Masham pre-school facing loss of its home appeals for help to find a new oneMasham project among those to benefit from £39m funding, says reportMasham community hub wins £145,000 grant

A community hub in the heart of Masham has been awarded a £145,000 grant by North Yorkshire Council, but the purpose of the cash is as yet unclear.

According to the council’s website, the money, which comes from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will go towards the “decarbonisation and purchase” of Mashamshire Community Office.

But MCO bought the building at the end of August, having successfully completed a year-long campaign to raise the £215,000 asking price. 

Hayley Jackson, MCO manager, told the Stray Ferret: 

“We haven’t got the money yet, and nothing’s been signed off, so I wouldn’t want to comment until we have the funding in place.” 

She said she hoped to make an announcement publicly by the time of MCO’s annual general meeting on November 28. 

Set up in 2003, the MCO is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving community life. The building it occupies and now owns, the Old Police Station, is also home to Masham Community Library, Acorns Preschool, Masham Parish Council clerk, tourist information and local art and craft shop Masham Flock.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is scheduled to provide £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025, of which £16.9 million has been allocated to North Yorkshire.

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Masham pre-school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted

A Masham pre-school has been rated inadequate by government inspector Ofsted due to “weaknesses in the leadership and management that compromise children’s safety and welfare”. 

Acorns Pre-School, which caters for 23 children aged two to nine, received its first inspection for six years on July 6. 

The pre-school was rated ‘good’ for quality of education and behaviour and attitudes in a report published today.

But its overall ‘inadequate’ rating was due to ‘inadequate’ gradings for leadership and management and personal development

The report said not all staff who work directly with children had an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check in place. It also described the safeguarding arrangements as “not effective”, adding:

“Supervision, coaching and mentoring of staff is not effective. Managers do not regularly monitor the quality of education delivered to children.”

‘Children are happy’

The report praised many aspects of Acorns Pre-School, which is based in Mashamshire Community Office on Little Market Place. It said:

“Despite weaknesses, children are happy to arrive and enter the pre-school confidently, ready to start their day.

“Staff are caring, kind and nurturing towards children. Children show that they feel secure, as they form relationships with staff and friendships with their peers from an early age.”

Children behave well and staff are positive role models who support children to be independent and confident, the report adds. Partnership with parents is described as a strength of the pre-school.

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Val Horstool, manager of Acorns Pre-School, said the overall rating was predominantly due to one new member of staff not having a DBS check at the time of the Ofsted visit.

Ms Horstool said:

“That has been resolved and we have complied with everything they wanted us to do.”

She added she expected the assessment to be upgraded when inspectors returned in the next six months.

Mashamshire Community Office close to financial target to purchase building

The Mashamshire Community Office (MCO) is on track to raise enough money to purchase the Old Police House — the building in which the charity is based.

In June 2022, the MCO was given the opportunity to purchase the building, located in the centre of Masham, for £215,000.

The building is owned by North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, and has been leased to the charity since 2003.

Since the target was set last year, the town has seen multiple fundraising events held by volunteers – from 100 community clubs, to cow pat competitions – to generate the necessary funds, which now stands at £182,698.69.

The office provides information for visitors, hosts a number of activities for Masham residents and surrounding villages, and aims to introduce new initiatives in order to bolster the community as a whole.

Hayley Jackson, Mashamshire Community Office manager, said:

“Over the past 20 years MCO has diversified and adapted our offering to support the community in times of need such as through covid.

“This past year we’ve been on a journey to promote our services and actively share and shout about what we do and the difference we make.

“Individuals have come forward to make donations, offer help, and share stories of how MCO have helped them in the past.”

Ann and Hayley raising money for MCO

If purchased, the charity plans to invest in making the building a much more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient space.

Ms Jackson added:

“We knew it was important, but we’ve been able to see just how much it’s at the heart of the community and how much people care.  

“The people of Masham see it as their building, and it’s really important to them that we retain it for the future.”

The MCO is aiming to complete the purchase this August.

There is a number of fundraising events coming up to help the team get over the line, as well as a live auction to bid on prizes.

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