TRADESMEN, businesses, staff, parents and members of the public have stepped up to the plate to help a Wellington pre-school move home in a DIY SOS-style project.

Court Fields Pre-school plans to relocate from its base at Court Fields Community School to Wellington Youth Centre in Mantle Street in the New Year but needs to refurbish its new premises.

In the style of the BBC One television programme DIY SOS in which tradesmen volunteer to help a good cause or deserving family with a building project, the pre-school appealed for help over a weekend.

Now volunteers have completed clearing the garden and inside the youth centre, and plumbing and heating work.

Pre-school manager Sheryl Higgs said: “Great progress is being made and currently we are on track to move in before the start of the new term. Wellington is a truly incredible community. I am so grateful to be part of it.”

The popular Ofsted-rated Outstanding pre-school is expanding with the premises at the youth centre about four times larger than its existing home. However, it is having to self-fund the project due to the lack of county council cash available.

Sheryl described Darren Wannell, of Darren’s Homes and Garden, as a ‘volunteer superhero’. He spent over two weeks with helper Iain Potter working daily on site to move the project forward. Sheryl said: “We could not have done this without him.”

Local businesses RGB Building Supplies, CRS Building Supplies, Travis Perkins, Buy and Save, Buildbase and the Kitchen Company have given materials and tools.

Sheryl also thanked Wellington Co-op manager Mark Jones for spending hours working on skirting boards and door frames.

She added: “Richard and Trevor from TVS turned out to spend a whole day pressure washing the building and outdoor spaces. And Kevin from KPM Ground Works showed up with his digger to level the garden.”

Members of the community, committee members, staff and parents helped with painting, installing a fence and clearing the garden, the workforce all supplied with bacon sandwiches thanks to a donation from town butcher Tim Potter.

Wellington Town Council has supported the project with a donation of £1,000.

Court Fields Pre-school, which caters for children aged from two to five five days a week, is currently full and has a long waiting list.