Staff and children at Dalry Early Years Centre are celebrating after a £10K cash boost for their ‘Exploring in the Outdoors’ project.

The windfall from the National Lottery Awards for All will go towards an improved outdoor area at the centre, helping to promote creativity, imagination, literacy and numeracy, with areas for activities such as climbing and balancing, den building, sheltered storytelling, a mud kitchen and a sensory area.

Lorraine Dobbs, head of Dalry Early Years Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded funding from the National Lottery to help us create a new and exciting outdoor area for our children to explore and learn.

“As we approach our 80th anniversary, staff, children and the local community are eager to start planning the area and see their ideas come to life.

“We will host a garden party in June to celebrate our achievements throughout the years, with guests from the community, previous children and parents. This will be an amazing opportunity to bring generations together.”

Councillor John Bell, Cabinet Member for Education and Youth Employment, added: “We are delighted that Dalry Early Years Centre has successfully secured this funding.

“The planned improvements to the outdoor area will be of great benefit to local children for many years to come, enriching their learning experiences and providing a fantastic opportunity for them to play in the fresh air in a safe and stimulating environment.”