STAFF at Delaware Pre-School are celebrating after it was confirmed that they will be receiving £70,000 to extend the pre-school.

Manager Holly Anderson-Stacey declared that ‘it feels like we’ve won the lottery’ after receiving a letter on Monday that confirmed the news that they will receive the funding to provide much-needed childcare spaces at the oversubscribed facility.

The pre-school has been awarded the funding from Cornwall Council as part of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Fund which they applied for last year and which will enable an extra room to be added to the facility in the form of a Portakabin.

The funding is part of more than £1.1m that has been awarded by Cornwall Council to community projects supporting children and young people in the Duchy.

Holly and staff at the pre-school were shocked after hearing the news. Holly said: 'The letter came through and I opened it and thought we’re not going to get it, and we got it!

‘It feels like we’ve won the lottery. We’ve all been hanging on thinking it’ll get better, that we’re going to be able to extend as we’ve got too many children. When we got the news we all had a big hug. We’re really pleased, really happy.’

The pre-school situated in Albaston, Gunnislake which is a registered charity has been oversubscribed and is currently booked up until September 2024 with a 6-page waiting list. Therefore this much-needed funding will enable the preschool to extend by installing a middle room for children aged 18 month to two a half years allowing childcare spaces to be freed up for local children.

‘We’re going to have an extra room because we’ve got a really long waiting list and it’s getting longer and longer’, said Holly.

‘We’re going to go with a Portakabin. We’re going to be able to increase the childcare places and it’s going to make a significant difference.

‘We’re massively oversubscribed, especially with babies and those aged 18 months. People are coming pregnant and booking them in because we’re booked up.

‘Also, people say they want to keep their children local and have the community at the heart because we do a lot with the community and they want to be part of it, and they can’t they’re having to go out to Saltash and elsewhere to get the places. So it’s going to free spaces for local people so I’m so pleased.

‘Although I thought we’re not going to get, I did think we’d have a good chance because there is a real need, there is a huge shortage so actually we do deserve it.’

Ian Beech, Calstock Parish Councillor for Delaware echoed Holly’s views and said: 'I am absolutely delighted and amazed that they’ve got it. They want to expand so that they can take in more of the very young children. It’s wonderful news.’

The pre-school has been awarded the money in the second round of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Fund which is used to fund infrastructure projects that benefit children and young people. Play areas, skate parks and activity hubs are among the projects that will share more than £1.1m in grants from Cornwall Council.

Olly Monk, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for housing and planning, said: ‘The Community Infrastructure Levy allows us to raise funds from new developments and pass this on to community projects making a real difference.

‘We had initially set aside £500,000 for this second round and were inundated with applications. As we have been charging the CIL for four years now, we are receiving more payments and so have been able to set more money aside to support these worthwhile schemes.

‘Congratulations to all those who have been successful in this second round – your projects will make a real difference to children and young people in your communities.’

The new room will be hopefully be completed by the end of the year.