A MAJOR fundraising campaign has been launched for a new building for Stepping Stones Preschool, based at Stoberry Park School on North Road, Wells.
The current building has recently been declared beyond long-term maintenance and is at the end of its working life.
Stepping Stones has backing from Somerset Council to relocate within the school grounds, but to make this vision a reality, significant funding is required.
The goal is to raise £50,000 to match a grant bid and help Stepping Stones take the next big step – in a campaign named The Big Step – towards a new purpose-built home.
A major part of the fundraising effort is a Big Raffle for which more than 30 prizes have already been donated. Many of the prizes have a local food theme as Stepping Stones will have a pitch at the Wells Food Festival on October 12, when raffle tickets will be for sale, and the team will be organising a range of fun activities for children, with glitter, hair braids and bubbles included.
Derek Logan, Chair of the Stepping Stones committee, said: “The Big Step will help enable Stepping Stones to provide increased spaces in new premises in the heart of Wells, and build on the past 38 years of looking after young people.”
The planned new building will provide up to 40 places, a considerable increase on the 18 places that the preschool can currently offer. Increased government funding for nursery hours in the UK means that places are in demand, and Stepping Stones has a waiting list.
There is more information about the appeal on the website: www.thebigstepwells.com, while donations can be made at justgiving.com/page/thebigstepwells