BRIAN SAAH and Sam Oji were on hand to present awards and certificates to youngsters involved in the Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP) 'Playing for Success' (PfS) Awards celebration evening at Score in Leyton on Tuesday night.

With over 150 people in attendance the night was a great success with pupils from Aveling Park Secondary, Connaught School for Girls, Mayville Primary, Henry Maynard Junior, Dawlish Primary, Thomas Gamvel Primary and Sybourn Junior schools taking part in stage presentations of their work in front of their watching teachers, parents and guardians as well as receiving various certificates and trophies for their past ten weeks' work.

The night was a great success for all involved, something Brian and Sam recognised.

"It's nice to come to things like this spend some time up close with the kids," said Brian.

"I know about the work we do in the community and how we organise opportunities for young people to play sports as I've attended a few things in the past.

"It's great to come down and share in the appreciation for the kids here - it's massively important for the kids and it's good to get involved."

For Sam Oji the night offered an insight into an area he knows quite well, despite only being a permanent Leyton Orient player since the beginning of the year.

"My Mum lives in Leyton, just up the road from here," he explained. "It's the first time I have done anything like this and it's good to be associated with it. It's a great chance to get to know the local community.

"Everybody here is getting involved in what they like and I am all for it. My niece is growing up and is involved in things like this."

Besides the pupil's awards, staff were also rewarded with Usma Malik walking away with the 'Best Learning Mentor' award for her work. The award represented acknowledgement for the hardworking young mentor who joined LOCSP a year ago and highlights its effectiveness in providing local young people with opportunities they may otherwise not have had.

"I saw an advert for an Open College Network (OCN) course called 'Introduction to Mentoring Skills' at Waltham Forest College where I study," the Walthamstow resident explained.

"I attended the course at LOCSP and gained experience of working with children. I was assigned different children in each session and was marked on three different pupils I had worked with, including their individual learning and strengthening their weaknesses.

Usma now works for LOCSP, splitting her time between the office and Education Centre and completing her GCE in ICT and Business at Waltham Forest College, but finds the two easy to manage.

"It's great because what I do at LOCSP is what I do at college - I put my learning into practice and teaching is a really rewarding experience."

The whole night was put together by Andree Selner, the LOCSP PfS Centre Manager, who was happy to see such a high turnout.

"It's great to see so many parents, children and teachers in attendance," she enthused.

"I have had lots of parents and teachers coming up to me tonight saying how much it has improved the confidence of their children. The team of staff I have here are amazing and I couldn't do any of this without them."

For Andree, the player appearance is an integral part of the evening.

"We really appreciate the clubs' support in sending two players here tonight and it makes the night for the kids to have a real-life football player in front of them.

"These players are positive, local role models and it is great to see to have them here - we would like to get them more involved and possibly get them into a class in the future.

"We are looking to get some of the pupils who have been with us come back as mentors and I would also like to get more OCN students to come in as volunteers. PfS is onwards and upwards now!"

For more information on PfS or LOCSP please call 020 8556 5973 or email enquiries@locsp.org