Copyright thejc
He has compered the event for the past ten years and now TV and radio scriptwriter Ivor Baddiel has won recognition of his own at Jewish Care’s annual volunteering awards night, the Betty and Aubrey Volunteer Awards. Hosting the evening again last Thursday night, he was taken by surprise when he was presented with a gong himself, the “Couldn’t Do It Without You Award”, handed to him by Jewish Care’s director of community services and volunteering Richard Shone. Shone said for the past decade Baddiel has made “each of the award winners feel like the stars that they are, and he does with all with that trademark mix of wit and warmth”. Baddiel has also been involved in other aspects of Jewish Care’s communal work, such as delivering meals on wheels during the Covid pandemic, and he continues to make weekly challah deliveries to Holocaust survivors. “Always happy to help out, he has given talks at Jewish Care’s Selig Court retirement living and hosted Jewish Care’s fundraising dinner for the Holocaust Survivors’ Centre,” Shone said. This year the Betty and Aubrey Volunteer Awards was held in the Wohl Synagogue at Jewish Care’s Betty and Asher Loftus Centre in Friern Barnet. Baddiel announced the evening’s other gongs, which included the top award of the night – Sonia Douek Volunteer of the Year Award, which went to Lesley Midda. Midda said that volunteering has “never been about recognition, it’s been about showing up, doing what I can and being part of something bigger than myself. But this acknowledgement means a lot. It reminds me that every hour, every effort and every small act truly matters.” The Chief Executive Special Recognition Award went to Ana Broider, who is 94 years old and has given a decade of service to Jewish Care’s Memory Way Café for those living with dementia, and the Elevenses Café, which supports long-term carers. “Nothing is too much trouble for Ana,” Jewish Care CEO Daniel Carmel-Brown said. “Her kindness and dedication enrich the lives of the members each week.” [Missing Credit]Picture of dedication: (top) all of the Jewish Care Volunteer Award winners (Credit: Jewish Care) Other awards included Best Newcomer Award, which went to Zoe Reese, who began volunteering at Jami’s enterprise café Head Room earlier this year; the Distinctly Jewish Award went to Linda Stone and Michael Ross; the Young Volunteer Award was picked up by Izzy Goodman and Harrison Woolf; the Making a Difference Award went to Eddie Summers, 93, and Stuart Linke; the Unsung Hero Award was handed to Rita Rogers and Albert Joseph; and the Team of the Year Award went to Jewish Care’s Pastoral Support. Compering the evening alongside Baddiel was Jewish Care’s chair, Marcus Sperber, who thanked each winner for their service and resilience in challenging times. Sperber said volunteers make the work of Jewish Care possible, and their commitment goes to “supporting our members, residents, clients, tenants and their relatives every day. “In times of challenge, your commitment to volunteering and communal service stands as a beacon of hope,” he said. “Volunteering transcends borders, politics and personal beliefs. It is rooted in compassion, empathy and the desire to uplift others without expecting anything in return.”
