A SMALL café is celebrating surviving a baptism of fire in its first year of trading.

The Bait Room in Willington was set up on September 1 2019 and has had arguably one of the most difficult first years going through a pandemic and lockdown.

However, after everything founder Emma Jordan and her colleagues have gone through since setting up they have still given back to the community.

The café is now sponsoring two of the towns football clubs, the Willington Under-9s and the Black Horse pub team. The teams regularly eat at the café and so the café wanted to do something in return. The café invited the team down to celebrate the first birthday of the café.

Mrs Jordan said: “We have had an uphill struggle, last week we had to take a week off just to recharge.

"We thought we were going to make ourselves ill with over working so we closed the shutters and relaxed and recharged.

"The people of Willington have always been there for each other, it’s a great community we pull together and there’s a lot of community spirit.

"I’d like to thank all those who supported us through the last few months and before.

“I am proud of what I have done for the community and lets hope next year brings more success.”

The café worked with the town council making meals and helping people in isolation through Covid.

Durham County Councillor for Willington, Fraser Tinsley said: “The Bait Room has only been trading for a year but is already at the heart of the community. The way Emma and the team worked with the Town Council to provide hot meals to the vulnerable during the lock down was amazing. The are a real credit to the town.”