A café run by people with autism and Asperger syndrome is at risk of closing if it does not get more support.

The Acton Service is a day scheme for adults with the developmental disabilities that affect how a person communicates with and relates to other people.

It has been running Café Project at St Mary’s Church Hall in Acton every Thursday for four years, to help people gain skills and experience by training in a work environment. However, the café does not get enough customers and is struggling financially.

Janaina Salvaia, vocational skills co-ordinator at The National Autistic Society, which runs the scheme, said: “We want support. We rent the church every Thursday but people do not know we are there.

“We run different activity sessions and work experience – the café is one of the projects – and the service helps about 30 to 35 people.

“We have five people working in the morning and five in the afternoon.

“It’s really hard for them to find work experience and if we do not have enough money for rent we will have to close the project.”

The majority of the current customers are from the church.

Café Project is open on Thursdays, 10am to 2.30pm except for the third Thursday of every month when it closes at noon. They serve hot and cold drinks, homemade cakes, pancakes and healthy snacks at reasonable prices.

The service also runs a market stall outside St Mary’s Church every Wednesday.