Special guests open pre-school at Redstart (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Special guests open pre-school at Redstart

2:00pm Friday 24th October 2008 in Search By Richard Purdon

REDSTART Primary School in Chard welcomed some very special guests to help them open the new Early Years Centre on the school campus on Friday.

Former leader of the Liberal Democrats Lord Paddy Ashdown, MP David Laws, Leader of Somerset County Council Cllr Jill Shortland, Mayor of Chard Cllr Martin Wale and many other councillors.

Lord Ashdown said: “Politicians don’t like admitting they’re wrong - in fact I’ve never been wrong – but back in 1990 this firebrand named Jill Shortland came into my office and said that Redstart needed a pre-school and a play group. I told her that it would never happen and to be realistic.

“But as the great philosopher Francis Bacon used to say, ‘any map that does not contain Utopia is not worth looking at’. You’ve got to have a dream, because from tiny acorns mighty Oaks will grow. Here’s one in reality.”

After cutting the ribbon alongside David Laws, MP for the Yeovil constituency, and with a little help from reception pupils Daisy Lillywhite and Jack Rolfe, the Lord Ashdown and the visitors joined the rest of the students in the playground to release balloons into the air.

For more pictures of the opening event, pick up your copy of the News next week!