The importance of JLGB's work within regional communities was highlighted at its 120th anniversary celebration, held at the House of Lords and attended by government ministers Eric Pickles and Theresa Villiers.

Among more than 100 key volunteers at the Westminster event was Liverpool teacher and third generation JLGB leader Helen Abrams. She said the organisation had helped to maintain Jewish life in the city. Merseyside membership is currently around 50.

"I've been with JLGB basically my whole life," she said. "In Liverpool practically every Jewish adult has been in JLGB. There's no other youth group. Without it, the Jewish community wouldn't have survived this long."

Zoe Winston, 23 - a JLGB member from the age of seven - is setting up a new branch in Leeds. "It's going to provide something completely different for the community," she said. "It will be very social action oriented, with lots of interfaith activities. We'll teach kids how to tie a turban, for example.

"We have 16- and 17-year-olds who have never learned how to become leaders, how to develop teamwork, or create programmes that children will love. We're being inundated with calls from that age group."

It gives kids a great start in life

JLGB runs activities for more than 4,000 young people and demand for its mainstream programme is equally strong in the capital. Anthony Palman, who has been with the organisation for 18 years, has launched a juniors group in north London as a thank-you for all JLGB has done for his own children.

"All five of my children, who are aged between 17 to 31, are still active in JLGB. Three of them have been on tour and two have done the Duke of Edinburgh programme. I'm putting in what my kids get out of JLGB. We started the Edgware juniors in November and we already have 12 kids. It gives Jewish kids a great start in life."

JLGB president Lord Levy and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis were among the speakers at the reception.