Poplar Grove Centre gets £2.4million facelift

A multi-million pound community centre for young people and teenagers excluded from school has opened in Wembley.

The Poplar Grove Centre, which first opened as a youth centre in the 1960s, has been given a £2.4million facelift and was officially opened by the Mayor of Brent, Councillor Ralph Fox, who unveiled a plaque in the new gym.

Young people in Brent have worked with the council to develop an alternative educational programme at the centre.

Youngsters will be able to enjoy football, dance and tae kwon do sessions, a music studio, gym and a playing field. A youth club will also meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Elizabeth Adare, head of Brent Youth Service, said: "The Poplar Grove Centre is a wonderful example of how different council services can work together for the good of young people.

"Our aim was to provide first-class facilities that could be used seven days a week and I hope that the young people who come to use this centre will agree that the investment has been worthwhile."

A separate part of the building is also the new home for Brent's Key Stage 4 Pupil Referral Unit, which has moved from its previous base in Kingsbury.

The unit, which last month received an 'outstanding' report from education watchdog Ofsted for the second time in a row, teaches 36 pupils who have been permanently excluded from school.

Teachers and pupils alike are benefitting from the extra educational facilities in the building including a science lab, and specialist IT and arts spaces, which have enabled teachers to offer an even broader curriculum and extend the number of GCSE courses on offer.