ST MICHAEL’S pre-school in Hilperton is aiming to raise £34,300 so it can move to new premises.

The pre-school, which is attended by around 50 children, has operated from the village hall since it was formed in the 1980s but now has plans to have a standalone building built by the end of the year.

The pre-school’s committee has been offered a government grant of £170,000, equating to 75 per cent of the £226,700 project, but it must raise the remaining 25 per cent.

Lead practitioner Sonja Kotevska said: “We currently run from a shared premises which means we have to put all of our resources away after every session; it's very time-consuming.

“We would love to have our own space where we can leave everything out ready for the following session, saving time and making life easier for staff.

“Our new home will also have a free-flowing outdoor area which would allow children to go outdoors far easier than they can now, with our supervision.

“In addition to that our provision is currently limited to 14 hours per week due to the fact it’s a shared space but in our new home it would increase to 30 hours if the child is entitled to it.

“In order to progress we need to fall in line with government initiatives, and we can’t do that unless we move.

“It’s a lot of money to raise in a short space of time but it really is a fantastic opportunity for us to improve facilities for both staff and children.”

The committee has raised some money but still needs to find the remaining £34,300 as quickly as possible, with the aim of having the building up and running by September.

Another reason the pre-school’s committee wants to move is to free up more time at the village hall, which it says has been a 'happy home' for decades.

A fete has been organised and there are a number of fundraising activities in the pipeline which the pre-school will announce in the coming months.

A Crowdfunder page has also been set up here: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/st-michaels-pre-schools-new-home