A THRIVING pre-school group has launched a bid to save its threatened meeting place.

Harden Pre-School is seeking to take over the running of the village's memorial hall.

An expression of interest in a community asset transfer has been submitted to Bradford Council.

The Wilsden Road building was among seven community halls across the district which the cash-strapped local authority warned faced closure unless volunteers took them on.

This week, Harden Pre-School manager Mel Akeroyd said the group – which she has been involved with for 11 years – had used the memorial hall for more than three decades.

"The building is a perfect venue with its own car park," she said.

"We have looked at what else is available in the village, but there's nothing suitable.

"The memorial hall is the only option.

"We are expanding in September to up to 40 children per session and will be looking to extend provision further if we can get a guarantee over our future there.

"Now that we've registered our interest in a community asset transfer, that will go to the council's legal team and it will just be a matter of waiting.

"We have been given an assurance of another year in the building at least in the meantime."

The pre-school was rated outstanding by Ofsted inspectors in May.

They described the quality of teaching and partnerships with parents as "superb" and said staff were "extremely dedicated and highly qualified".

Among those supporting the charity in its effort to take over the hall is committee member, Pam Laking.

She said: "It's an excellent, professionally-run organisation where the staff work so hard.

"The group has used the hall for many years and is very much a central and invaluable part of the community.

"It came as a terrible shock when it was discovered the hall was under threat of closure.

"After much discussion, the decision was taken to seek a community asset transfer."

Mrs Laking says that if the application is successful, funding would be sought for improvements to the building.

And the renovated facilities could also be used by other organisations.

"If the council is favourable towards the application we will submit an action plan and explore what grants may be available," she added.

"The hall is vital to the village and we want the building to be a community hub. We are hoping villagers will support us in this."

A Bradford Council spokesman told us: "We are pleased to have received a stage-one application from Harden Pre-School for the community asset transfer of Harden Memorial Hall.

"This will be assessed before it can be moved on to the next stage."