A YOUTH project set up to save young boys from gang culture following the murder of Paul Erhahon is in full-swing, despite a shaky start.

Funded by Waltham Forest Council and run by charity Catch 22, formally known as Crime Concern, the project was set up following the 2007 stabbing of the 14-year-old in an attempt to ease tensions between youngsters on the Cathall and Avenue Estates in Leytonstone.

At a Leytonstone Community Council meeting yesterday, representatives from Catch 22 gave a presentation about the youth events being attended and said that progress has been made after it was initially criticised by residents for a slow start and for not involving the local community.

Regional director of Catch 22, Heather Loxley, said at the meeting: “I know there were concerns before about the slow start up of the project and I have responded to previous complaints from other meetings.

“But I am quite proud now of what we are delivering. we are recruiting local people from the two estates to do the delivery - project workers and session workers, so we have the right people on board to deliver what is wanted here.”

Trevor Winnicki, tackling crime team manager for Catch 22, told the meeting that between January 1 and March 31, the project has involved 189 young people from both estates, and of those 141 were “regularly supported” during that time.

Drop-in meetings, discussion groups, a drama club and football club are some of the activities that the young people have been involved in and they are hoping to join to a football league next season.

He said that 65 parents and carers have also attended events held for them.

The £320,000 project also previously came under fire from local residents who claimed the project was had "failed to identify a core group of vulnerable youngsters”.

Ms Loxley responded: “The project is designed to identify those young people who are at risk of getting involved with the gangs and to divert them away from that by working in groups and in planned activities.

“We are not here to work with the generals in the gangs. We are here to work with those on the edge who we believe we can be most effective and make the most difference.”