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Published: 5th November, 2010
by PETER GRUNER

FORMER boxing champion  “Prince” Naseem Hamed missed the official opening of a King’s Cross youth project’s £400,000 centre, but finally turned up an hour-and-a-half late.

The ex-world champ was due to be guest of honour last Thursday at Sparkplug, the charity in Bingfield Park, Pembroke Street, which uses motorbikes and mechanics to help keep young people off the streets.

But the ex-fighter missed the ribbon-cutting by Mayor of Islington Councillor Mouna Hamitouche and was too late to hand out certificates to some of the centre’s young people. He said he was delayed by transport problems.

Martin Willis, Sparkplug’s project leader, who founded the club in 2002, said: “The Prince did get to meet some of the young people and staff when he finally arrived. We were pleased to see him even if he was rather late.”

Among those who attended the opening was Islington Council’s Labour regeneration, chief Councillor Paul Convery, a long-time supporter of the club.

Sparkplug was temporarily housed on the Ringcross estate, in Holloway, while the new premises were being built.

Last year, the club was dogged with complaints from neighbours on the Bemerton estate who objected to planning permission for the new building. Youth workers hope that, with club activities, including maintenance, now taking place inside the new centre, disturbance to residents will be kept to a minimum.

Mr Willis said: “The new building means we can expand our services and work with more young people.

“When we started we were working out of the old park toilets, which had been converted. It was all we had for seven years. Now we've got this fantastic all-purpose building.

“We will also be remembering the young people we have lost along the way.”

Tragically, four of the project’s former users, Sam Fitzgerald, 20, Jessie Wright, 16, Ben Kinsella, 16, and Michael McCarthy, 19, have all died in violent circumstances in and around Islington.