A COMMUNITY café in Headington has issued an appeal for more volunteers to help serve up the credit crunch busting meals which has made it so popular.

Meals at the Glad Café, which was set up 18 months ago at Headington Community Centre, cost no more than £3.

The café has become so busy it needs to stay serving for an extra hour-and-a-half on the three days a week it opens.

The café, which relies completely on volunteers to serve up the cheap sandwiches, full English breakfasts and cakes which have become a favourite with pensioners, also needs more help so it can become a dedicated meeting place for the Hungarian community in Headington.

Kate Hart, a volunteer at the café, said: “Apparently there are a lot of Hungarian people living in the community around Headington.

“Many of these people are well educated and qualified in their own country but maybe their English isn’t so good.

“One of our volunteers wants to make the community café into a place where they can come and meet and take courses and so on.”

The centre also hosts other community events such as the Kids Runaround, a session where toddlers can have free run of the hall to let off steam while their parents relax in the café, and free play sessions for the under fives provided by the Slade and Headington Children’s Centre.

Ms Hart said the Glad Café was not run for profit.

She said: “All of our food is really cheap, things like the full English breakfast which includes six items, plus toast for just £3, and all pensioners’ food can be bought for half price on a Wednesday.

“We are already very popular so we need more people’s time and help, but we also want people in the community to know we are here and they should check us out.”

Among the other cut-price food available on the menu is a bacon or egg roll for 70p, toasties, sandwiches and panninis with two fillings for just £1, a slice of cake for 50p, or a pancake for 20p.

Tea and coffee are also available for 50p, and cola and lemonade can be bought for just 20p.

To volunteer for the Glad Café, which is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, call Tanya Field on 01865 765557 or email tanya.field@supanet.com awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk