A new café that will teach North Ayrshire pupils “employability skills” has opened in Garnock Valley.

Located in Garnock Community Campus, the Valley Café project was launched on Friday, December 2.

Through the project – which is funded by Developing Young Workforce Ayrshire - pupils can gain vocational, enterprise and employability qualifications in hospitality.

Garnock head teacher, Alan MacDougall, said: “These innovative school projects provide significant potential employment opportunities to the young people through developing their confidence and work skills.

“We are very grateful for the ongoing support we have received from DYW Ayrshire which has allowed us to implement these invaluable projects.”

The café will sell products made by pupils participating in the already established cake crafting project, the horticultural skills initiative GROW, and the beekeeping project Beehavin’.

Displaying their marketing skills, pupils took part in creating the logo and branding for the café.

The café was officially opened by Provost Anthea Dickson during a ceremony at the Garnock Community Campus.

Local businesses, community groups, and family members of the pupils were in attendance alongside representatives from DYW Ayrshire, the Garnock Parent Council, and North Ayrshire Council.

DYW Ayrshire regional lead, Gillian Longmuir, said: “We are absolutely delighted to support this new project and the synergy it has achieved with the other projects and provide ongoing support to the existing projects and are very impressed by the results that these award-winning projects have achieved with the full involvement of the young people.”

As well as helping pupils earn vocational qualifications, the project also hopes to inspire them to develop communication and customer service skills to help them when they enter the workforce.