A COMMUNITY centre has taken on its own chef to open a caf serving lunches to its users.

Peter Scott, 33, took charge of the kitchens at the Jubilee Fields Centre, Shildon, this week as part of an initiative by volunteers who want to improve facilities for the community.

His post has been funded by a grant that will keep the Court Caf open for about a year, but Mr Scott said he was hoping that by then the caf would be self-financing.

He said: "I want to turn it into a thriving business so that it pays for itself. Hopefully we can build it up to put the money back into the community.''

The initiative was opened last year after residents living on the Jubilee Estate in Shildon fought to have their own community centre.

They formed an action group and applied for National Lottery grants to get the £750,000 project off the ground.

Now the centre provides a host of activities for the community and is run mostly by volunteers.

The caf will be open from 10.30am to 1.30pm every day except Wednesdays, when it will close at noon for the local lunch club. Take-away sandwiches can be ordered by telephoning (01388) 775425.