Rokeby School pupils give club Olympic standard makeover

Youngsters at Rokeby School gave a old working men’s club a makeover in a bid to impress Olympic and Paralympic Games visitors.

The year 8 students were approached by officers from Newham Police’s Canning Town North Safer Neighbourhood team.

After they went out into the surrounding area to pick out places that made them feel vulnerable, the pupils settled on the disused building opposite their school in Barking Road.

After securing permission for the revamp, and receiving funding from the Safer London Foundation, they started to paint what the Olympics meant to them.

The completed masterpieces were then varnished by PCSOs Neil Davis and Jamie Ryan and attached to the building in time for the Games.

Mr Davis said: “I am glad that the students have had the opportunity to work in their local community and give an area a much needed face lift to a dreary unused building.”