BOXING champ Prince Naseem Hamed will be in Islington today for the opening of a successful youth project’s new centre.
Sparkplug, which uses motorcycles and mechanics to engage young people and get them off the streets, is moving into a new facility in Bingfield Park, Pembroke Street, Islington, after a year at a temporary site on the Ringcross Estate, Holloway.
Former world champion fighter Prince Naseem will be handing out award certificates to some of the project’s young people - after Councillor Mouna Hamitouche, Mayor of Islington, cuts the ribbon on its new home at 2.30pm.
Martin Willis, Sparkplug’s project leader and founder, said: “The new building means we can expand our services and work with more young people.
“Before we were at Ringcross we were working out of the old park toilets here for seven years. Now the toilets have changed into this fantastic building.
“We will also be remembering the young people we have lost along the way.”
Four of the project’s former users, Sam Fitzgerald, 20, Jessie Wright, 16, Ben Kinsella, 16, and Michael McCarthy, 19, have been killed in and around Islington.
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