A CASH boost of £2,000 will be used to update playroom resources at the First Step community project in Musselburgh.

The charity was delighted to receive the funding from the STV Children’s Appeal.

First Step on Galt Avenue is primarily for families and children under eight living in the Musselburgh East area.

The charity aims to promote learning through play and offers a wide range of activities which encourage children to explore and develop skills.

Jennifer McCallum, early years manager, said: “The project was set up more than 25 years ago by a small group of parents determined to find a safe, secure and fun place for their children.

“We now have our nursery which has early learning and childcare for children aged between 18 months to five years.

“We provide a full programme of classes and groups for anyone in the Musselburgh area. The project also supports families who may be experiencing a period of difficulty through the outreach and respite service, as well as helping to build skills of the community through our volunteering opportunities.”

The funding will be used to buy a new listening station complete with headphones so the children can listen to stories and music. Literacy resources and small world equipment, such as miniature animals and doll’s houses, will also be purchased to aid learning.

Ms McCallum added: “We are also going to develop a new Mud Kitchen and outdoor den. The new resources will provide endless opportunities for learning and allow children to develop and explore new skills.

“The project is thriving and we encourage those within the community to pop along or take a look at our website and Facebook page to find out more about the opportunities that we can offer families. First Step relies on the support and participation of people to enable the project to continue to grow and money such as that from the STV Appeal help us to continue to provide a great service for the local area.”