North Devon villagers launch 11th hour appeal as beloved pre-school faces closure

A crisis fundraising appeal has been launched to keep the much-loved Berrynarbor Pre-school open after staff were shocked to find much of the charity’s money had gone.

The pre-school has served generations of local families for more than 40 years but at an emergency meeting on Monday (October 20) parents were stunned to hear it faced closure unless £9,000 could be raised by next Tuesday, October 28.

The gap in the finances relates to an alleged misappropriation of funds and is now the subject of a police investigation. No further details are available at this stage.

Unwilling to let the unthinkable happen, parents and the community have rallied around, with an online GoFundMe page already raising more than £5,700 as of today and an anticipated total of nearer £7,000 once other donations have been counted.

The £9,000 minimum target will enable the pre-school to stay open after the October half term, but a further £34,000 is needed to secure its long term future.

On the GoFundMe page, set up by local parent Charlotte Jones, it says: “The thought of losing this place: the laughter, the care, the friendships, is heart-breaking. Not just for our children, but for the entire community.

“If we close, the impact will ripple far beyond our village. There are only a handful of nurseries left in our area, and without ours, many families simply won’t have access to early years care close to home.

“The money that should have kept us thriving - supporting our staff, children and families - is gone. And without urgent help, we may have to close our doors forever.

“This isn’t just about saving a local pre-school. It’s about saving a piece of our village’s history - a place that has given so much to so many.”

Various fundraising events have been quickly organised and the community and local businesses have begun to rally around.

A disco was held at the Manor Hall in Berrynarbor on Thursday (October 23) to raise money and the West Berry Federation has been holding non-school uniform days at its schools, raising more than £680.

A yoga morning at Manor Hall today (Friday, October 24) raised £120.

A Bingo Night is being held at the Manor Hall from 6pm on Sunday, eyes down 7pm with raffle and refreshments.

The Bent Peg at Berrynarbor is donating £5 from every Sunday lunch sold this Sunday (October 26) – call 01271 882647 to book.

Sandy Cove Hotel has been holding cream teas this week, with all proceeds going to the pre-school the final one is tomorrow (Saturday, October 25) from 11 am to 3pm.

Charlotte, whose son attends the pre-school, told the Gazette: “Between Combe Martin and Ilfracombe it is one of only four pre-schools left standing, with many having closed over the last few years. It’s massively under-subscribed here for childcare and if this were to go we won’t have access to childcare without going much further afield.

“If it did close it would leave a massive gap for childcare provision in the area. I looked into it and there were only three other options available to us and most have a big waiting list.”

If you would like to donate towards keeping Berrynarbor Pre-school open, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-our-village-preschool-a-lifeline-for-generations

You can also keep up to date with events on the Berrynarbor Pre-school Facebook page.