Mull and Iona Community Trust plans new nursery

PLANS are afoot to build a community nursery near Salen on Mull.

Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT) is applying to buy land in Glen Aros for a ‘purpose-built childcare facility with an outdoor ethos’.

MICT’s website explains: ‘We have been exploring the possibility of building and running a purpose-built nursery on the island for a couple of years now due to the growing need for flexible wrap-around childcare on Mull. By 2020, the Scottish Government is planning to expand the number of free early learning and childcare hours to 1,140 from 600. This increase will put a strain on the provision currently offered by Argyll and Bute Council and creates a demand for a new facility on the island.

‘We have identified the Salen area as an ideal location for a nursery on Mull because of its central location and good transport links.

‘We would like to build an indoor/outdoor nursery, that is a nursery with a solid structure and infrastructure but with an outdoor/forest school ethos, where children spend a large amount of time outdoors exploring the neighbouring woodlands.’

So far MICT has successfully applied to the Scottish Land Fund for a ‘stage one’ grant to assess the suitability of a plot of Forestry Commission Scotland land at Glen Aros to build a nursery. It has also held a community consultation to hear islanders’ views on the services they need. MICT now hopes to apply to the Scottish Land Fund for ‘stage two’ funding to purchase the land through the Forestry Commission Scotland Community Asset Transfer.