A charity from Tower Hamlets is the latest organisation to be recognised in the Prime Minister’s Big Society Awards.

City Gateway, which was set up by a group of City workers, aims to support communities in the borough by providing young people, in particular women, with training.

Eddie Stride, the charity’s CEO, said: “City Gateway was set up by local people who saw the gap between the economic development of parts of Tower Hamlets and some parts of the community who were being left behind.

“Our mission is to bring hope to Tower Hamlets and our aim is to always to build the capacity of local communities and local people to find their own solutions to the challenges facing them.”

The charity organises women’s projects, runs drop-in youth centres and promotes social enterprise through apprentice schemes and opportunities for young people to develop their own business ideas.

Mr Cameron said: “City Gateway helps local women and young people gain the skills needed to progress into work. Their Women’s Project and Young Leaders programmes provide a vital network of support to the communities of Tower Hamlets, and I wish them every success with continuing their mission to help the women and young people of Tower Hamlets progress into work and higher education.”

In the last year, City Gateway has delivered year-long training courses for more than 300 young people, with 169 of those resulting in apprenticeships. It has also helped 79 women into work placements, with 35 of those subsequently going into sustainable employment.