A RELIGIOUS community has rallied together to support a ‘remarkable’ Oxford children’s hospice.

Oxford Jewish Congregation has raised an impressive £10,000 for Helen & Douglas House, thanks to donations from its members over several months.

The group, which support Jews of all denominations across the city, chose to support the charity due to its ‘wonderful’ work supporting ill children.

Alison Ryde, president of the Congregation, said: “I feel so grateful that an establishment like this exists in Oxford, helping children and their families through the most challenging of situations.

“I am very proud of our community for pulling out the stops and raising money for this wonderful charity, which is so deserving of support.”

It is traditional for Jewish congregations to choose a charity for community members to donate to, to gain atonement.

ALSO READ: Witney runner to tackle marathon for Helen & Douglas House

This is a particularly true during the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year in Judaism, which fell in September last year and saw the group launch an appeal for donations to the hospice.

Tania Davison, a member of Oxford Jewish Congregation, has professional knowledge of Helen & Douglas House through her work as a paediatric doctor.

She promoted the donations appeal during a speech at the group’s High Holy Day services last year, and joined Mrs Ryde to visit the hospice in March.

Mrs Ryde said: “It is a testament to reputation of the charity itself, and [Dr Davison’s] eloquent and heartfelt speech, that we raised rather more than we usually manage.

“I was so happy to be able to visit - this remarkable place is so full of love and warmth and caring, that it’s all to easy to forget its purpose.”

The Congregation, which is based at the Oxford Jewish Centre in Jericho, values its links with other organisations and charities in the city.

ALSO READ: 'Disgusting' attack on Jewish centre condemned by city leaders

Members were invited to donate money to benefit the children’s hospice, and the total was announced by Helen & Douglas House last week.

Mrs Ryde explained: “We feel it is vital to connect to the wider community in Oxford wherever possible.

“As our community is not large, it’s wonderful if we can give the money to recipients for whom it makes a big difference.”

Lucy Walker, the hospice’s community fundraising manager, said: “We are so grateful to the Oxford Jewish Congregation for raising this amazing amount of money for our charity.

“It was wonderful to be able to show Tania and Alison around the hospice and show them how the money they raised will help us improve the lives of local terminally ill children and their families.”

The hospice has to raise £3m annually to maintain its service, relying largely on donations from supporters.

Its next major fundraiser is the Bubble Rush, which takes place at Cutteslowe Park in Oxford on Sunday, June 2.

The 5km fun run, which is sponsored by the Oxford Mail, will see supporters sprint through a sea of multicoloured bubbles, pumping out from four ‘foam stations.’

Last year’s inaugural Bubble Rush raised £30,000.

To sign up or to find out more about individual fundraising, visit helenanddouglas.org.uk.