Staff's joy as pre-school set to continue in hall

A St Peter’s pre-school group has been thrown a lifeline by being allowed to continue using the ward’s village hall into next year.

Seedlings had been told by the trustees of St Peter’s Village Hall Association that the group would not be able to carry on using the hall, as it had done in recent years, with the trustees having concerns over the group’s viability.

The hall association said although it considered Seedlings an important community asset it had to maximise hire fees for the hall.

The association is now allow-ing the group to use the hall until January, when the situation will be reviewed.

Clare Dalton, who runs Seedlings, said she was “over the moon” that the group, which she took over in 2016, could continue at the village hall from September, when it expects to look after 20 children.

She said: “It’s been a tricky time, what with a pandemic thrown amongst it all.”

Seedlings employs four local qualified staff as well as an apprentice working towards a childcare qualification.

Clare said: “We use the community as a strong foundation for learning, taking part in community litter picks, visits to Tesco, looking after the roses at the front of the village hall, taking part with Debutots singing with the residents of Norton Nursing home.”

Seedlings has been closed during the pandemic but has been operating at its sister site in Ronkswood.

Roger Knight, a trustee of St Peter’s Village Hall Association, said: “The hall has been run on a voluntary basis since it opened in the early 90s and the objectives have been to provide a community resource to enable groups and organisations to meet and grow.”

The hall is owned by Tesco and leased to Worcester City Council which, in turn, leases it to the village hall association.

The association is run by volunteers, with no paid members of staff other than a part-time cleaner.

Mr Knight said the association was halfway through its current lease period, adding: “There is a likelihood that when it expires our community facility will close.”

He explained that the association owned land, next to the multi-use games area, on which a new facility could be built but that would be expensive.

He said: “We have been accruing reserves for quite a number of years now and we have a long way to go.

“In order to be in a position to continue to provide a new facility, the association will need to manage its financial affairs prudently.”

He went on: “As part of this financial plan the association will need to review its hire charges.”

He added that hall use must be maximised and invited groups or families wanting a venue to contact the association.