Volunteers are being sought to make up a minyan at short notice for the funerals of care home residents.

Jewish Care this week announced plans to create a team of volunteers drawn from synagogues across the religious spectrum. The scheme is being supported by all major synagogal organisations and the aim is to create a pool of volunteers to cover both Orthodox and non-Orthodox burials.

It is a response to feedback from residents, families, staff and volunteers that, sometimes, only a handful of people were at residents’ funerals.

“Many of our residents don’t have close family or friends,” explained Nathasha Carson, manager of Ella and Ridley Jacobs House in Hendon. “But being able to honour someone’s life is vitally important. This scheme will mean we can always make sure there is a minyan at funerals.”

Candice Woolfson, director of the United Synagogue’s Project Chesed, said the US was pleased to help provide appropriate respect to deceased members of the community. At Masorti, executive director Michael Gluckman said the movement was proud to be involved in efforts “to ensure that no-one suffers the indignity of the lack of a minyan at their funeral”.