(July 2025) It is with immense sadness that we announce Hickling Preschool closed its doors at the end of July.
Since opening their doors in 1967, it has been more than just a preschool; it has been a second home for generations of children, a place where laughter echoed through the hall, friendships blossomed, and the foundations of a lifelong love of learning were laid.
The dedicated staff, both past and present, have poured their hearts and souls into each and every child and we want to thank them from the bottom of our hearts.
With heartfelt thanks,
Hickling Pre-School Committee
Hickling Playgroup snapshot (1999-2001) and celebrating the new Millennium:
Lifelong friendships in our villages, forged through play; walks to explore the village, learning about posting letters, story time in the mobile library van; dressing up, singing, story time, sand play, baking, painting, cutting, sticking and so much more.
News clippings from the Wadkin Archive:
(full transcriptions can be found below the gallery)
(Wadkin Archive) Playgroup news cuttings – transcriptions
Wadkin News (7) 1968 – 1972 (20) “Character develops by leaps and bounds at play school” by Roger de Bank. Toddlers playing happily, pushing scooters, piling bricks, splashing paint on paper or engaged in a game of hide-and-seek in a place where there is no time for tantrums or “I won’t” – in fact, a mother’s dream. // This was the scene at Hickling school when the “Journal” paid a visit on Friday. // The school which was closed in December 1966 opened again last June as a play centre for kiddies in the area who are between three and five years old. // Privately run by Hickling resident Mrs Angela Sweet, the play centre is open for three morningsa week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, during which time children are allowed to play among themselves using a varied selection of equipment. // The centre has 34 children on its books, with an average attendance of 20 per session, many coming from nearby villages. // With the minimum amount of supervision they are given a chance to do what they like, as well as making a lot of new friends. // A qualified nursery nurse, Mrs Sweet told me: “When the kiddies first come here they are nervous and self-conscious. They stand in corners watching the other children. // “But they soon find that everybody is so friendly that they start to join in, and very soon they are rushing around playing happily, without a care in the world. // “Many of the children who come here live on farms, and they don’t get the chance to play with anybody of their own age. When they come here their character develops in leaps and bounds,” she explained. // GAIN CONFIDENCE. // The children attend the centre until they are of school joining age. “By that time they have the confidence to learn as they get into the classroom, because the teacher does not have to “break the ice first,” Mrs Sweet added. // The accent is placed simplicity. If the children want to make a game really interesting, using the equipment provided, they have to use their imagination. // “They are given sand and make castles, bricks make fairy grottos, and a swing is a flight into space. If a child uses its imagination anything can come true. Nothing is impossible,” Mrs sweet explained. // The idea of the play centre came from the former headmistress of the school, Miss E Hatton, who suggested it to Mrs Sweet. School premises are being used by permission of Hickling Church. // GREAT GUSTO // Vicar of St. Luke’s church, hickling the Rev. L.T.P. Harwood commented: “When I heard that Mrs Sweet wanted to start a play centre I was very pleased to help, as she is qualified for the job. The children run about and play with great gusto.” // Once a term parents are allowed to visit the centre and see how their children are progressing, and on Friday they attended a talk given by Kinoulton junior school headmaster Mr. D.B. Flat, who talked about the first year at school. // Mother-of-five Mrs Delys Penson commented: “My children’s ages range from 17 years to six months, and I have one child, four-year-old Vicky, at the centre. She is far more ‘forward’ than my other children at that age. // “In the mornings I have to get on with the housework, and haven’t the time to amuse her. If she didn’t have this interest I think she would just mope around the house. // “It widens her outlook, gives her something to look forward to. It’s not a place where parents shove their children, so that they are out of their hair for a few hours. // ”Children come because they want to. I get complaints from Vicky when she is not able to go. I am a great believer in this play centre scheme.” she added. // Four-years-old Catrino Shaw confided in me, “I like it here. There is plenty to do all the time, and I met my boy-friend here as well.”
(79) THE YOUNG ONES // It’s perhaps a good job there is glass between three-year-old Fiona Clare wadkin and those lions. But it does not really matter as the lions are only stuffed ones, anyway, at Egerton Lodge, Melton,. Fiona, who lives at Hickling, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. Wadkin, and has a brother, Patrick, who is five. Fiona belongs to Hickling Play Group.
Coffee Morning was held in St. Luke’s church hall to provide funds for a Christmas party for the play school. Organised by Mrs B Sweet, who is in charge of the school. It raised £20.
Hickling Play Group’s Party. Children of Hickling Play Group enjoyed a Christmas party in St. Luke’s church-hall, with tea and games, Santa Claus and presents. // On Sunday afternoon they enacted a Nativity play in the parish church and sang carols. All the children are between three and five ears old. // Mrs B Sweet is their teacher. // At evensong there was the traditional service of nine lessons.
(80) Hickling. Coffee Morning in the church-hall on Friday raised over £20 for the Christmas party funds for the children of the play school. It was organised by Mrs. B. Sweet and helpers.
(81 1972) Play Group Children Entertained. Children of Hickling Play Group, aged three and four, entertained with carols and other items in the church hall. Santa Claus paid a visit and each child received a present. // Later, the group held a party for the children. // A service of nine lessons an carols, accompanied by Melton Town Band, was held in St. Luke’s church on Christmas-eve. On Sunday morning there was a united carol service, the two Sunday schools taking part. // A party of carol singers went around the village, and a collection for the National Children’s Home amounted to approximately £20.
(82) Hickling. Play group organisers held a coffee morning in the church-hall yesterday week and raised more than £15 towards a Christmas party for the under-fives.
Wadkin News (8) 1973-1979 (39): Coffee morning organised by play group officials was held in the church-hall, and proceeds of £17 go towards a Christmas party for the children.
(Dec1973) Hickling festivities. Hickling playgroup children held a party in the church-hall on Saturday, when 37 between the ages of three and five were entertained by a clown after an excellent tea. // Three days later the children themselves entertained their parents at a concert. Santa Claus attended, and each received a gift. // Arrangements were made by the playgroup organiser, Mrs Sweet and helpers.
(166 Dec 18th 1975) Play group party. Hickling and Kinoulton Play Group’s Christmas party was held in Kinoulton Village-hall. It was organised by Mrs P Cane and helpers, and Father Christmas gave a present to each child.
(177 June 1976): Coffee Morning. Organiser of the Hickling and Kinoulton playgroup, Mrs P. Cane, organised, with the help of her assistants, a coffee morning in Kinoulton Village-hall, and profits of £20 will be used to purchase new equipment.
(195 Nov. 1976) Coffee morning. Coffee morning in Kinoulton Village-hall raised £26 for the Hickling and Kinoulton play group and toddlers’ Christmas party. // It was organised by Mrs P. Cane and helpers.
(207 March 1977) For play group. Jumble sale for Hickling and Kinoulton Play Group in Kinoulon Village-hall was organised byMrs P. cane and helpers. Refreshments were served and £17 profit was made.
(218 1977) Playgroup’s jumble sale. While their mums and friends sorted out the bargains the toddlers enjoyed playing at a jumble sale organised by Hickling Playgroup. // Coffee and biscuits were served and £24 was the result.
(220 Aug 1977) Grant for playgroup. Hickling Playgroup Association is to be given a £45 grant by Rushcliffe Borough Council towards the cost of new equipment. // The group serves Hickling, Kinoulton and Upper Broughton, and meets twice a week with an average of 19 children at each session.
(237 Oc 1977) Coffee Morning in the village-hall yesterday week was well attended, proceeds of about £30 being for the play group’s Christmas party.
(245) Children of the playgroup were entertained to a Christmas party in the Village-hall, where they played games and sang carols. There was a visit from santa Claus, who presented each child with a gift. Arrangements were made by the playgroup committee.
(271 April 1976) Hickling. Super seconds sale of children’s and adults’ wear in the Village-hall was in aid of play group funds. There was also a home-made cake stall and raffle, and refreshments were served by committee members.
(276 June 1978) Hickling Playgroup annual meeting elected Mrs D. Clarke chairman. // Other officials elected were Mrs J Spencer, treasuerer; Mrs M Smith, secretary; Mrs J Tatty, representative of the Mother and Child Club; Mrs H Robson, representative of the Village-hall. // Committee, Mrs M Webster, Mrs H Carter, Mrs J Jarvis, Mrs J Prince, Mrs P Hewitt, Mrs P Sharpe, Mrs TB Bailey.
(284 June 1978) Play Group have been running a nearly-new sale in the Village-hall, the committee being in charge. Any profit will go to the group’s fund.
(286 August 1978) Hickling playgroup organised a garden party in the Plough inn by invitation of the landlord. // There were games, competitions and a raffle and the weather was kind.
(303 Dec1978) Fifty children who are members of the play group, together with parents, enjoyed a party in the Village-hall. Among the visitors was father Christmas, who presented each child with a gift.
(Wadkin News 10 22/12/1979-26/09/1980, Dec 1979 4) Play group committee organised a party in the Village-hall for children, toddlers and their mothers. There was a visit from Santa in the guise of Mr J Daly. // Festival of nine lessons and carols was held in St. Luke’s church. There was a large congregation, the service being conducted by the Rector, the Rev. P. Coc.
(July 1980 36) Weather kind to playgroup. The weather was actually kind for the first-ever picnic and sports afternoon organised by Hickling Playgroup. // Children, staff and parents enjoyed the hospitality of a local farmer, and food was prepared by the playgroup committee.
(Wadkin News 11 Oct 1980 – May 1981 (Nov 1980 8)) Playgroup coffee morning. Hickling playgroup committee held a coffee morning in the Village-hall, when visitors saw the children at play. // With the aid of one or two attractions £43 was raised for group funds.
(12 Dec 1980) The Play group held a party in the Village Hall inviting Mums and friends, santa Claus arrived and each child received a gift, all enjoyed a tea and games.
(38 April 1981) For Playgroup funds. Hickling Playgroup committee organised a nearly new sale in the Village Hall and raised £88 for group funds. // Refreshments were served, and raffle winners were Mrs E Whiteman, Kester Smith, Mrs M Rampley, Mrs P Bendall, Mrs DPashley, Mrs P Sharpe and Mrs H Mayfield.
(46 May 1981) Great effort. Hickling Playgroup committee organised a tombola and raffle at the Quorn Hunt cross-country event and raised £482 for spina bifida. A gallon of whisky was won by Mr T Smith and a dinghy by Mrs P Reptto.
(Wadkin News 12 22/05/1981-16/10/1981 – 20) Picnic and sports. Hickling Playgroup committee organised a picnic and sports in a field belonging to Mr Eric Parkes, competitors receiving iced lollies and medals.
(Wadkin News 13 16/10/1981 – 24/04/1982 – 20) Playgroup committee organised a fashion show in the Village-hall which was well attended despite bad weather.
(32 Feb 1982) New equipment on view. Hickling Playgroup committee organised a coffee morning in the Village-hall for parents and friends to view the £400 worth of new equipment which has been purchased with money raised. // A raffle and cake stall boosted tkings to £50.
(Wadkin Archive 14; 30/04/1982-06/10/1982; 9, May 1982) Playgroup officials. Election of Hickling Playgroup Association officers resulted: Chairman, Mrs R Henson; secretary, Mrs S Smith; treasurer, mrs C Brannan; committee mesdames A Dougan, J Richards, J Lee, P Curzon, S Price, H Coleman, L Ogilvy and Mrs Rampley. // The Playgroup held an open morning in the Village-hall at which refreshments were served.
(Wadkin News 16 31/07/1983 to end; 15, Nov 1983) Playgroup fundraiser. Hickling Playgroup held a cheese and wine evening to raise funds for their Christmas party and providegifts for the children. // Approximately 100 people attended theevent, in the Village-hall, where there were various stalls including books, plants and toys. The profit amounted to £140.
(17, March 1984) Hickling Playgroup and Toddler Association held a coffee morning recently for the NSSPCC Centenary Appeal. // Mothers donated homemade cakes, jams, etc, and during the morning the children prepared, baked and sold their own small loaves. // “Rhyme and Reason” came from Leicester with a book display and a “Guess Owls” birthday competition was held. The total raised for the NSPCC was £62.
(24, April 1984) A “trash and treasure” market raised over £100 on Saturday for Hickling Playgroup. // The market was held at Kinoulton Village Hall and there were also cake and tombola stalls. // The funds will help pay for new playgroup equipment, paint and paper. // Members of the playgroup’s committee organised the market and hav lined-up a series of fund-raising events for this year.
(24. May 1984) Hickling Playgroup recently held its annual general meeting when thanks were given to the retiring committee members, Mrs J Richards and Mrs L Ogilvy (treasurer). // The committee for 1984/5 is as follows:- Chairman, Mrs J Lee; secretary, Mrs M Rampley; treasurer, Mrs S Watson. General committee, Mrs P Sharpe, Mrs P Simons, Mrs N Mallorie, Mrs S Roper, Mrs C Randall, Mrs C Moss, Mrs C Jones and Mrs B Wilkes. // Coffee and cakes were served whilst Mrs C Nixon gave a short Play on a Word – the word being, playgroup.