FRESH from the success of a fun filled Easter party, a Suffolk playgroup is ready to face its biggest challenge yet – raising £100,000 to build themselves a new home.

By Tina Heath

FRESH from the success of a fun filled Easter party, a Suffolk playgroup is ready to face its biggest challenge yet – raising £100,000 to build themselves a new home.

The portable building that Shotley Village Playgroup currently use is old and in need of constant repair.

Keen to have a new, more substantial home the 13 strong committee that runs the playgroup has launched a massive fundraising push and are determined not to be deterred by the mammoth task ahead.

"It costs us so much to keep in repair it's almost not worth it," said committee member Lynne Link. "It has a new roof put on, new walls and panels.

"We need to go for a new building, something substantial we can pass on to future generations of the playgroup."

The playgroup, which holds seven sessions a week for 25 children aged between two and four, hopes that a planned application for lottery funding will be successful and have already started planning a number of fundraising activities.

The Easter party, complete with bouncy castle and seasonal bonnet competition, was a roaring success and proved that the playgroup, based next to Shotley Primary School, is worth fighting for.

On Saturday March 30 they will hold an Easter Fayre from 2pm to 4.30pm in the village hall. Attractions will include candle making, a tombola and a model aircraft show as well as a display of work from Year 1 pupils at the primary school.

Village barmaid Nicola Fields who works at the Shipwreck pub, has already raised more than £400 towards the cause with a sponsored slim.