Children, parents and staff from Holt Pre-school have walked far and wide across the hills and down the lanes in and around the village of Holt, Wiltshire, to raise £6,150 for a new pre-school building.
Each family bubble walked their own 5k route to collectively clock up a marathon. Participants went to town in fancy dress with a starting line to rival a Disney Carnival – Toy Story, Frozen, Trolls, Smurfs, elves, dinosaurs, princesses and superheroes – even Father Christmas put in an appearance.
“All the staff are immensely proud of our pre- schoolers for their outstanding effort today,” said Karen Tripp, Holt Pre-school Leader. “They have done so well to complete the 5k challenge and we are so very grateful for all the donations.”
The purpose of the walk was to raise essential funds for a new Holt Pre-school building. “Sadly, the existing old building has reached the end of its life,” explained Karen. “Like many early years settings who have been severely affected by COVID-19, the pre-school is experiencing some difficult financial times. As a not-for-profit organisation, we are especially reliant on money from fundraising activities, not only to provide all children with a full and vibrant early years’ experience, but also to carry out essential maintenance on the declining building. We do not charge any top up fees for any of the much-loved trips, wish days, parties or picnics and are committed to being fully inclusive and ensure that all children are given equal opportunities.
“The pre-school is at the heart of the village community, with most of its children feeding into the village’s one primary school. The staff at Holt Pre-school work tirelessly to provide all children with a warm, nurturing and fun education but the building is in much need of replacement.”
Business Manager for Holt Pre-school, Kate Buckrell, added, “I am absolutely delighted with the fundraising efforts of our pre-school community today. We still have a long way to go though. The figure needed to replace the building and to secure the pre-school for future generations is £150,000. To lose the pre-school would be a severe blow to the village so we are doing all we can to raise these funds.”
If you have a contact, or know of an organisation that may be able to help then please direct them to the Holt Pre-school Fundraising webpage here
Donations for the new building are being taken via a justgiving page –