THE buzz has gone and it’s all quiet at this pre-school.

Busy Bees closed its doors last week after two decades in the town, and parents, volunteers, staff and trustees came together to celebrate past achievements.

The pre-school, based in the Scout Hut, was founded by Jackie Brannam and Gill Milton in the early 1990s and has seen hundreds of children pass through its doors.

But bosses made the decision to close last week due to dwindling funds and staffing problems.
Chairman Julian Mellor said: “Busy Bees was created by the community helping itself.

“Sadly, the OFSTED requirements for staff qualifications mean local experience and nurturing now count for little so we have found it harder and harder to recruit staff, and that has broken the Wiveliscombe link.

“At the same time, our numbers have been falling year on year. This term we have been losing money every week, and when we were unable to find a new assistant manager we were faced with no alternative but to call it a day.”

Some parents are now planning to open a new pre-school community group in the town, which will be run by themselves and volunteers as a cost-cutting measure.