On Friday 2 September, YMCA Hampton Preschool – part of YMCA St Paul's Group – celebrated its official opening with a teddy bears picnic and a host of activities including a bouncy castle, face painting, crafts and family Zumba. 

YMCA St Paul's Group CEO Richard James was joined by Head of Children, Youth & Family, Kristina Lastoweckyi, to welcome Her Worship the Mayor of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Councillor Julia Cambridge, as well as local families and invited guests. 

"We were delighted to see so many smiling faces and could see how much the children were enjoying all the fun activities. We are extremely proud of our preschool setting, and the team are looking forward to welcoming our new starters" said Georgia Fransella, YMCA Hampton Preschool Manager. 

The preschool, located in the YMCA White House, is situated in the heart of Nurserylands, Hampton. Its location offers large open spaces for nature walks and exploring.It also benefits from a large, enclosed garden, including play equipment perfect for adventure, risk taking and problem solving.  

Our exceptional team of staff at YMCA Hampton Preschool offer children a wide range of creative and engaging activities, enabling them to learn and develop through play. We focus on being child-led with a free flow indoors and outdoors learning and play programme and enjoy close ties with local primary schools to ensure a smooth transition. 

Kristina Lastoweckyi, Head of Children, Youth & Family commented, "We are extremely happy to be welcoming families back to the preschool this term, after having to close due to staffing shortages towards the end of last year. 

We have created an updated space for children to grow and learn through both play, and educational activities, ensuring that they get the best from their early years."