Chairman Maureen Solomons announced at Wednesday’s annual meeting at the Walton Community Care Centre that an Away Day with a qualified facilitator has been organised for the directors to discuss the organisation’s future.

Social Care Agency chairman Lesley Roles spoke of the need to involve more young people in Jewish Care, while chief executive Ethne Woldman said they were prepared to cope with more people coming forward for help in the current economic climate.

Mrs Woldman said: “We opened a drop-in centre for young people with enduring mental health problems, which we are running in tandem with Cosgrove Care.

“Around 12 people are coming along and finding great comfort in discovering that they are not alone and are benefiting from the therapeutic treatments and activities organised.

“We have also introduced a visiting service for people who have moved into Newark Care who don’t have family and friends around them.”

Guest speakers were Barbara Haniford and Natalie Cahif.

Mrs Haniford said: “Having spent most of my career in retail, I realised that I wanted to do something in the caring sector.

“In 2003 I was initially offered a position as a volunteer, but was then approached by Ethne and invited to become a part-time social work assistant. I’ve been studying ever since for my social work qualification.

“I’ve grown enormously in confidence and as a person."

Mrs Cahif has a high-powered job as an actuary for a large insurance company but knew she wanted more from life, so one day a week she works for the Kandu Club, of which she is chairman, for younger people, many wheelchair-bound, with enduring illnesses.

She explained: “From the first half hour I came along to visit the Kandu Club I knew it was the place for me.

“At the end of my day there, I’ve had such a good time and a good laugh and know that I have helped make a difference. And it has improved my whole working life because it has given a balance to it.”

Making way for the younger guard, at least on the Board, is Alice Tankel, who started working for what was then the Welfare Board in 1964.

Alice, who was made an honorary vice-president and presented with a certificate and flowers at the meeting, recalled: “When I started working for the Welfare Agency there was no emergency cover and we could get called out any time of the day or night.

“It was not unusual to leave a family meal or a dinner party and we couldn’t give the reason for our departures because of the confidential nature of our work — but our families understood.

“I am glad of the changes that have come about and we now have a very professional team at the helm, thanks to Ethne.

“As I retire from the Board I’m not sad, but very heartened by the road it has taken. I will be continuing with my outreach and other voluntary work.”

Many tributes were paid to the late Freda Jackson.

Elected to the Board of Directors: Chairman, Maureen Solomons; vice-chairman, David Bishop; treasurer, George Hecht; company secretary, Trevor Schuster-Davis; Social Care Agency chairman, Lesley Roles; other directors, Colin Black, Sylvia Cohen, Angela Hecht, Paul Morron, Roles, Vivian Strang, Albert Tankel and Ethne Woldman.