Care services include the Holocaust Survivors’ Centre, centres for people living with dementia, nine care homes, Jewish Care’s direct helpline, a befriending service and Jami’s mental health services offered by Jami. Jewish Care touches the lives of 12,000 people each week.
