A youth charity’s facilities have been transformed by a new kitchen and snack area.

Braintree Youth Project Charity (BYPC), which works to help young people in and around Braintree, raised the money for its new kitchens through donations and grants.

The kitchen and snack area, fitted by Colin Fowler of KBSS, will allow volunteers to cook food for sessions and ensure refreshments can be prepared independently in each of the two separate buildings, so the charity can run more than one event at a time.

Chairman Nigel Warner said: “We’re delighted and we can’t wait to use both the kitchen and snack area for, and with, the young people.

“Food is such an important part of hospitality and we welcome any young people to visit the hut for sessions and food helps break down all sorts of barriers.

“Now we can do more than simple tea and toast, we can cook proper food and teach the young people how to do it for themselves.”

Other charities with similar goals are also able to use the building, so more than one group is helped by the change.

The charity meets in The Hut, opposite the fountain at the top of St Michael’s Road, and is open to secondary school aged young people for two sessions a week.

For information visit braintreeyouth.org.uk.