If you would like to apply for this job vacancy please send your CV to Nikki at the email below. Closing date is Friday 20th September 2019. Please feel free to speak to a member of staff for more details.
AGM – 22 July 6pm
Interested to know how New Ark is doing?
Got a view on our future?
Then please join staff, committee members, parents and local residents at our AGM.
Date: Monday 22nd July 2019
Time: 6pm
Venue: New Ark, Hill Close, Reeves Way
We can offer you an opportunity to chat, and a promise to listen to your views.
Got an idea for a fundraising event? Are you full of ideas and energy? We are seeking enthusiastic people to join our friendly committee or help with Fundraising
Can’t make the AGM but want to tell us something? Then please contact us at newarkplay.office@gmail.com or 01733 340605
We look forward to seeing you.
Summer festival 22 June 2019
Our annual summer fete has entertainment, hot food and more. Our city farm, adventure playground and eco garden will all be open. There will be lots of fundraising games, crafts, our summer raffle and lots more including:
Dressing up
Face painting
Indian street food
Ice cream van
Tombola
Ice biscuits
Hot dogs and refreshments
Traditional outdoor games
Raffle
This year we are delighted to welcome Bezerkaz Circus, who will be running a circus skills workshop between 12-2pm. This will include juggling, plate spinning, balance activities, diabolo, hula hoop, twirling and even bubbles.
Entry is by silver donation, all are welcome to attend whether or not you are registered at New Ark..
Please help to publicise our biggest fundraising event of the year by sharing this page and inviting friends who might enjoy the day.
Funding and price changes
Our funding from Peterborough City Council is being phased out by the year 2021.
£33,000 – 2018
£22,000 – 2019
£11,000 – 2020
£0 – 2021
Added to this, we currently have to fundraise £15,000 per year. This means that in 2021 our total target will be £48,000.
We will continue to organise events throughout the year to help put the cash back into New Ark, but we will also need help from parents and the local community. If you know of any funding pots, sponsorships or donation funds please make a member of staff aware. You can call us on 01733 340605.
Services we provide include our Playground, Holiday club, After-school, Playgroup, Support Services to schools and our Farm. If we take one service away this will have an impact on all other areas.
We still have to pay more for materials, running costs, providing quality staff and maintaining our building which is now over 40 years old.
Our prices have been reviewed and will have to reflect the funding changes that we are facing. Our price list is available here.
All of our holiday sessions will have to be pre-booked a week in advance (not on the day) as we need to make sure enough staff are working to cover ratio of children.
There will be NO refund for places that have been pre-booked if cancelled.
If you have any queries please do contact us by telephone. We ask for your patience while we implement the new admin processes associated with this change.
We hope that you understand why we have had to make these changes. If our fees prevent your family from accessing New Ark please do talk to a manager in confidence.
We are grateful for your continued support.
Staff and trustees of New Ark
Easter Hunt 19 April 2019
Now an annual event, our Good Friday Easter Hunt is on Friday 19th April 2019 11am-2pm.
Entry is by silver donation, plus £3 per child who wishes to take part in the Easter Hunt. Please note this is a fundraising event and so there will be small charges for some of the activities and for the refreshments. But there is plenty that is free, including the farm and playground.
There will be all the usual fun including a raffle, tombola, hot & cold refreshments and children’s activities such as decorating biscuits and decorating our trees. You can also visit our city farm and play in the adventure playground.
If you can help out on the day, donate raffle prizes or home-baked goodies, please contact Nikki on 01733 340605 or drop off items at New Ark anytime Monday to Friday between 8.30m and 5.30pm. A downloadable poster is here.
Christmas and New Year opening
Our playgroup sessions end on Wednesday 19th December
We are running school holiday playground sessions on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st December.
We are then closed for two weeks for Christmas and New Year. Staff and volunteers will be carrying out Repairs and Maintenance on Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th January.
On Monday 7th January playgroup and playground afterschool sessions return to normal.
Playground and Eco funding awards
We are delighted to bring you news of the below two funding donations
Morrison’s Foundation
The Morrisons Foundation have just awarded us £20,000 to spend on playground improvements! We have lots of plans for this much needed funding, which will make a real difference in the playground. Thank you Morrisons Foundation.
Tesco Bags of Help
Earlier this year we were awarded £4,000 by the Tesco Bags of Help scheme for our Eco Garden. We used this to:
– Survey all the tree on the sit and carry out the recommended remedial work.
– Repair the wooden play structure which we’d previously had to close. It’s now back to full use by our preschool children and toddler group.
– Buy a new set of waterproofs for the preschool children who use our Eco Centre, so they can be outside and stay dry whatever the weather is doing.
Annual Report 2017-18
Our annual report for 2017-18 is now available. Ask a staff member if you want a printed copy we may have a few to spare. Alternatively read a PDF screen version here.
Christmas Bazaar – 24 November
Our fundraising Christmas Bazaar is an annual tradition, with hot food, children’s activities, outdoor play and the city farm. Entrance is by silver donation. Please help us advertise by printing out and putting up this poster somewhere that it will be seen.
Other ways you can help with our fundraising:
* Make donations of chocolate, bottles of drink and toiletries for our hamper and raffle.
* Bake homemade cakes for our cake stall; please include a list of ingredients.
* Help us spread the word by inviting your friends/sharing the event.
* Attend the event and have lots of fun!
Planned activities include:
Main building 12-3pm Activities include * treasure hunt * cake stall * gift tombola * children’s tombola * soft toy stall * chocolate tombola. We also have refreshments for sale, including hot food
Adventure playground 12-3pm Open for playing dependent on weather
City Farm – open 12.30-3pm * feeding our animals * sponsor an animal * buy reindeer food, and more
Father Christmas
This year Santa’s grotto will be located in our Eco Centre between 12.30 and 2.30pm. Tickets are on sale now for £3 to include a small gift. If you want to guarantee having an age-appropriate gift/rough timeslot then please prebook by calling Nikki on 01733 340605. A few tickets may be available on the day of the bazaar.
Open Day – 6 October 2018
Help to spread the word about New Ark by inviting your friends to come and visit during our annual community open day on Saturday 6th October 2018 noon-2pm, with entry by silver donation. Or download a copy of our open day 2018 poster and put it on display somewhere that parents will see it.
All areas of New Ark will be open including our city farm, eco centre, play support building and of course our playground. Come and see our history trail, meet our animals, explore our woodland garden and play in our traditional adventure playground. Our 2017-18 Annual Report will also be available to members and supporters.
Entry on the day will be by silver donation to our charity. We’ll also be selling refreshments. Donations of cakes and other bakes are very much appreciated to help us with this – please let us know that you can help by calling 01733 340605.
