CHILDREN at The Ark Nursery and Pre-school enjoyed their first Easter egg hunt with a number of fun activities, including making nests and bird feeders for the outdoor areas, as well as baking bunny-shaped cookies and colouring eggs.

A springtime tapestry in the classroom features lambs made from cotton wool, yellow paper daffodils, ducks in a pond, pink blossoms in trees, fluffy clouds, caterpillars, butterflies and a rainbow made from all the childrens handprints.

Opened in October 2017 by retired senior project manager for the Highways Agency, Paul Arnold, who was involved in building the A3 Hindhead Tunnel, and is affectionately known as “Mr Noah”, the nursery at Liphook Church Centre, now has a total of seven regular staff members.

Present at last year’s opening were Hampshire county councillor Floss Mitchell, who was able to make a grant contribution of £2,000 and East Hampshire district councillor Bill Mouland who provided funding of £1,000 from his EHDC grants budget.

The Ark has recently been awarded £200 from Breeze radio station’s community kick-start programme, which will go towards a new willow walkway in the playground – due to be completed after the Easter holidays.

All other indoor and outdoor play areas, which include a kitchen garden classroom with planting opportunities, a messy play area, as well as dressing-up and rest areas, have now been completed and children from two years of age can join.

•Visit www.thearkliphook.co.uk for more information.