Páistí Beaga Preschool was established in 2010 by a group of local voluntary directors and committee members as a not-for-profit company to provide safe, happy, affordable, quality childcare service to the local community.
Since its establishment, the preschool operated from a small rented room in a local Community Centre and catered for a maximum of 12 children aged 3 to 5 years.
Páistí Beaga evolved to introduce an after school drop-in service but this was also limited by space constraints. Páistí Beaga rapidly outgrew its modest beginnings with ever-growing demand for its service.
In June 2016, Páistí Beaga prioritized its search for alternative premises and identified a disused public house close to the local Primary School which had been unoccupied for several years. The premises proved to have great potential for the preschool to evolve with large rooms and extensive enclosed gardens to the rear. The owner of the premises committed to the refurbishment of the structural elements of the building.
In turn, Páistí Beaga and the local community pooled their resources to secure Windfarm Community Funds to assist in the redevelopment of the leased premises. The funding helped to secure a much-needed and larger childcare facility and after-school service for the Community of Our Lady’s Island and the surrounding areas. The group aimed to expand its offering with a breakfast club for working parents and, in the longer term, full-day childcare, creche services, and extended after-school service.
Specifically, Páistí Beaga was tasked with the completion of the premises to meet regulations set out by TUSLA for a childcare facility and to ensure security and safety.
Primarily, the windfarm funds were used to provide:
The expanded service caters for 22 children in each service in the preschool & after-school.
This service was badly needed within the community and the introduction and subsequent success of after-school services have proved that the service is essential. Many parents returned to work in the past two years and as a result, demand for affordable childcare and after-school services has increased. Fortunately, Páistí Beaga no longer has to turn away families because of space constraints and health and safety concerns.
The main difficulty for the group was undertaking such a large volume of the work as a small core group of volunteers. The group endeavored to do everything themselves with very limited resources. This proved to be additionally challenging both in terms of time and energy.
Local tradesmen offered their services free of charge. This demonstrated great community spirit and generosity. It was also a significant financial help and bolstered the Windfarm Community Fund investment. In addition, Páistí Beaga was in a fortunate position to cover costs such as paint, timber, concrete, etc. from a small savings account.
Central to the success of the project was support garnered from the local community and their buy-in ensured the ultimate success of the project. Since the preschool opened its doors in August 2017, it has been operating at full capacity.
An additional highlight is that the village has benefitted from an old building coming back to life. The upgraded building and improved streetscape will be seen and enjoyed for many years to come.
Project quote:
‘’The completion of the Páistí Beaga building development project has brought a huge sense of achievement to our group of volunteers. The preschool is thriving and we are certain it will continue to provide a great start to children and a lasting legacy in the community.’’ - Jane McLaughlin