The Jewish Chronicle

Melissa Redbart

May 1, 2008 23:00
1 min read

Jewish Women's Week campaign

The 31-year-old chair of the Jewish Women’s Week Campaign lives in Elstree, Herts, with her husband Miles and their two young children, Joshua and Oliver. She has volunteered for JWW since 2006 and is also the treasurer for the Hertsmere Jewish Primary School PSA.

Why JWW?
I was approached by Miriam Keller, who has been running the Elstree and Borehamwood JWW collection for some 30 years. I gladly welcomed the opportunity to try and do something for women and their families in Israel who need our support to give them a chance of a better life.

What does your volunteering role involve?
For Jewish Women’s Week, I run the Elstree and Borehamwood area administration process and behind-the-scenes preparation in readiness for the collecting week — which this year is to run next week. I contact the collectors and prepare their collection packs, and liaise with them whenever required. At the end of the local campaign, I ensure that the monies collected are returned to me and send all the funds directly to Wizo.UK’s head office in Central London.

What do you enjoy most about being a volunteer?
That what I am doing actually means something. I enjoy the achievement of raising funds for such a worthy cause.

What is your most memorable volunteering moment?
As I am relatively new to this campaign, the only comment I can make is that I was approached to collect for a few roads in the local area in 2006 and now in 2008 I am in the process of becoming the main contact for the Elstree area group. For me that is quite memorable.