Work Avenue marked its 20th anniversary with a special evening recognising two decades of transforming lives, honouring five incredible pioneers and affirming a continuing commitment to helping people earn a living with dignity.
More than 250 guests – including past and present CEOs and staff members, trustees, clients, communal leaders, supporters and donors – came together at Work Avenue’s Wohl Enterprise Hub in Finchley to celebrate the charity’s central and vital role in Britain’s Jewish community.
They heard how, from modest beginnings with one small desk in Regents Park Road in 2006, Work Avenue has since grown into the community’s leading employment and business support organisation with offices and outreach across the country, including Essex, and more than 4,000 people engaging with its services every year.
Opening the event, Work Avenue Chair Mark Morris spoke of his pride in the huge number of families who have been supported.
He said: “We have assisted more than 40,000 families during the past 20 years. We are extremely proud that Work Avenue is there for everyone within our community and beyond – irrespective of their religious background, age, gender and geographical location.
“Our service has grown and evolved over the years, but what has never changed is what I consider our greatest achievement – the way we ensure every client is treated with the utmost care to enhance their self-esteem.
“My pledge tonight is that Work Avenue will continue to be that pillar in our community, maintaining the same mission and always assisting individuals and families to earn a living with dignity.”
A highlight of the evening was the chance to celebrate all those who helped build Work Avenue’s success, including former CEOs Shraga Zaltzman and Debbie Sheldon.
Trustee Paul Mann presented the Pioneer Awards to five individuals and organisations whose vision, partnership and innovation have been mutually beneficial for themselves and Work Avenue. The winners were:
Employer Pioneer: Global Group
Partnering with Work Avenue over many years, this company, led by Moshe Feldman, regularly utilises the charity’s Recruitment Service in order to create employment opportunities for members of the community.
Business Pioneer: KMP Solutions
Starting out nearly 20 years ago at Work Avenue, Philip Klein and Solomon Mozes have grown KMP Solutions into a highly respected property and asset management company that commits time and resources back to the community.
Entrepreneur Pioneer: Ben Cohen
Demonstrating pioneering spirit, with Work Avenue’s support from inception, Ben founded HomeSun a solar panel business, over 15 years ago. He now runs Blink Payment, an innovative platform allowing organisations to collect payments seamlessly.
Innovator Pioneer: Craig Hartzel
Starting his journey by speaking on a Work Avenue AI panel, in the early stages of Chat GPT, Craig now works with businesses, charities and communal organisations to demystify AI as a way to support rather than replace people.
Partnership Pioneer: The Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation
Playing an incredible role in the story of Work Avenue, the Foundation’s ongoing commitment and generosity supports the year-on-year delivery of vital services, while also making the Wohl Enterprise Hub shared workspace a reality.
Professor David Latchman CBE, Chair of the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation, collected the Partnership Pioneer Award. He said: “My late uncle Maurice said to me, on many occasions, ‘build all these buildings, do all these things, but never forget the individual person’.
“Work Avenue is very much about supporting individual people and we are delighted to be associated with them.”
Over two decades, Work Avenue has helped 40,000 families by providing community members with essential lifelong skills. During that time, the charity estimates it has held around 30,000 one-to-one employment advice sessions, 15,000 one-to-one business advice meetings and hundreds of workshops and training courses.
Closing the event, Work Avenue CEO Debbie Lebrett said: “Looking around the room tonight, it is clear that Work Avenue’s growth and success over the last two decades is down to an incredible team of trustees, staff, supporters and clients – all with a shared vision and unwavering commitment to helping people in our community build better futures for themselves and their families.”
