A group of volunteers from across the faith spectrum filled 40 wheelbarrows of weeds and 10 bags of rubbish, tidying the walled rose garden in Canons Park as part of a special project for the month leading up to Mitzvah Day.

Mosaic Liberal Synagogue and Mosaic Reform Synagogue united with organisers Stanmore & Canons Park Synagogue, as well as the Hindu Shree Kutch Leva Patel Community, St William of York Roman Catholic Church and the Friends of Canons Park (a mixed community group of all faiths and none) for the session.

Joined by Bob Blackman MP, Cllr Zak Wagman and Mitzvah Day Founder and Chair Laura Marks CBE, the group of 40 volunteers of all ages (including two dogs) weeded, swept, raked leaves, tidied overgrown flower beds and planted more than 100 daffodils to get everything ready for the winter months ahead.

Mitzvah Day – the UK’s largest faith-led day of social action – is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and this was a chance for six different communities to put this year’s theme of ‘building bridges’ into action.

Rabbi Dr Michael Hilton with the other senior political and faith leaders at the Mitzvah Day lunch in the City of London

Bob Blackman MP, who is a long-term supporter of Mitzvah Day, both in his constituency and on the national stage, said: “This year marks 20 years of Mitzvah Day – that’s 20 years of building bridges between communities, generations and families.

“At a time when the world feels fragile and antisemitism is on the rise, the values of Mitzvah Day are more vital than ever. As the Member of Parliament for Harrow East, I am proud to have joined in year after year and thank all those involved in organising and running these important events.”

Meanwhile Rabbi Dr Michael Hilton – Rabbi Emeritus at Kol Chai Hatch End Reform Jewish Community – joined members of Bevis Marks Synagogue to serve a warm Community Table Lunch for the service users of the Shoreditch Trust at a special Mitzvah Day event in the new Aldgate Centre in St Botolph’s Church. It is the first time a kosher meal has been enjoyed in the centre.

The Shoreditch Trust’s Community Table Lunch takes place twice a week – with one in Shoreditch and one in the City (with support from funders including The City of London Corporation’s Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund) – offering a welcoming space for guests to enjoy good food, access support, and connect with others.

Putting the shared belief that food helps build bridges between people into action, the event also saw service users sitting and chatting with some of the City’s most senior political and faith leaders, who also included Rachel Blake MP, Councillor Philip Kelvin, Rabbi Shalom Morris, Reverend Laura Jørgensen, Reverend Josh Harris and Pandit Arun Shastri Ji.

• To register to take part in this year’s Mitzvah Day, please visit www.mitzvahday.org.uk.