Press: Screen Giant Praises 'Amazing' Youth Club

By Shalina Hussain

Lord of The Rings star Sir Ian McKellen has praised a youth club, which is helping to transform teenagers' lives.
And he urged new residents to help bridge the gap between communities.

The stage and screen actor visited Limehouse Youth Centre to hear about the achievements of young people and to launch a summer art competition, which will be part of the Narrow Street fete on August 25.

Sir Ian was given a guided tour of the centre, run by charity City Gateway. It has a gym, climbing wall, music studio, football pitch and IT suite.

He was impressed with the centre's facilities and praised the hard working staff.

"This is an amazing resource for young people and the facilities are astonishing," he said.

"During my childhood I depended on school for extra curricular activities. In the holidays you become dependent on friends and family.

"Centres like this are essential for young people and not just to keep them off the streets. There is a genuine community here and every young person deserves the right to develop their potential."

Most of the volunteers at the centre, who themselves were at the edge of society, are able to reach out and help their peers.

Laura Welman, from Limehouse, started attending the centra when she was 14.

Now 21, she said: "I was excluded from school and getting into trouble. I remember coming to the centre with a baseball bat, don't ask me why.

"But the place has really helped me get back on track. I now teach IT and can relate to young people.

"What's special about the centre is people from different backgrounds connect."

Sir Ian, who has lived in the borough for 30 years, said it was vital to bridge the gap between rich and deprived communities.

He said: "Newcomers, businesses and yuppies have a duty to pay back local people who live here. I don't do as much as I could, but events like the Narrow Street fete are a great way to open up the community.

"There's a terrific need for people to feel they belong as there are disparate groups in the borough. You have the very rich and poor, high achievers and school leavers and bringing them together is key."

To view the footage of that day Click Here