Jewish Care volunteer Rita Roth OBE, receives prestigious Point of Light award from PM

Jewish Care volunteer, Rita Roth OBE, received the prestigious Point of Light award from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at their Annual Dinner last night, for her incredible dedication and achievement in supporting our community and in particular, our Rosetrees care home.

2023 marks Rita’s 60th year of volunteering for Jewish and wider causes.

Rita was one of the founding members of our Meals on Wheels service in 1973, there from the start, cooking food from her kitchen, delivering soup and hot meals to people at home, as well as recruiting local volunteers.

In 1994, Rita was awarded an OBE for services to the British shipping industry, which included confidential government work.

For more than a decade, she volunteered at her local Jewish Care home, raising money when needed and took over on a voluntary basis a paid staff member’s job when she left. This incorporated all types of social aspects and also involved fundraising for Havens Hospital and the local Jewish Care day centre.

In her capacity as Chair of the Rosetrees fundraising committee, Rita has held dozens of events and despite Covid, she has still managed to raise over £100,000 in the last few years, to enable the home to fulfil the manager’s wish list of extras for all the residents.

Each week, Rita makes the long trip across the North Circular from her home in Southend-on-Sea to the home just to give each of the residents and staff there their favourite bar of chocolate – they call it ‘Rita’s Chocolate Drop’.

We join the Prime Minister in congratulating Rita on a well-deserved Point of Light award.

Jewish Care’s Chief Executive, Daniel

Carmel-Brown, says:

“We are delighted that we were able to share this special moment with Rita at our Annual Dinner. Her dedication and commitment to Jewish Care, our staff and residents, is nothing short of outstanding, and we are so pleased that this award is a recognition of that. Mazel Tov, Rita, and thank you for all that you do for us!”

On receiving the award, Rita Roth OBE said: “I was so overwhelmed to receive the Point of Light Award. It was a big surprise and the Prime Minister was lovely. When I started volunteering as a teenager all those years ago, I never thought I would need Jewish Care, but I really don’t know what I would have done without them. They were there when my mother needed care and support. I get so much pleasure from volunteering and being with the residents. We have a lot of laughs and great chats, and they certainly enjoy the ice cream and chocolates that I bring. It’s given me a huge understanding and appreciation of the care for older people and people living with dementia that Jewish Care provide and I have so much respect and love for the amazing staff at Rosetrees care home.”

Sharing a VIP tea at her home on Tuesday, Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely said: “I have long been passionate about ensuring young people remain proud to be Jewish. The success of these impressive girls in making it to the Chidon Hatanach final is truly cause for celebration.

As Ambassador, I have endeavoured to not only strengthen bilateral relations between Israel and UK, but also further enhance the British Jewish communities’ bond with Israel. I hope to see the manifestation of this bond realised with even more British students attending next year.”