A HATHERLEIGH community café which only opened in February is facing closure, unless more local trainee chefs can be found.

Happy Café at Hatherleigh Community Centre is funded through local food grants as part of the Big Lottery Changing Spaces programme, and provides free training for volunteers.

The aim of the project is to teach people about seasonal food, and how to make the most of local produce.

Jane Elliott, project worker at the centre, said: 'We need more local people to get involved in the free training for the project to succeed.

'This is a great opportunity to gain a free Level 1 or 2 qualification in cookery.'

Jane stressed the need for local volunteers for the project to continue in its current form at Hatherleigh.

She said: 'Ideally it's about local food and seasonal produce.

'Unfortunately at the moment, volunteers are having to come from such a long way away, we may have to move to accommodate them.

'It'd be a shame to lose the scheme in Hatherleigh, because we feel it can be a real benefit here. Even people in Okehampton, who live much closer to us than our current volunteers, we would like them to get involved.'

Currently, the scheme only has five volunteers, who work each Tuesday to prepare food and serve it to members of the public.

The volunteers, who all travel from North Devon and Torridge, have benefitted greatly from the scheme.

Volunteer Kirsty Robson, from South Molton, said: 'We really want the project to continue. It means a lot to me.

'At first I had trouble getting up on time and I argued with the chef, but now I see how much I learn and how good this is for me.'

The cafe opens every Tuesday from 9am-2pm. A main meal costs £4, and there is also a choice of healthy snacks made from local produce.

To join the project or for further information, please call Jane on 07773 679559, or visit http://www.seize-the-moment.net">www.seize-the-moment.net