A NURSERY for children and families with additional needs is sitting pretty after being awarded a four-figure grant.

The Peter Pan Nursery in Sherburn in Elmet provides care for children with additional needs, disabilities, illness, learning difficulties and behavioural issues, and also supports children whose families are experiencing difficulties or are in need of respite and support.

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The nursery had been looking to update its furniture and to bring in some specially-designed chairs with handles and sides which are extra supportive for the children and cannot be tipped back.

A £1,000 grant from the Banks Community Fund has now enabled the nursery to purchase a dozen new chairs, as well as an additional pair of chairs with pommels which can be used by children who physically struggle to support themselves.

The Peter Pan Nursery, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year, was originally founded in response to local families’ needs for respite care and additional support.

It is now a registered charity run by a voluntary management committee, with fundraising to help cover its running costs carried out by a team of volunteers at its charity shop in the centre of the village.

Kay Smith, general manager at the Peter Pan Nursery, said: "We haven’t updated our furniture for a very long time, and after recently buying some semi-circular tables, we were keen to improve the chairs that the children would use while sitting at them.

“The new chairs offer much more stability for the children using them and take away the risk that they could topple over, while the chairs with pommels will make a big difference to the independence that our children who struggle to support themselves physically will enjoy.

“We simply couldn’t have afforded to make this purchase without the grant from the Banks Community Fund and we’re hugely grateful for their support.”

The Banks Group is the business behind plans for a new residential development in Hambleton which would include 65 high-quality private and affordable homes of different sizes and types, including bungalows.

Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, said: “The Peter Pan Nursery plays a huge role in the health and well-being of lots of local families, and makes such a difference to the quality of life they can enjoy.

“We’re very pleased to be able to support the work of such an impressive, longstanding community organisation.”

The Banks Community Fund provides grants for community groups and voluntary organisations in the vicinity of Banks Group projects.

Anyone from a community close to a Banks Group development who is interested in applying for funding from the Banks Community Fund should first contact the fund manager on 0191 378 6342 or via fundmanager@bankscommunityfund.org.uk before applying for a grant to check if their group or project is eligible.