More than £1M donated during Work Avenue fundraising marathon

Thousands of donors committed £1.1 million to one of the Jewish community’s main employment and business support organisations this week in a 36-hour fundraising marathon to shore up its finances.

Bosses at Work Avenue, based in Finchley, were overjoyed with the result, which smashed its £750,000 target after 3,500 supporters stumped up to help. Nine donors agreed to double every penny received.

Work Avenue helps people get jobs and set up businesses, often dealing with community members at their lowest ebb, such as in the aftermath of redundancy, or at their most vulnerable, such as when re-entering the workplace after many years.

Demand for its services has been “greater than ever” during the pandemic, said chief executive Debbie Sheldon, the charity supporting 2,000 clients last year alone.

“Once more, I’ve been blown away by the generosity of the Jewish community,” she said. “We always come together to help those who may be struggling. These funds will help us continue to support people to earn a living with dignity.”