A COMMUNITY'S efforts to take control of its future take another step forward this month.

The Catterick area's Community Works project has confirmed it has found a temporary office and expects to have an operational headquarters by the end of the month.

The ground floor of the old County Hotel in the High Street, Catterick Village, will be a base for volunteer-run projects. It is hoped they will act as a catalyst providing a better public transport network, to help generate new youth schemes and services for the elderly, and to cut crime. The office will also sell products made by people who live in 20 parishes along the A1 corridor.

"The shop will be open at certain times during the week, depending on the volunteers' available time,'' said Community Works chairman Melva Steckles.

"We hope it will be a place for the community to call in and get involved.''

One project pioneered by the group is a community car scheme, which will run under the umbrella of the North Yorkshire Rural Transport Partnership.

One of only six such pilot schemes in the UK, it will give members access to a pool of cars based in villages around the area, with flexible rates available that allow vehicles to be hired for hours or even a few days.

Community Works has also won a £5,000 grant to pay for a feasibility study into how an 18-acre field on the banks of the River Swale can be better used. At the moment, the land is leased from the Leeds Angling Club by Richmondshire District Council.

"We want to get specialist consultants to come in and show us how we could develop the field as an amenity for lots of groups, including families, dog walkers, children and the elderly,'' said Mrs Steckles.

A partnership with Darlington College at Catterick could also see short courses being taught at village halls.

For more information about the group and its aims call (01748) 835510.