New home for Pre School (From Gazette Series)

New home for Pre School

12:00pm Thursday 17th December 2009 in News By Alexandra Womack

PRE SCHOOL children in Wick will start next term in new premises. After five years of planning and fundraising, parents and staff have renovated a former caretaker’s cottage next to Wick Village Hall.

Wick Pre School will move into the new building ready for the start of term in January 2010.

Tia Harris, pre-school leader and Paul Dawson, treasurer for the village hall, said: "The team work and dedication of both committees is an example of what can be achieved when a community works together for an excellent cause."

The pre-school was established in 1969 and originally met in the church room at St Bartholomew’s Church.

In 2005, the group moved to Wick Village Hall but the pre-school needed somewhere bigger to accommodate the 26 children who now attend.

Although the adjacent caretaker’s cottage had the potential to be used over the past 10 years the building had fallen derelict.

After several years of fundraising and preparation, planning permission was granted to refurbish the cottage and in April the group secured a £75,000 funding grant to complete the project.

Building work began in August and last week the new look pre-school was officially unveiled by Northavon MP Steve Webb.

He said: "I was very excited to see the new facilities that children at Wick Pre School will be able to enjoy. "The pre-school, led by Tia Harris and project manager Paul Dawson, together with a large number of helpers and committee members have done a great job. "As well as the professional contractors, many hours of voluntary work have gone in to making the new premises look great.

"Everyone should feel very proud of what's been achieved."

The caretaker’s cottage needed extensive building repairs. Work included the replacement of rotten stairwells and broken floorboards, the centre chimney stack was removed and a new coating of paint created a bright, lively and secure space for the children.

The finishing touches to the new pre school will now be added ahead of the start of the new term on January 5.