THE Gate Centre has relaunched its Wednesday cafe – providing an afternoon session for the community to enjoy tea, coffee and cake.

Originally running at the Alloa venue in the morning, it has reopened with a 2-4pm slot every week following feedback from customers.

People in Clacks and beyond can now pop in for a light bite – home-baking and drinks – while helping to support The Gate Charity.

Centre manager Marie Brownhill said: “I think it will be good for The Gate in the long-term and it will also be good for the community, for people needing to use somewhere as a social environment to meet with friends.

“I think it will be good for external professionals needing to meet clients and service users or colleagues because The Gate Centre is getting so familiar in Alloa – in Clackmannanshire even – and people feel more comfortable coming here, you know, because they're used to the environment.”

Run by volunteers, it will also provide support to The Gate Foodbank which operates next door.

Although it is a paying cafe, those who drop in to pick up a parcel via the charity's referral system will be offered a free refreshment.

They will be given vouchers to hand over and will also be able to access information via leaflets on any external bodies that might be of assistance.

Marie said: “The idea of the Wednesday cafe as well is when the people come in for their food parcels they can have a cup of tea and a scone and cake and that while they're waiting because A, they might be hungry, B they might be lonely and [C] they might be a bit anxious.”

The mid-week session is in addition to the Friday lunchtime cafe that has been running since 2014, which has an extended menu.

This was set-up to support more people through the profits that are reinvested back into the projects.

Marie said: “From 12 till 2 the cafe is open and has been for about three years.

“But it's a full menu on a Friday so you can get The Gate lunch special which is a choice of two different home-made soups, a choice of six different sandwich fillers and any drink for £2.95.

“And then the dish of the day would be like stovies, or macaroni or whatever we've made that week and that's £2.95.”

Alongside changes in the cafe, work has been underway to upgrade the electricity to allow for better heating and lighting within the centre, due to funding from Community Matters.

A fundraising concert for The Gate and for Better Life for Syrian Children will also take place at Muckhart Paris Church on Sunday, April 23 from 3pm.

A recital will be given by Ayman Jarjour, an internationally-known classical guitarist from Syria.

Entry to the event is free, although donations for the two causes would be appreciates, and afternoon teas will be served.