Community news roundup: 21-27 May

This week’s community news roundup. Got a story to share? Email your news and photos to community@thejngroup.com

Funny happenings at Akiva

Akiva School was shaking with laughter at the second ‘Just for Laughs’ comedy fundraiser. Organised by mums Samantha Norman and Marianne Hearder and teaching assistant Sara Schaffer-Lyus, more than 200 people spent the evening of Sunday, 11 May, being entertained by Joe Bor, Zoe Lyons and Dominic Holland.  The event raised more than £2,000, which will go towards the Akiva PTA and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.

Kerem’s onesie event for Norwood

Children from Kerem – along with some of the staff – went to school dressed in their onesies, and raised £762 for Norwood. The children were presented with a certificate for their efforts. Headteacher Alyson Burns said: “We’re so proud of the children and the amazing figure they raised.”

Tweet for Israel tour

A grassroots social media campaign to help 16-year-olds go on Israel tour has raised nearly £2,500 (and had 340 ‘likes’ on Facebook) in two days, with people texting to donate and posting on Facebook or Twitter.

#tenner4tour has been organised by UJIA – which provides £200,000 in tour bursaries every year – in partnership with 13 youth movements and aims to mobilise former Israel tour participants to donate so today’s teenagers can have the same life-changing Jewish experience they did.

UJIA’s Matt Hoffbrand said: “[Young people] love the opportunity to post about their own tour experience, and when their friends see their status, they want to get involved too, so they also donate.”

To donate, text TOUR to 70004 or visit www.ujia.org/ tenner4tour

Not too old to sky-dive!

Eighty-year-old Neville Landau jumped out of a plane at 15,000ft, raising more than £1,000 for Nightingale Hammerson. He said: “Doing a sky dive has been on my bucket list for ages, so combining it with raising funds for Nightingale Hammerson was a win-win. Now that I’m 80, I want to do something to help those wonderful 80, 90 and 100-year- old residents, many of whom would probably want to jump themselves if they could.”

Shul gets name change

The fourth largest reform synagogue in the UK has changed its name from Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue to Radlett Reform Synagogue.

Principal Rabbi Paul Freedman explained how the community has experienced phenomenal growth over recent years and now has almost 800 families, totalling some 2,200 individuals. The synagogue also has a new logo, which has been modernised with two tone colour and the inclusion of the new name.

Flying flag for Larches

Larches Community, an Edgware-based charity for adults with learning disabilities and autism, is holding an England car flag sale fundraiser on 30 May. Car flags will be on sale in the forecourt of its premises at 1 Rectory Lane, Edgware, for donations of more than £1 each between 10am and 2pm. CEO Linda Edwards said: “We were donated these flags and have been saving them up for this occasion. England are about to go to Brazil and we know the country will come out in support. We hope people will pop by and pick up their flag to show the team support and help us raise vital funds for our services.”

Aint’ no mountain high enough

Fourteen amateur cyclists saddled up for a three-day mountain ride in Croatia to raise money for Norwood. The route took them through some of the country’s most challenging terrain, with climbs of more than 6,000 feet, and saw the team face three days of uphill cycling and gruelling early morning starts.

Leisure Coach Nigel Trumper said: “It was a 20-mile climb up a mountain range. The scenery was amazing and there was snow at the top. It was probably the toughest ride I have ever done – I didn’t get off my bike once and walk!”