A ONE-STOP community café is set to finally become a reality after the charity group behind it won nearly half a million in funding. 

Rogiet Junction, who operate the Rogiet Community Café in the local church hall every Wednesday, was awarded £465,450, spread over the next three years, from the National Lottery Community Fund in November last year. 

According to the team, the money will allow them to start work on a community shop and café, which will be open from Monday to Saturday, and set up a teaching kitchen, gardening space and shop selling affordable essentials.

The funds will also cover salaries for shop and café managers for the next two years.

Last weekend, on Saturday, July 6, the charity were joined at their planned cake and celebration event by newly elected Monmouthshire MP Catherine Fookes and Newport East's member of the Senedd John Griffiths to celebrate the funding. 

During the event, members of the charity shared their plans for the new café with Ms Fookes, and displayed a mural that will go on show in the café once it is completed. 

Of her visit, Ms Fookes said: "It was really wonderful to celebrate the funding that Rogiet Community Café have worked so hard for from The National Lottery Community Fund & Welsh Government with John Griffiths of Newport East. 

"Great to see the mural too & hear all about plans for the shop - it’s going to be fantastic. Looking forward to going to the Café when in its new home!

"Proof of what a dedicated group of community volunteers can achieve." 

John Griffiths added on his social media page: "Great to join Catherine on her first constituency visit as the new Labour MP for Monmouthshire."

The community café is currently open for two hours between 10am and noon on a Wednesday at Rogiet Community Church Hall, Green Close, with a kid’s café every six weeks.

With a home of their own on the horizon, the team soon hope to be able to welcome “anyone” in the village.

The café is expected to open in the summer of 2025.