A PROJECT to get people in Pill enthusiastic about learning hit the road running when it was launched by Newport sprint star Christian Malcolm.

Children from local schools could not get enough of the athlete, or the vast amount of stalls offering information and advice on different courses and careers.

Launching the Pillgwenlly Engagement Project at Pill Millennium Centre yesterday, Christian said: "I think these events show you a range of things to improve your knowledge, set up a business or get the skills you need to get a better job.

"I wish I'd had something like this when I was younger, and hope people take advantage of it."

The event will last five days. Today there is advice on trying new activities, on Thursday and Friday there will be advice on getting a job, and Saturday's theme will be youth sports.

Duffryn High School pupils were overwhelmed with ideas for their future. Mustafa Hassan, 15, said: "I think this is brilliant. It gives people the opportunity to find their talent and it's on their doorstep."

Amani Kawe, 16, added: "They've made it more interesting and it attracts young children. I don't know what I want to be, but this helps you understand different careers."

And Farid Din, 15, said: "I was most interested by the engineering and the boxing. There are lots of opportunities and ideas here."

The project is organised by Newport Community Consortia for Education and Training. Jane Timmins, of CCET, said: "The project came out of a need to know why people in the area are not taking up learning and training.

"We felt the best thing to do was hold an event with lots of stalls and tasters, rather than just say 'go to the college'.

"At the end of the event we will have an idea of what people want, and see which are the best organisations to provide it and how we can fund it.

"If this project is successful we hope to get funding to do it in other communities." Phillippe Mballa Zambo, who played for Cameroon in the 1994 World Cup and for Crystal Palace from 1992 to 2000, was also at the launch.

The footballer, who is currently giving Newport children soccer coaching while he studies social work and sports coaching, said: "Their lack of facilities is quite obvious but I think people are trying to get things going now."

*PICTURED: Christian Malcolm with Coleg Gwent mature students Amanda Taleb (left) and Joan Campbell and St Michael's RC Primary School pupil Jessica Channing.