The Speaker of Hackney hosted a ‘graduation ceremony’ at Hackney Town Hall for local children who have successfully completed a mentoring scheme.

Cllr Susan Fajana-Thomas spoke to youngsters who have benefitted from the scheme run by Chance UK – a national organisation working with children with behavioural problems.

The children, aged between five and 11, had met with trained mentors for a few hours a week over the course of a year.

The mentors raise children’s self esteem through activities like sports, visiting museums and making scrapbooks, and the aim is to intervene early into the lives of those at risk of developing anti-social, criminal or offending behaviour.

Anna Cummins from Chance UK said: “Cllr Fajana-Thomas had a great understanding for the importance of the work that Chance UK does and brought even more of a sense of occasion on this special day for the children that graduated.

“They thought she was fun and very approachable, with a lovely smile.”