ANGRY parents and organisers of Woolaston's Playgroup are launching a campaign against a Shire Hall decision that makes toddlers wait longer than other playgroups for Nursery Education Grants.

They say the grants, available as a right from Government allocations for three-years-old-plus toddlers, are decided on postcode areas and based on relative affluence.

"We have lost several of our children to other groups because of this," said Woolaston Playgroup chairman Rachel Thomas.

"Children in some parts of the Forest now get a grant from their third birthday. Our children have to wait until the second term after their third birthday.

"The Local Education Authority has told us that it is based on postcode and our children will receive grants later because Woolaston is seen as affluent. Anyone who knows the village knows that is by no means the whole picture. Woolaston is socially diverse and there are many families who are far from affluent.

"Postcodes are there to assist the Royal mail. They are not an infallible guide to affluence or deprivation. Our children are suffering because of postcode deprivation. The irony is that the county council changed the policy to ensure provision in villages."

On Saturday the playgroup is launching a campaign group, Woolaston Infants Deserve Grant Authority Too (WIDGET), at their Christmas Fair in Woolaston Primary School (2pm-4pm), where there will be a number of activities and goods stalls to raise cash for the group.

There will be a petition to sign and the group is urging everyone to support them.

"It costs £3.75 a session for each child and they can come to four sessions a week," said Rachel Thomas.

"Delaying the grant for two terms means families may have to pay for another 16 weeks. That is £240, which is a lot of money for many families who use the playgroup."

Deborah Lawson, external funding and business manager at Gloucestershire Early Years Development and Child-care Partnership, said: "The government's nurs-ery education scheme currently entitles all four-year-old children to three terms of free nursery education.

"Earlier this year EYDPC was successful in a bid for additional nursery education grant, which is being used to secure two terms of free nursery education for all three-year-olds in Gloucestershire.

"Unfortunately there is not enough funding available to provide three terms of free nursery education for all three-year-olds and so the extra term is only available to areas identified as having the greatest need, using official indicators."

She added: "The government's target is to provide three terms of free nursery education to all three-year-olds by September 2004."