A PRE-SCHOOL has held a grand unveiling of its transformed garden for residents who helped create the revamp.

The work at St Nichola’s Pre-School in Hurst cost £20,000 and was paid for by fundraising over several years.

The work included installing a new castle climbing frame for the children and a new area of artificial turf.

The improvements were officially unveiled by Wokingham Borough Councillor Wayne Smith.

Claire Guile, Pre-school manager at St Nicholas Pre-School, said: “We still have natural areas like our allotment where we grow strawberries, beans, tomatoes and wildflowers. We also have a wildlife bug hotel.

“There’s a construction area and a new mud kitchen. We didn’t want the garden to become like a normal children’s playground.

“We keep the pre-school door into the garden open so the children can come and go. The artificial turf means we don’t have a mud bath inside.”

Ms Guile believes that the changes will benefit the children greatly.

she added: “Lots of past pre-school families and other villagers helped fundraise for the work. We wanted to thank them and show them what we have done.”

The Hurst Show and Country Fayre gave a donation of £1,000 from its 2018 proceeds.

Sue Payne, Hurst Show, said: “We’re really pleased to have supported the pre-school again. We look forward to more fundraising for good causes at this year’s show on June 29 and 30.”

The pre-school currently has a total of 51 children attending through the week, who will all benefit from the changes.