Charity which allows kids to play football while learning is backed by West Ham star Michail Antonio

Football-mad youngsters have the opportunity to play and learn at a new youth hub which has the backing of a Premier League player.

Football Beyond Borders, a football-based education charity which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who are passionate about football, has opened the hub in Overton Road, Brixton, and West Ham striker Michail Antonio, who was born and raised in Tooting, visited recently.

“Growing up in South London you are naturally quite boisterous,” said Antonio. “It’s 10 times worse than when I was growing up. We’ve completely lost touch of how we need to treat kids.

“London is becoming more of a business than a place for families. You can’t live here. We’re not investing in the future.

“Everyone’s trying to buy a house. Everything’s turned into business blocks. There’s hardly any parks any more. Every little space of green is turned into flats.

“Kids will always be there. People who are businessmen and women will turn into family. So what about kids coming up now? There is nothing for them to do.”

Speaking at an event at the youth hub, Antonio added: “Kids now wouldn’t know about youth centres.

“I just feel if they had the opportunity to do that they wouldn’t be on the side of the street trying to cause chaos. But when you’re bored you just try to do things and half the time it is mischievous.”

The charity helps kids complete their school studies, enabling them to finish with skills and qualifications to aid them in the future.

Forty-five young people from both Football Beyond Borders and nearby South Thames College worked with volunteers from VIY to renovate the new youth hub by adapting a former hairdressing studio next to the current office site.

They created a football therapy room and two changing rooms.

The rooms were then redecorated, and worktops were built to allow people to work in the new space.

Nathan Gordon, one of the volunteers, said “We learnt a lot of new skills, including dry lining, and installation. It was a really enjoyable experience.”

Another volunteer, Byron Fredericks, said: “The VIY staff were really friendly, and I learnt how to work to deadlines.”

Lead VIY mentor Alan Dalton said: “We’ve really enjoyed working with these young volunteers to help them create a new hub for such a fantastic charity which helps so many disadvantaged students in the area.

“Hopefully those involved learnt a lot and we are sure that the new hub will be a valuable addition to the local community.”

Jasper Kain, co-founder and director of Football Beyond Borders, said: “We are delighted with the work that VIY have completed.

“It has transformed a previously disused space into an uplifting youth hub. Our young people got a lot out of volunteering, gaining an insight into a completely new industry.

“The VIY staff acted as great teachers and mentors and were a pleasure to work with.”

Pictured top are VIY volunteers and young people from FBB