A DAWLISH community centre has had a £4,000 kitchen makeover.

The Strand Centre now has a fully equipped catering kitchen to cater for the 1,200 residents it serves every year.

Its previously outdated facilities had limited capacity with inadequate equipment and frequent mould due to the damp conditions.

Following a refit, funded by Action Funder and the SNG Commercial Support Fund, the new kitchen is now open for business.

A spokesman for the Strand Centre said: ‘This project was a whole team effort with two builders giving their time, four volunteers, including three trustees handling the admin and three members of Men’s Shed carrying out hands on work.

‘A massive thank you to Action Funder and SNG Commercial Support, you’ve helped turn plans into progress and the future is looking bright.

‘We’re so grateful for everyone’s time and dedication and especially for the patience of our community during the delays, particularly waiting for the oven delivery.’

The two Dawlish Rotary Clubs also pledged £1000 for stainless steel surfaces.

The centre helps people in the Dawlish community which is facing challenges of rising living costs, poverty, and social isolation, affecting low-income families, older adults, and the homeless.

Renovating the catering kitchen means it can enhance its food safety, service quality and the impact on the community.

The revamp also means the centre will be better able to meet the growing demand for affordable meals, food aid and social events.

The upgrade has involved installing a commercial cooker, extractor fan, alongside professional installation and disposal of old furniture and appliances.

Volunteers from the Men’s Shed, which is also based at the Strand Centre, installed cabinets, reducing costs and engaging the community.

The upgrades will improve hygiene, efficiency, and food production capacity, supporting the café, food bank, and events.

With the better equipment, the volunteers will be able to increase capacity for every day food service, low cost events and any outreach work, providing vital support to vulnerable individuals and families.