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BARRA PRE-SCHOOL |
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Barra Pre School Children’s Centre Our First Newsletter Welcome to the first newsletter from the Barra Pre School Children’s Centre. Our aim is to keep the community up to date and aware of what the centre has achieved and continues to achieve. It is also aimed to give the public an insight into what is offered within the centre, and encourage the community of Barra and Vatersay to support it.
The centre is a charitable organisation and cannot afford to be taken for granted. We only receive one donation a year, which is from Barrathon (many thanks for their support). So next time you decide to donate to a charity why not make it us, after all the centre is providing for the children of your island.
The building homes Croileagan, Playgroup, Parent and Toddler, Cothrom and the Thistle Café. We also hire out one of our room for private functions when available. The centre has also established a sensory garden which is enjoyed by user members of the centre, also providing somewhere for the public to enjoy, and is maintained by the OFTI Project. The centre is a community based facility which is used a great deal, and is having to meet running costs and maintenance costs of the building and sensory garden without assistance, it needs the community’s support. Continued newsletters will feature any donations given or fundraising activities achieved for the children’s centre. Tel:01871 810890.
Welcome The Thistle Café! On the 26th March the café opened its doors under new management, run by Co—Chomunn Bharraigh and managed by Anna Marie MacNeil. The café provides a wonderful selection of fresh, homemade food, which has proved extremely successful since its opening. The opening times from 25th June are: Mon - Thurs 9 - 8, Fri 9 - 10, Sat 10 - 10, Sun 12 - 8 Telephone: 01871 810011 We wish them all the best!
Croileagan Bhagh a’ Chaisteil In the Croileagan this week the group of nine preschool children have been filmed by the BBC for their Na Daoine Beaga programme, to be shown later in the year. They filmed us using a variety of cameras, painting and drawing. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were looking forward to seeing the Daoine Beaga themselves, but apparently they add them digitally back in the studio. The children took the experience in their stride as Laura commented afterwards “tha sinne nar stars a nis!” - “we’re stars now”.
June is our outings month and we have already had a fantastic day on Tangasdale Beach and the Gaelic unit preschoolers have had six mornings up in their new P1 class with Mrs MacCormick.
For the rest of the month we’ve visits arranged to the Police station, Post Office, Doctors surgery, Dentist surgery, R.N.L.I station, pottery and cockle—picking, (weather and tide) permitting.
We also have our open day on the 14 June for parents wishing to enroll their children next year. June is a very busy month for Croileagan Bhagh a ‘ Chaisteil!
Castlebay Playgroup At the moment we are preparing for Graduation, the children are doing a short play about Scotland, it will be bringing in both languages English and Gaelic. We are also working on wall displays, The Little Red Hen, farm animals, under the sea. We have recently been out planting seeds and planting herbs inside. After a visit to the poly tunnel observing vegetable plants the children made their own wall display.
Program: 14 June Open day, 25 June Sports Day, 26 June Graduation, 29 June Swimming Gala Last week in June will be our activity week we will be doing something every day (weather permitting).
Congratulations to Angus John Nicolson on the new arrival of his sister.
Sadly we are losing Marie as play assistant and would like to wish her all the best in the future.
We wish you all a happy holiday! From all the Staff and Children of Castlebay Playgroup.
Parent and Toddler Parent and Toddler is held 5 days a week in the children's centre, it provides a general meeting place for parents and children, the group have a large selection of toys and a large soft play area. If you would like to find out more contact Sam Muir on 01871 810890
Mon, Wed, Fri : 10.30—12.00 Tues and Thurs : 2.00—3.00
Sensory Garden The childrens centre sensory garden was established in 2003. The garden aims to incorporate all the five senses. It is adjacent to the centre, providing a paved seating area with picnic benches, a story telling corner, raised flower beds for the Pre school children and pathways, (we hope to add a water feature to our garden in the next month). OFTI project are employed to maintain our garden, and keep our garden looking beautiful. We are looking for donations for the plants and herbs which have been put in, and you can contribute to this by the donation box provided in the Thistle café.
The sensory garden has proved to be somewhere the public can go and enjoy, we are also hoping to apply for funding to purchase some extra garden equipment and furniture for the children, as well as covering costs for the upkeep of the garden. The garden is used by the children on a regular basis as well as the community, and is becoming a main focal point in the area
Cothrom Cothrom is a community based adult learning organization that tailors training courses to each individual needs. We run Adult Learning classes, SVQs, National Training Schemes such as Skillseekers and Get Ready for Work as well as Driving theory Classes. Please contact us for more information or a chat about what Cothrom could do for you.
SVQ Courses to start in Autumn: - Administration - Childcare - Customer Care - Hospitality - Information Technology
Summer Holidays: Cothrom (Barra Office only) will be closed from 29 June 2007 and will reopen on the week beginning 13 August 2007.For more information and enrolment forms during this time please contact Sarah on 810634 or Cothrom Main Office. Contact Details For Barra. Tel: 01871 810779 (answer mach) or 01871 810634
Annual Membership Barra Pre School Centre is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. Membership is open to the public at a cost of £5.00 for each year. Each member has one voting right at a General Meeting held by the Barra Pre - School. If you are interested in supporting your pre school centre then call in and pick up a membership form. This is a community organisation and needs the support of its community. So please show your support.
For more information call in, or email at barrachildcentre@btconnect.com.
Barra Pre School Childrens Centre was first established in 1997, and two years later became a company limited by guarantee. It also holds charitable status.
Our aims include: - To advance the education of pre school children by providing them with a safe educational environment which will support their learning and development.
- To advance the education of children of all ages by providing them with access to the facilities within the Childrens Centre for the purposes of educational play and recreation.
- To provide a safe and comfortable environment for children with special educational needs.
Barra Pre School Children's Centre Castlebay, Isle of Barra, HS9 5XN
Phone: 01871 810890 Fax:01871 810881
Email: barrachildcentre@btconnect.com
Eileen O’Carroll, Centre Manager |
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