A DEDICATED and committed team who made an unsuccessful attempt to bring a pre-school back to Down Ampney, are now looking around for someone to take a portakabin off their hands.

Karen Powell and Danielle Seatter worked tirelessly to bring pre-school provision back as Little Explorers more then three years after Muddy Wellies pre-school closed in the village.

The campaign to raise £23,500 to set Little Explorers wound up last October, after running out of funding options.

Volunteer and mum of two Karen was also on the committee of the previous pre-school Muddy Wellies, prior to its closure.

She said: "A couple of significant grants for Little Explorers looked promising. One, a European grant, was super keen on our project but we had to fund 20 percent of the project ourselves to qualify for it, and when we couldn't we were pushed out of the process.

"The Big Lottery Fund also looked promising but in the end they decided that there wasn't a significant impact, as ultimately we would only take 12 children.

"We realised that we would be fundraising for years. We couldn't have done anything else."

Little Explorers, which was to be managed by Danielle, was going to be opened as a nature-based school in the portakabin that had been used by Muddy Wellies, situated in the grounds of Down Ampney Primary School.

Karen is keen that the portakabin be made use of. "We are now trying to find someone to take the portakabin and are in conversations with the school to see if they will take it on," she explained.

"It is in really good condition. We just need to cover our costs of removing the building but we are happy to give it away.

"It is owned by the charity that ran Muddy Wellies and I am one of the trustees. It would be great if there is someone out there who could make good use of it."

The fundraising campaign for Little Explorers raised over £5,000 through events, donations and small grants.

"We are planning to write to all of those who donated and explain the situation," Karen said.

"I have spoken to the head of the primary school and there are some outdoor projects which they would love to have funding for, so we will give people the option of having their money returned or using it to fund these projects. I hope that we will at least have raised some money for the school."

Contact karen powell at karensianpowell@gmail.com if you are able to make use of the portakabin.