A community café run by people with learning difficulties has celebrated its first birthday.

North Norfolk News: North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb cuts the cake at the About with Friends birthday celebration. Picture: Dave 'Hubba' Roberts.North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb cuts the cake at the About with Friends birthday celebration. Picture: Dave 'Hubba' Roberts. (Image: Archant)

The About With Friends café, opposite Cromer Parish Church, provides experience in a work-based environment for its the charity's members.

The Tucker Street café opened on March 20 last year, and marked its first anniversary with a visit from North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb and a party.

In his speech at the celebration, Mr Lamb said he loved coming to see the charity because 'you always have smiles on your faces when I visit you'.

All proceeds go back into About With Friends - a charity set up 12 years ago to teach children, young people and adults with learning disabilities work and life skills.

Chief executive Helen Dalton-Hare said the first year had been a steep learning curve. She added: 'It was our first entrance onto the high street. We have had lots of support from the local community and businesses who have really helped us out.'

She said about 14 mainly young people had benefitted from a good introduction to work with training, and had become skilled in serving customers and using the till.

And financially the café has done well. Ms Dalton-Hare said: 'We budgeted this year for a loss with all of the set up costs but I think we are going to come out with a very small surplus which is fantastic.'

£16,000 from all of the charity's projects has been put in an amenity fund for its members.

The café will be open from seven days a week in April, and will continue to be open all week next winter.

As well as dealing with money and serving food, the About With Friends users help cook the food.

For more information on About With Friends or to register an interest in volunteering visit www.aboutwithfriends.co.uk, email info@aboutwithfriends.co.uk or call 01263 515230.