Recorder staff joined youngsters doing good deeds this morning for the Jewish-led day of social action Mitzvah Day.

Editor Chris Carter, news editor Laura Burnip and reporter Ajay Nair visited Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School, Forest Road, Barkingside, and kicked the day off helping children with a collectathon for children’s charity Camp Simcha and the Salvation Army.

Pupils flocked to the school’s assembly hall to donate toys, toiletries and food for the homeless, while the Recorder staff helped box up the goods.

Later in the morning the children made get well soon cards for sick children at Great Ormond Street Hospital and wrote letters to Israeli soldiers, before attending care home Aztec House, Tomswood Hill, Barkingside.

At the care home, the school’s talented choir performed traditional Jewish songs and got the residents singing and swaying to non-Jewish numbers such as You Are My Sunshine.

“I’m still dancing,” said resident Rose Sandler.

“It’s all so beautiful, it touches my heart. If you’re ill it makes you better and I really mean that.

“I don’t care about being ill when I’ve got the children here.”

Learning support assistant Philippa Isaac said Mitzvah Day, which falls on Sunday, is all about the community coming together.

“Watching the interaction between the older and young people is just lovely,” she said.

Recorder editor Chris said: “I was more than happy to help with the school’s brilliant collectathon and was amazed by how much the children brought in.

“It was also great to be involved in making the get well cards and having the chance to chat to the Wohl pupils.

“Mitzvah Day is becoming a key time in the charity calendar and gets bigger every year. The Recorder is delighted to support it and be involved.”