Calderdale pre-school seeks help from public to pay for new building

A Halifax pre-school is appealing for the public’s help to raise £180,000 to pay for a new building.
All Saints Pre-School trying to raise funds for a new building. Staff, from the left, Julie Dean, Kerry Healey, owner Gail Broadbent and Cheryl Westley.All Saints Pre-School trying to raise funds for a new building. Staff, from the left, Julie Dean, Kerry Healey, owner Gail Broadbent and Cheryl Westley.
All Saints Pre-School trying to raise funds for a new building. Staff, from the left, Julie Dean, Kerry Healey, owner Gail Broadbent and Cheryl Westley.

All Saints pre-school, managed by Gail Broadbent and Cheryl Westley, and Hebble Harlequins after-school club, owned by Gail, are based next to Ravenscliffe High School, require a new home which is fit-for-purpose.

They are calling on the people of Calderdale to rally round in their hour of need and help them raise the money they need.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gail said: “The building we’ve hired for ten years is getting to the end of its life, and the council have said they’ll let us stay on the land but the building is beyond repair, so we need to start looking for a new building to put on the land.

“New Portakabin buildings don’t come cheap, we’re trying to source a new one but we need to raise as much as we can as soon as we can because if there’s a leak in the roof or a hole in the floor, then we may need to move out straight away.

“The turnaround, once we’ve got the money, is about four months.

“We don’t want to move to another location because where we are is unique, we’ve got access to fields, a big open space, which we don’t feel other children have at other settings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’ve served the community there for ten years, and our staff have been together for a long time.

“It’s sad that we’d have to separate if we don’t raise enough money.”

The pre-school, which is a registered charity, has previously helped Ravenscliffe School in their fundraising efforts, and some of the staff at the school have pledged to return the favour.

More than 250 children are registered with both groups, who employ 14 members of staff between them and have been open for 26 years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The building is also the Halifax Harriers running club’s clubhouse.

“We’re very optimistic,” said Gail, “we’ve met with a lady from Calderdale who supports big projects like this and she’s pretty sure we can do it.

“We’ve done summer fayres before and raised lots of money but we don’t feel it’s a safe time to do that at the moment.

“Hopefully there’s someone out there with big pockets who can donate money, any celebrities in Halifax maybe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’m also appealing to past families that used us because we’ve now got children’s children using us.

“There’s a lot of workplaces and businesses we could tap into, with our former children who might work at a big employer in the town like Covea or Lloyds.

“Both pre- school and Hebble Harlequins have been crucial to providing the children with the much needed routine and support during the covid pandemic.

“The well-being of our children is paramount, more so now than ever before. Losing our pre-school would have a dramatic effect on those children and families that need us the most “

To donate, email email [email protected] or call Gail on 07772 933851.