Charis Project founder Louis Olusina is Londoner of the Day

Londoner of the Day goes to Louis Olusina, who founded a charity for helping troubled young people to turn their lives around in north east London.

Mr Olusina founded the Charis Project in 2003, after finding out that young people in the borough of Barking were desperate for activities to take part in during the summer holidays and were at risk of falling into anti-social behaviour.

Since then, Charis has grown in leaps and bound, so that today a team of dedicated volunteers and staff run a series of programmes and projects.

The aim is to build health and discipline in order to breed confidence in youngsters who need it, while providing them with important vocational skills.

There is a music academy, a dance academy and even a radio station, all of which are popular.

Home work support is also available, along with a mountain biking scheme.

Mr Olusina was recently heralded for his work by train operator, c2c.

He said: “It is a great honour to be chosen and it recognises the hard work the project puts in to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour among young people so that our community can be safe.”

Let’s hope Mr Olusina enjoys this latest accolade and continues his good work in the years ahead.