A NEW pre-school centre which will provide 60 spaces for Chippenham children will be built in the town thanks to a grant of nearly £375,000 which was given to The Rise.

The group received £374,310 after successfully bidding for a share of £50 million made available as part of a government scheme, which aims to deliver 30 hours free childcare from September 2017.

The money will be used by The Rise to create an early excellence centre in the church hall at St Paul’s Church, which it is hoped will be completed by September and will cost £500,000.

Pauline Monaghan OBE, chief executive of charity The Rise Trust, which manages six children’s centres in the Chippenham area, said: “We are delighted and this funding will go specifically for running pre-school education. We are in the process of the plans being drawn up and then we will have to apply for planning permission.

“We’ve been in full discussion with St Paul’s and they’re quite happy to work with us to develop a community facility.

“They have a history of working in the community, providing facilities for the community and they welcomed the opportunity to work with The Rise Trust to provide this pre-school education. If we don’t provide it there is going to a big shortage of places in that part of Chippenham.

“There are parents who can’t get their children into pre-school and this is going to be a big help for local families.”

A total of £1.4 million was distributed amongst six early years providers in Wiltshire as well as The Rise, including Old Sarum Nursery in Salisbury, Smiley Face Nursery in Amesbury, The Mead School in Trowbridge, Westview Nursery in Bradford on Avon and a Wiltshire Council strategic bid.

Laura Mayes, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “These successful bids will help us to support parents wanting to take up their 30 hours’ free entitlement.”