A Co Derry community playgroup has launched a fund raising drive over fears it will have to close its doors for good.
Magilligan Playgroup is located at the entrance to Lough Foyle.
Deborah Doherty, who leads the pre-school, said that while “Magilligan is a small community, it’s a mighty community”.
However, the community has been asked to help the playgroup raise £15,000 for the coming year, as funding from Northern Ireland’s official education authorities has not kept up with the rising costs of running the group, Deborah explained.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, she said: “Funding is per head in the door from the Education Authority (EA), so we had 10 pre-schoolers last year and now have five – our funding is essentially cut in half.
“It means that we still have two members of staff because we need that for safeguarding, and we need to pay two members of staff even though we are down to half our funding. There is no leeway with the EA over that.
“Prior to summer, we had applied to three sorts of substantial grants, but there’s such a shortfall across the early years sector anyway.
“Everyone is applying for the same grants, for running costs. It’s really diluted in who was able to get that funding.
“Two have come back as unsuccessful and we are still waiting on one, but we can’t hold back on making decisions because of that.
“If it comes back as unsuccessful over the next couple of months, then you’re looking at closing the doors mid-year, which is not what you want to do to young kids who are just getting settled in.”
From what the playgroup organisers have calculated regarding their running costs per annum, they have predicted that they will be in a £15,000 deficit.
Deborah added: “We are in a low socio-economic area, there’s not the money there to automatically be able to cover that deficit.
“You wouldn’t expect parents to do it either; children are entitled to a free preschool place.
“We need £15,000 to get us through to June, and the GoFundMe was really quickly supported. We also started getting lots of phone calls from other people in the community, who were asking what they could do to help.
“The community itself is aware that once things start to go they’re gone, because if the playgroup goes, it’s gone.”
While the playgroup has opened this month due to the hard work of the village’s local supporters, there is the worry that such initiatives and help will be needed every year.
“The EA does not commit to how much they are going to give you or when that funding might come. We can’t rely on that being enough to keep the playgroup open,” Deborah continued.
“The funding never rises at the same rate that everything else rises. Our wages have to rise with minimum wage. Our utility rates are still going up, at the same rate as everybody else’s/
“The committee is left to make up the deficit by fundraising but you’re also fundraising in a small community where everyone’s costs are going up. Magilligan has always been really good at supporting us, but they can’t raise it all the time when there’s no extra money for anyone at the minute.”
The EA administers the Pre-school Education Programme which aims is to provide a funded pre-school education place for every child whose parents/carers wish to avail of a place.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “Funded places are allocated to non-statutory playgroups on the basis of local need, parental preference and capacity within the playgroup. The number of funded places fluctuates from year to year, depending on local need. In some years the birth rate in an area can drop and this reduces the demand for places which in turn reduces the amount of funding allocated.
“Playgroups which are in financial deficit mid-year can apply to the EA for consideration of additional financial support through the Strategic Support Fund. Playgroups can contact the EA’s Pre-school Education Programme team for more information on the criteria for this fund and for support with the process.”
The Department of Education sets the overall budget for pre-school education programmes.
A spokesperson stated: “The Department is providing additional funding to all non-statutory pre-school settings participating in the Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP) through the payment of a one off non-consolidated stabilisation payment of £100 per pupil.
“Magilligan Community Playgroup has also received annual allocations from the Department’s Pathway Fund since 2016.
“This funding contributes to the overall costs of the Magilligan Community Playgroup Pathway project, contributing to the salary of a playgroup assistant and other essential operating costs.”
You can find the GoFundMe page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/7rd5gr-save-our-playgroup
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