A PRE-SCHOOL has received a welcome donation to help it keep up with premises costs.

Registered charity and pre-school to the community of Sherfield-on-Loddon and surrounding villages, Happy Faces Playgroup has received a £500 donation from the Wellington Estate towards the annual hire of it premises.

Each year, the pre-school committee has to raise enough funds to cover the hire fees for the Liddell Hall in the village.

Claudia Phillips, chair of Happy Faces Playgroup, said: “We originally approached the Wellington Estate for a raffle prize for our Easter Egg Hunt on Good Friday.

"We were delighted with their donation of a high-tea gift voucher for two at the Wellington Farm Shop, and then so appreciative when the estate director, Andrew Speed, also gave us money towards the annual hire for the playgroup.

"We are incredibly grateful for the estate’s generosity.”

The Wellington Estate is owned by the Duke of Wellington and incorporates Wellington Country Park, Wellington Riding, Wellington Farm Shop and Daneshill School.

Last year, the Estate also provided machinery, manpower and land for the creation of an outdoor cricket net facility at the Stratfield Turgis and Hartley Wespall Cricket Club.