SCHOOLCHILDREN were put through their paces by footballing legend Ray Wilkins this week.

Around 20 kids from Riverley Primary School in Park Road, Leyton, joined the former player then coach at Chelsea FC on a training session before the kids played a football match against each other on Thursday, July 17.

The pupils played the match on the grounds of Leyton Orient Stadium, in Brisbane Road, where Ray gave the teams a half-time pep talk, watched from the sidelines by Orient chairman Barry Hearn.

The children played the match thanks to Kids Company, a charity which helps inner-city schools, and Samsung, which donates money to the charity through its new free smartphone app, the Samsung Hope Relay, which donates £1 to charity for every mile people with the app run before the end of the Olympics.

Ray said: "It was a real inspiration to meet some of the children. With The Olympic Games just around the corner it’s time for everyone to get involved – the Samsung Hope Relay is a great way of raising funds for deserving causes, like Kids Company, and letting everyone take part in the Games."

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