The chair of John Lewis and Waitrose recently visited Northwood to help kick off a local synagogue’s ambitious new environmental project.
Having worked on the project for several months, Northwood United Synagogue has now launched the Mitzvah in Your Back Garden initiative, ahead of Mitzvah Day on November 19, which this year has the theme of ‘Repair the World’.
Together with Muslim organisation the Iron Aid Foundation and Waitrose in Northwood, they have transformed a large piece of land in Carpenders Park Garden Centre into a perfect place to grow fruit and vegetables.
This fresh food will be donated to the Manna Food Bank and the Oasis Lunch Programme at Elim Church in Watford.
At the plant launch event, the guest of honour was chair of the John Lewis Partnership, Dame Sharon White. She was joined by David Simmonds CBE, MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner; Gagan Mohindra, MP for South West Hertfordshire; Waitrose Northwood branch manager Elspeth Dale; Carpenders Park Garden Centre’s owners; and members of the Mitzvah Day team, alongside the volunteers.
Dame White said: “In a world which sometimes feels like there has never been so much tension and division, this example of people of different faiths and different parts of the community coming together to grow and give hope is inspiring.
“Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Sikh or Muslim is completely irrelevant; this is just about people doing an amazing thing to help others.”
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