A PREVIOUSLY under-threat nursery group in Porthmadog has effectively doubled in size after years of hard work and campaigning by the local community.

After many years of uncertainty, nursery school places have been secured at the town’s Cylch Meithrin which has a new top of-the-range facility to utilise.

The children had previously been schooled at St John’s but the children were forced to relocate after renovations took place at the church.

After a prolonged search for a new venue, the Cylch Meithrin was finally able to move into Ysgol Eifion Wyn last year.

However, the new room was too small for the group and a five-figure sum was required to make the space fit-for-purpose.

Helen Couture, chair of the nursery group, said: “The Cylch’s been in limbo for several years because the landlord of our former home at St John’s needed us to move to renovate the building for other use.

“We were finally able to move into Ysgol Eifion Wyn last October but, because of the layout, we were only able to take on 10 kids.

“We were told that we needed to raise £10,000 ourselves to knock down a structural wall and other work.

“Cllr Jason Humphreys intervened and the county council agreed to do the work.

“This was done last half-term and we’re now able to take on an extra nine children. I don’t know how long this would have taken if we had to find the money ourselves.”

Mrs Couture was grateful for the support her nursery group had received.

Read the full story in this week’s Arfon/Dwyfor edition of the Cambrian News