MPs pack 1,000 tea bags for food banks on Mitzvah Day

Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, took part in a tea-packing project in Parliament alongside Hampstead and Highgate MP Tulip Siddiq and other parliamentarians as part of Mitzvah Day, the UK’s largest day of faith-based social action.

The project saw MPs pack more than 1,000 tea bags into bundles of 40, destined for users of the 30-plus food banks supported by Food Bank Aid.

Ms Sackman, who also serves as Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, said: "Mitzvah Day is a fantastic initiative. It's about deeds, not just words. Social action that brings communities together, based on Jewish values, and showing how we can have a real social impact at a time when hope is in short supply."

Parliamentarians also wrote personal messages in cards to accompany the deliveries.

This year’s Mitzvah Day theme, 'The Joy of Giving Back,' was reflected throughout the event, which took place in the House of Commons.

MPs learned more about the project and its impact from representatives of Food Bank Aid, JW3, and Mitzvah Day, including founder Laura Marks CBE.

The event was organised in partnership with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Jews, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and the Jewish Leadership Council.

Alyson Walsh, CEO of Food Bank Aid, said: "Mitzvah Day harnesses people's enthusiasm for goodwill. We particularly see people coming together to share and provide food for people they may never meet, but whose tables and cupboards they're keen to fill. It truly IS a mitzvah!"

Mitzvah Day will take place on November 22, though activities and projects will run throughout the preceding month. More than 20 MPs participated in the tea-packing effort, helping to ensure the packages reach those most in need.

Food Bank Aid currently supports 33 independent food banks.