Jewish Care

Home > News > Housewife for a day

Date: Wednesday 14 November 2007

Housewife for a day: Jewish Care's head office staff get volunteering

Robin Jacobs, Jewish Care’s service manager for community centres and day services, swapped his head office desk for a very different role when he spent an afternoon with the charity’s home care team, hoovering and dusting at the home of an elderly couple living in Milne Court sheltered accommodation in Churchfields, South Woodford.

His voluntary stint took place during Jewish Social Action Month (13 October - 18 November) when 150 people from the charity’s head office in north-west London were invited to spend a few hours volunteering. This is the first time the charity has taken part in the global initiative.

Joe Slapper, 91 and his wife Eva, 92, have lived in the Jewish Blind & Disabled-run flat for just over a year, relying on twice-daily visits from Jewish Care’s home care team whose help enables them to remain independent. In addition to these visits, Irene Ruth, a home care assistant, comes once a week to help them with their housework and shopping, as well as offering respite services.

With a duster in his hand, Mr Jacobs chatted to Mr and Mrs Slapper, while he did the housework. “I’m a man – I don’t usually multi-task,” joked Mr Jacobs, who has worked for the charity for 12 years. He began as an administrator at the Brenner Community Centre in Stamford Hill and now overseas all of Jewish Care’s community centres including Sinclair House in Woodford Bridge Road, Redbridge.

He continued: “I think that Jewish Social Action Month is an excellent idea. It has given me a chance to see a side of our work that I don’t normally see and made me realise what an impact the home care team has on people’s lives.”

Happy with the services he receives from Jewish Care, Joe Slapper said: “I don’t know what my wife and I have done to get this VIP treatment – I’m 100 per cent happy with the help we get.”

Another happy person, home care assistant Irene Ruth, said: “It’s nice to have someone else to do the work for a change - Robin has done a good job.”

The scheme was endorsed by Jewish Care’s chief executive, Simon Morris, who said: “I am very much in favour of Jewish Social Action Month. Our participation shows that it is not only businesses but charities themselves who should take on board the concept of corporate social responsibility and provide staff with opportunities for volunteering.”