Dufftown childcare centre The Cabin looks to build new home and launches consultation with Dufftown and Mortlach Development Trust
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A SPEYSIDE childcare centre is on the lookout for a new home after outgrowing its current space.
The Cabin, a charity and community group owned and managed by parents in Dufftown's York Street, has teamed up with Dufftown and Mortlach Development Trust (DMDT) to launch a public consultation today to set out the area’s childcare needs for the years ahead.
A survey, to be shared in the coming days, will help The Cabin finalise specifications for a new home that will better meet the needs of local parents and children.
The team are in the early stages of feasibility and planning.
Tessa Petrie, manager at The Cabin, said: "Our current building has been a wonderful home for The Cabin for many years, but with the recent expansion to the Early Learning and Childcare hours we’ve outgrown it and have been forced to sacrifice services in other areas like out-of-school care.
"Our aim is to develop a new home that will allow us to meet the diverse needs of this community’s new generations in a way that’s true to our core family ethos."
The Cabin is working with the DMDT to develop a detailed business plan and secure funding for the project.
The team has already engaged with an architect with a reputation for sustainable builds, a top priority for the group which aims to be as plastic-free as possible and make nature a core part of its pre-school and nursery programmes.
The consultation will help shape the final designs that will be submitted to Moray Council.
Dill Lawson Johnson, chair of The Cabin, said: "We are so fortunate to have such fantastic staff, full of ideas and energy to bring richer experiences to the children, but we need the space and the facilities to provide them.
"The committee is very much looking forward to taking some important steps in the weeks to come towards building something really special."
Eleanor Candy, chair of DMDT, added: "The Cabin is a long-standing charity in Dufftown that has provided a home from home for many children over the last 40 years.
"We are incredibly proud to be able to work with them on this project, and to support them in the steps needed to realise their dream – a new home that is sustainably designed to meet the needs and desires of the team, and future families, for years to come."
The team is looking at potential sites before finalising plans and engaging with potential investors.
Tessa added: "We have lots of ideas about our ideal world scenario, from outdoor experiences to flexible spaces that allow us to provide more programmes like holiday clubs, but we really want to ensure that we have all the bases covered.
"We need support and input from the community in order to ensure this new facility will be everything that our parents and children need, both now and in the future."
Moray Council’s senior project officer for ELC expansion, Robin Paterson, said: "The Cabin has offered a high-quality and much valued service for many years in Dufftown, so to see their ambitious plan for future service provision is welcome.
"We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with The Cabin as they expand their offering in the area."
