Brighton Marathon 2019

I am running the Brighton Marathon on 14 April 2019 in aid of the Newman Pre-school Playgroup, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. My son went there, my daughter is there now, and I am currently Chair of the Parent Committee. Based at the Crofton Halls in Orpington, the pre-school offers term-time early years care for children aged 2.5 to 4 years, Mon-Fri, 9:15am-12:15pm. My son went there, my daughter has recently started and I have just taken over as Chair of the Parent Committee. It is a registered charity, and money is always tight; we are a community pre-school, and try to keep fees low so as not to price parents out of what we offer. Children aged over 3 are funded, but, in an age of council cuts, this funding is in fact lower than the fees paid by non-funded children. The pre-school is therefore reliant on fundraising in order to survive and to provide the best possible equipment and activities for the children. It is a very special place and not your average childcare setting: it has been running for 25 years, and many of the staff have been there for most of this time. They are all highly-qualified people who love what they do and care for the children as if they were their own. It has been rated Good by Ofsted at the last 3 inspections, and the reports always comment on the dedication of the staff and what a great team they make. I have seen even the shyest toddler leave there happy, confident and ready for big school. It is a warm and nurturing environment with a strong parent community, and it would be wonderful to help ensure its future. newmanpreschool.co.uk