I AM deeply concerned at the latest closure of a post office in Harrow - this time in Northolt Road.

I have written to both the Post Office chief executive and to Harrow Council to see if a replacement can be found.

Local Labour MPs voted against the Conservative proposals to keep local post offices open. Gareth Thomas has been saying that they are not able to make enough money.

He also told residents more counters could be put in place in the town centre branch, but this has not happened. Despite our protests and evidence the Harrow on the Hill branch made money, a number were closed anyway.

Conservatives have a plan to help make all post offices more financially viable. We will rewrite sub-postmasters' contracts, allowing them to provide a greater range of products and services, including private mail services.

We will investigate a scheme whereby people who have concerns about a range of government services, such as tax returns and pension entitlements, can use their local post office as a kind of 'government GP'.

The post office account card scheme is hugely important to people who do not have bank accounts. About one million of our most vulnerable people cannot get a bank account. We will protect this scheme, that has been under threat.

We will encourage local councils to see what services they can provide though post offices and whether they can use the network in their area to engage with residents.

In the meantime I will do what I can in regard to the South Harrow site.

DR RACHEL JOYCE

Conservative parliamentary candidate for Harrow West their time on Sunday to support a local charity.

Sunday is Mitzvah Day, literally meaning good deed day. It is a day when Jews up and down the country will give, not their money, but a little bit of their time to help those less fortunate than themselves.

This Mitzvah Day up to 15,000 volunteers will support the homeless, clean up a local park, repaint a local charity office, visit an old people's home, collect food for those in need, or do one of 250 other good deed projects.

At Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, we will be collecting food for the Northwood Live at Home scheme as well as helping to clean up Maxwell Park, in Borehamwood.

As it happens, this year's Mitzvah Day also happens to coincide with the UK's first ever national Interfaith week. That is why we are working on our projects with Christian Aid, St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, in Northwood, and the Hindu temple in Watford.

So, whatever their faith, in these difficult times I hope all your readers will enter to the spirit of the day and 'do a mitzvah' for someone less fortunate than themselves.

RABBI HILLEL ATHIAS-ROBLES Northwood and Pinner

Liberal Synagogue