BANKERS from Canary Wharf have been getting their hands dirty, turning up at two pensioners’ clubs and making a clean sweep of the premises

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BANKERS from Canary Wharf have been getting their hands dirty.

They turned up at two pensioners' clubs and made a clean sweep of the premises.

The Isle of Dogs Community Fund which dishes out cash for good causes has taken on the mantle of finding business volunteers to help with some of the housekeeping tasks needed by community groups.

Volunteers from Barclays Capital were out giving the premises of two groups a wash and brush up last week.

Eight arrived at Millwall's Strafford Street friendship club to do a spot of gardening and cleaning, while another 10 visited the Barley Mow veterans' club in Limehouse to help spruce up the place.

"It was a pleasure to meet such nice young people," said Lil Poynter, who runs the Veterans' club.

"They really got the place sparkling again, especially the bits we find hard to reach."

Now Morgan Stanley volunteers are joining the community trend this week at the Limehouse Arches day nursery for a similar exercise, while Credit Suisse employees plan to help Millwall's Exchange Project where mums swap the donated summer children's clothing for winter items.

The community fund is often asked by Canary Wharf companies for volunteering opportunities.

The clubs in the deprived neighbourhoods of Docklands can't wait to take the bankers up on their offer.