Students in the Olympic ‘host’ boroughs are setting up community projects inspired by the summer Games which include cleaning up the Thames.

The Envision youth charity is launching this year’s Legacy Champions programme with EDF Energy, the official power supplier to the Games, to use the Olympics inspiration for projects to tackle environmental and social issues.

London 2012 hopeful Natasha Baker joined 100 students from nine campuses across East London, including Tower Hamlets College in Poplar, for last Friday’s launch.

The programme is part of a three-year deal with the energy supplier, which is seconding 18 employees as mentors for six months.

EDF’s Gareth Wynn said: “We’re providing mentors to help students develop their ideas, gain skills and build confidence with community projects that will leave a legacy for east London.”

Their first 2012 project is a mass volunteering event to help clean up the Thames next month. Projects kicked off last year included a crime prevention workshop, a mini Olympics getting youngsters active through sport and a festival promoting a more sustainable community.