A community café which provides work opportunities for people with learning disabilities has been awarded a five-star food hygiene rating.

And it is now open an extra two days a week at one of its locations.

Hot Pots in March is part of Cambridgeshire County Council’s day service provision in Fenland.

It offers opportunities for people with disabilities to train in all aspects of running a café, including customer service, money skills, food and drink preparation and baking.

The café has been operating at March Community Centre, in Station Road, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and March Cricket Club, in Burrowmoor Road, on Thursdays and Fridays, from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

And due to its success, it has now opened at the community centre on Thursdays and Fridays as well.

This means customers have more opportunities to sample a delicious range of homemade cakes, lunch-time snacks and hot and cold drinks.

This is another boost for the team after finding out it had been awarded the highest food hygiene rating by Fenland District Council’s environmental health team.

It has also become more embedded in the community by working with Age UK to provide a two-course hot lunch for 11 attendees at its older people's day service which runs on a Monday at the cricket club.

Kayleigh Dring, employability co-ordinator for the project, said: “Hot Pots continues to go from strength to strength and is providing great opportunities for people with learning disabilities to thrive in a working environment.

“The success of the project has allowed us to open for another two days a week, and we would encourage more people to join the team!”

Anyone interested in becoming a trainee at Hot Pots should contact Kayleigh Dring by emailing: Kayleigh.dring@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Cllr Richard Howitt, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s adults and health committee, said: “Having eaten at Hots Pots myself it's no surprise to me that it has won this excellent new rating.

“I hope even more local people will try it for themselves.

"This is a project providing genuine work opportunities for people with learning difficulties which matches - and exceeds - the great customer experience you would expect from any café or restaurant.

“Give it a try!"