Families have been cooking up a storm during half-term as part of a United Synagogue campaign to support the less fortunate.

Soup, pasta and desserts were prepared at culinary sessions involving mums and children at the Mill Hill, Stanmore and Muswell Hill synagogues for local homeless shelters and vulnerable members of participants' communities.

At Muswell Hill on Tuesday, 11-year-old Olly Cowell was in charge of making the white sauce for a giant lasagne destined for 10 needy congregants and a soup kitchen serving 30 people daily at a local church.

"Making food for yourself is OK but cooking for others who will get to enjoy it is much better," Olly said. "I want to be a chef and sometimes I don't use a recipe and change quantities of things a lot because I like to see what works."

It was his first attempt at a white sauce. "It is a bit difficult and I poured in too much milk at the start," he confessed. "I'll know for next time but with some help I've saved it."

Sisters Amy and Jodie Darsa said the initiative had made them appreciate what they had.

"The homeless are important and we like cooking," said Amy, 11. "I cook at home and sometimes I make salad for my mum."

"Our mum wants us to know what is important," added Jodie, 13.

Eden Swimmer, 12, regularly visits the sisters' house with his brother for "Come Dine With Me-style cook-offs".

His rocky road dessert might not be the healthiest "but it looks really good. There is so much chocolate, Crunchie and marshmallows. I wish I could eat it but I know I can't."

Muswell Hill social action co-ordinator Karen Ackerman said the cooking club - run in conjunction with the US's Chesed and social action charity Tikun - had been so successful that it would now convene monthly.

"It is a great idea for us for so many reasons. We get to use the kitchen more because at the moment it is only used for special occasions. And it is also teaching the children about giving."