The award-winning Brough-shane and District Pre-school Playgroup in County Antrim has changed its name to Brough-shane Centre of Early Excellence and has become a limited company. The 27-year-old setting was prompted to make the move after plans for a 52-place nursery unit at Broughshane Primary School were announced earlier this year.
Jacqueline Coulter, the centre's supervisor, said, 'We have re-registered to show that we are an edu-care centre. Although we have changed our name and become a limited company, we still have charitable status which will allow us to apply for Lottery funding and other grants.
'This move ensures much greater continuity of care because it lets us have directors who will stay for between three and five years, instead of having to hold annual meetings to elect a new committee. We were also horrified to discover that as a playgroup, committee members can be held liable for any losses or grievances. If a child fell and hurt herself at a playgroup, her parents could sue committee members for negligence. This move limits the directors to only 1 in damages.'
The local authority, the North-Eastern Education and Library Board, insisted its new proposed nursery unit should not lead to a shortfall at the centre, even though at present only 16 rising-fives have registered for September out of 24 available places. Mrs Coulter said, 'This time last year we had 45 children on our roll - 35 full-time and ten part-time. This is the lowest we have been for years. If the nursery unit would just take 26 children instead of 52 we'd both probably have enough to go round.' The centre is holding an open evening on 4 May to encourage more local parents to place their children there in September. Mrs Coulter said, 'We also want to let people know that we are no longer simply a playgroup but a centre for early learning.'
Recently the centre received a Queen Mother Special Merit award and won the Green Fingers Challenge for its environmental work. It was also the first pre-school to receive an Eco Schools award for such work.
The neighbouring Gracehill and Galgorm Playgroup, based in a three-year-old community centre built by Ballymena Borough Council, is facing similar problems as the result of another proposed local authority 52-place nursery unit near it.
This week it is celebrating its Silver Jubilee with events including a concert by artists who attended the playgroup, featuring members of the Ulster Orchestra and champion Irish dancer Debbie Scroggie, and an anniversary dinner on 1 May.
