A PRESCHOOL in Thornbury is celebrating news that its new home is only weeks away from completion.

Work on First Step Preschool’s new building, on the grounds of Crossways Infants School, hit troubles in the summer after the money it had raised to fund the project ran out.

The group had been given a £225,000 grant from the Department for Education, what the preschool expected to amount to 75 per cent of the cost, under the proviso that they were ready to open at the beginning of September.

But the cash failed to arrive until March, resulting in a short turnaround for construction, and then they learned that despite being a registered charity, they would not be tax exempt, meaning the project would cost them £350,000.

Following intervention from Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall and South Gloucestershire Council, the council agreed to take the reins of the building project to ensure its completion, and work recommenced last month.

First Step secretary Emma Rummy said: “After such a stressful summer of worrying where the money way going to come from and then the flurry of activity trying to negotiate with South Gloucestershire Council, it was of course very gratifying to seeing the building start going up.

“Now the cladding has all gone up it looks like a proper building more than a shell, and we are very relieved it is all coming together.”

Concerns had been raised about the vulnerability of the site while work was not active, especially after the Infants School building was targeted by vandals, but despite worries the unfinished building was thankfully not damaged.

The preschool have now said they expect building to be completed by mid-January, and following an Ofsted inspection of the site, they hope to begin moving everything across and consulting with parents about extra hours.

"It is fantastic that work has recommenced at First-Step,” said Luke Hall. “This is an important investment by South Gloucestershire Council in Thornbury's infrastructure, providing more pre-school places for our children and more choice for local parents.

“I am so grateful to the pre-school committee and Conservative councillors who have secured the future of the pre-school, and I was delighted to have helped."