Community groups show their love for the environment on Mitzvah Day

Faith groups, schoolchildren, teachers, and community groups were involved in the Sowing the Seeds of Love scheme for Mitzvah Day.

Coordinated by food poverty charity Gratitude, the project has sought to aid local biodiversity, improve the environment and counteract climate change.

Volunteers have performed weeding and raking of open areas of land in preparation for bulb-planting, including next to Borehamwood mosque in Maxwell Park on November 20, which saw daffodils, narcissus, crocuses and other seasonal flowers planted.

Mitzvah Day in Borehamwood (Image: Cllr Dan Ozarow)

Among the participating organisations were St Michael and All Angels Church (CoE) and their gardening friends from Aycliffe Road Multi-Purpose Day Centre, Borehamwood Islamic Society, Hare Krishna Temple - Bhaktivedanta Manor, Yavneh College, St Teresa's Roman Catholic Primary School, Kenilworth Primary School, Saffron Green Primary School, Borehamwood & Elstree Synagogue and The Liberal Synagogue Elstree.

Faith leaders attended including from the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic communities (Image: Cllr Dan Ozarow)

Gratitude co-founder John Carlisle said: “The thing about spring that always fills me with joy is the bluebells, snowdrops and daffodils coming up. But hey, to achieve the harvest we need to plant the seeds. This bulb planting is a great metaphor. Investing our time and energy in the future.”

Cllr Dan Ozarow, co-coordinator and Borehamwood Kenilworth Labour councillor, added: "It has been thrilling to see so many people, especially children planting seeds and flowers in an effort to secure the future of our planet.

"The recent local tree-planting at home initiative from the Council has been important, but Sowing the Seeds of Love has an additional ingredient of inclusivity that makes it possible for anyone to join rather than only those who have private gardens to plant in.”