A VILLAGE pre-school has been given National Lottery money to extend its opening hours and set up an after-school club.

The Walter Powell Pre-school in Great Somerford won a grant of £6,023 from the New Opportunities Fund, and £6,889 for setting up an after-school club on the site of Walter Powell School.

Pre-school treasurer Linda Wiseman said: "We can offer working parents who have children of school age and pre-school age a one-drop facility where they can leave their children at the school at 8.30am and pick them up again at 6pm."

She said the pre-school could cater for up to 16 children and currently opens between 9am and 1pm on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Following the grant it will now be able to open until 3pm five days a week. The extra two hours will be used for play and the grant will help pay for new equipment.

The pre-school is also looking to employ another supervisor and assistant.

Mrs Wiseman said the after-school club, which will be run by a separate committee, would cater for children aged between four and 12. It will be advertising for a play leader and play leader's assistant to supervise the session.

"This is a completely new venture and will open from 3pm until 6pm five days a week and those three hours will cost £7," said Mrs Wiseman.

"The children don't have to come from Walter Powell School, they can come from other areas, whose parents may wish to leave their children with us."

She said plenty of new games would also be bought for the after-school club.

St Mary's Pre-school in Malmesbury has also hit the lottery jackpot, winning £5,119 from the New Opportunities Fund.

The grant will enable the pre-school, which caters for up to 30 children and meets at The Triangle, to open until 2pm. At the moment the school is open between 9.30am and 12.30pm each weekday.

Pre-school vice chairman Sally Walker said the grant will enable the group to buy new equipment and books for a quiet corner where the children can sit and relax.

She said: "The extra 90 minutes will be organised but will be a bit more like when the children go home and they can relax and do a bit more physical play."