Leyton Orient’s pioneering community work is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the club and charity planning a whole year of exciting and engaging activities, which will cement the O’s at the heart of East London.

The events start tonight, with the evening celebrating the work of the club in the community since its inception by bringing together over 200 partners, funders, participants and other associates who have been influential, in particular in shaping the charitable work.

The charity, based at the club, will be showcasing the impact they have had and the lives they have helped transform.

The event will see the launch of the Laurie Cunningham Cup, which has been devised to showcase Orient’s wider role and its long standing commitment to its community. On the night key partners including the Police and other services will play in a 4 team 11 a side tournament against our participants - including some reformed characters who have been helped to change their lives

The event will also see the rebranding of the charity Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme to the Leyton Orient Trust.

Neil Taylor, Chief Executive of the trust, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be celebrating our work in the community and the impact it has had over the past quarter of a century.

“The evening will be an opportunity to thank all of those at the club and in the community who have worked with us and to reflect on what has been achieved.”

Also involved in the event will be catering students from Waltham Forest College, young performers from the Soul Project and members of the Borough’s Gang Prevention Programme – Enough is enough’ with drinks provided by local firm Wanis.