VOLUNTEER gardeners have helped to spruce up the area around a popular youth centre which has recently reopened.

The Rose Bowl Youth Centre on the Marquess Estate, Canonbury, opened again in April under the management of Hoxton Hall after being closed for a year.

The garden outside the building had suffered from neglect while the facility was empty.

Islington Gardening Club members, along with Rose Bowl caretaker Ollie Stephens and his friends, decided to clear the overgrown shrubs and weeds from the site on Sunday (May 22) to make the garden look more presentable.

Mr Stephens said: “The clear up went really well.

“We want to create an area which children will take pride in maintaining.

“Many of the children live in the inner-city and don’t get the chance to enjoy gardens. I hope to give them the opportunity to take part in food growing projects at the Rose Bowl in the future.”

Alison Barlow, from Islington Gardening Club, who planted a rose bush outside the youth centre, said: “The area surrounding the youth centre has needed to be spruced up for some time - so it does not give the impression that the place is neglected.”

The Rose Bowl is now open three days a week and Islington Council and Hoxton Hall are planning an event to celebrate the reopening later this month.

Hoxton Hall is a charity which currently works with more than 600 young people through a large performance hall in Hackney.

It is planning to stage multi-media and journalism courses along with other activities at the Rose Bowl.