A VOLUNTARY media centre which has given 25,000 schoolchildren in East London an insight into journalism as a career since it began is now expanding due to demand from youngsters. The Newspaper Education Trust has this week acquired a bigger space at Millwall’s huge West Ferry printworks on the Isle of Dogs to cope with more youngsters for its popular make a newspaper’ training programme

A VOLUNTARY media centre which has given 25,000 schoolchildren in East London an insight into journalism as a career since it began is now expanding due to demand from youngsters.

The Newspaper Education Trust has this week acquired a bigger space at Millwall's huge West Ferry printworks on the Isle of Dogs to cope with more youngsters for its popular 'make a newspaper' training programme.

The new space means larger class sizes can be accommodated from September.

Sixthformer David Gordon (pictured), from Raines Foundation in Bow, returned to the centre this week to look round the new facilities, following his previous visit at the age of 10 when he was in primary school.

He now wants to be a political journalist in Washington and says his interest in journalism started after he visited the centre.

But there are more expansion ideas in store when a new studio is added in January for youngsters to make their own TV news broadcasts.

Some 25,000 schoolchildren have become 'journalists' for a day since the education trust started in 1995, writing and designing their own newspaper front page using computer desktop publishing.

The refurbishment, financed by the City Fringe Partnership with cash from the London Development Agency, opens to schools from September.

But the trust needs another £18,000 for IT equipment and is calling for companies for help.