Channelling the supremely successful Olympic and Paralympic Games of last summer, staff and patients from a mental health centre organised their own special sports day.

Sprinting, badminton and even table tennis games were competed in by people aged from 18 to 55, some with varying mental health conditions, thanks to organisers from the Newham Centre for Mental Health, Glen Road, Beckton.

Coaches from West Ham United FC also came down to help supervise football matches at the afternoon games held at Newham Leisure Centre on Friday, September 6.

“We wanted to have a day for our service users and staff where they were equal, where there wasn’t a divide between them and everybody just competed together,” said lifeskills recovery worker Carlene Roberts.

“It was an amazing day. Everyone is still talking about it.”