Can you help Bovingdon Pre-School?

Bovingdon Pre-School has been running for 40 years, but the governors admit that it may have to close if it cannot get a £10,000 cash boost.

The issue has been caused because there is no blanket funding for pre-school places until children are three years old– and while Bovingdon Pre-school will be able to fund itself from January there may not be enough cash from September until the end of the year.

Clare Ward, the secretary of the governing committee and whose three-year-old is a pupil, said: “The pre-school is a pillar of the community and it would be such a shame if it were to close.

“It’s half-term this week and my three-year-old is upset every day when I say he can’t go there, while my five-year-old still has friends she made there.

“The staff are second to none, and provide such a nurturing, caring environment.”

Bovingdon Pre-School is based at the town’s Memorial Hall, and currently has 55 children on the roll.

Run as a charity, there are five full-time and three part-time staff including the administrator.

And in its last Ofsted inspection it was rated ‘Good’ across the board –the second-best available rating.

Clare added: “There isn’t another pre-school for another three or four miles, so it’s really important to keep this one.

“We’ve already made a great start to the fundraising. Bovingdon FC, the Halfway House pub and Bovingdon Academy are all helping, and we’ve also been given access to a two-bedroom apartment in the French Alps, which people can rent off us from now to October.”

Find out more at www.bovingdonpre-school.co.uk