YOUNGSTERS at a Suffolk pre-school are busy today collecting the Evening Star's Cash For Schools tokens in a bid to boost funds for an extension.In the year of its 21st anniversary, staff at the First Stop Pre-school in Trimley St Mary are taking advantage of the scheme to help raise some of the £18,000 needed for the planned building.

YOUNGSTERS at a Suffolk pre-school are busy today collecting the Evening Star's Cash For Schools tokens in a bid to boost funds for an extension.

In the year of its 21st anniversary, staff at the First Stop Pre-school in Trimley St Mary are taking advantage of the scheme to help raise some of the £18,000 needed for the planned building.

Supervisor Karen Smith, 47, said: "We have sent letters home to parents asking them to save the tokens for us and the children enjoy cutting them out and bringing them in.

"The new extension will enhance the building allowing us to take in more children and ease the waiting list.

"It will also have an administration area, bigger cloakrooms and a quiet reading room for use by small groups of children."

"We are required to have disabled access so a ramp will lead up to the new entrance. Special toilet facilities will be installed so disabled children, parents and helpers will all be able to use the building."

The Pre-school originated in a community play bus which was parked for two days a week at Trimley St Mary Primary School.

A wooden hut in the grounds of the school has been home for the last 18 years. It was donated by the builders on completion of the Broseley Housing Estate.

At the moment there are 63 children on the books with up to 40 more on the waiting list.

A sponsored obstacle course will take place in the summer as well as other fundraising events throughout the year. It is hoped the new 15ft by 15ft wooden extension will be built before the end of next year.

The collection point for the tokens is at Greening's Newsagents, Faulkeners Way, Trimley St Mary.

nDon't forget to cut out and keep your Cash For Schools token in today's paper.

The Evening Star has teamed up with Britannia to offer all of our local schools and nurseries the chance to earn cash for new books, computers and other projects. An incredible £25,000 is up for grabs before May 31 so get collecting the tokens each day.