A Newton Aycliffe café owner is putting a little-known community hub on the map after turning the business around.
The Ration Pack Veteran and Community Café, at the Veterans Community and Enterprise Centre on Horndale Avenue, reopened under Terri Caygill’s management in June.
Within months, the café has secured a five-star food hygiene rating and is attracting more customers as Terri has worked to raise awareness of the venue.
The 32-year-old, who has spent her career in hospitality, said she saw a Facebook post about the café after its previous operators left.
From left, Ashley Fairhurst and Terri Caygill of The Ration Pack Veteran and Community Cafe. (Image: STUART BOULTON)
Terri said: "We're in a veteran centre. They have woodwork, VR, modelling, a railway club, and it's all to help veterans.
"The team who had the café before me left and I saw a post on Facebook about it, so I just asked if I could take it over."
She added: "It's been hard because it didn't have a great reputation, but I just got my five-star food hygiene certificate last week.
"It's been hard getting us out there and it's been tricky, but we're just trying to let people know we're here."
(Image: STUART BOULTON)
The response from customers has been really good. Terri added: "The last few weeks I've been really busy.
"Each week it's picking up more and more."
(Image: STAURT BOULTON)
Terri runs the Horndale Avenue café largely alone, with her husband Anthony or colleague Ashley Fairhurst helping during busy periods.
But for Terri, the café is about more than food.
She said: "I love food and I love that there are all the veterans in there.
"I have people who come in and I'll give them free food, and I can see them all happy when they're eating it.
"There's one man who comes in every week and he always has the same toastie every single day."
The café is at the heart of the Veterans Community and Enterprise Centre, which supports veterans with physical or mental health conditions and those moving from military to civilian life.
(Image: STAURT BOULTON)
The centre offers woodcraft workshops, modelling groups, VR facilities, AI training and art classes to tackle loneliness and bring people together.
One of the most popular events is the veterans breakfast, held on the third Saturday of every month.
Terri said: "It's great to see all the veterans in and talking.
"It's just nice to see them all come in and it helps them because a lot of the veterans have PTSD, so they don't get out of the house.
"We have a group of veterans who come in once a month who are all blind, and that's the only time they get to be with each other."
The Ration Pack Veteran and Community Cafe in Newton Aycliffe. (Image: STUART BOULTON)
The centre was set up for veterans but is open to everyone, Terri stresses.
She hopes more local people will visit and discover what the centre offers, including its free Wednesday bus from Newton Aycliffe town centre.
Read more
Family's fight for answers over 'missed opportunities' to detain sister's killer
Historic Newton Aycliffe hotel praised by guests for spa, food and stunning grounds
Darlington couple open first permanent cafe after six years in food van
She said: "The centre is for veterans, but it's also open to the public.
"We have a free bus on Wednesdays that brings you from Newton Aycliffe town centre to the veterans centre, but no one knows about it, so I'm trying to get it out there."