WE GO back 23 years for this week s Days of the Old School Yard. It features youngsters helping to mark the Newham Council for Racial Equality s first birthday party. More than 230 people crowded into the Atherton Suite, Atherton Road, Forest Gate, for a

WE GO back 23 years for this week's Days of the Old School Yard.

It features youngsters helping to mark the Newham Council for Racial Equality's first birthday party.

More than 230 people crowded into the Atherton Suite, Atherton Road, Forest Gate, for a lively multi cultural social evening to mark the occasion.

Recent troubles were put behind them for most of the evening.

And with most of Newham's ethnic minority groups there to enjoy themselves it was anything but a traditional birthday party.

The varied entertainment including body-popping, Gujerati folk dancing, Irish dancing, disco dancing, followed by an Afro Caribbean fashion and hairstyle display.

The partygoers didn't just watch the entertainment - they were all invited to join in a mass disco dance to end the evening.

Special guests were the then president of NCRE, the Mayor Cllr. Tom Nolan, and vice-president, Cllr Jack Hart.