A head teacher whose salary is being paid in part by kindhearted parents is appealing for more locals to enrol and keep her nursery alive.

Despite severe financial constraints, The Giving Tree centre in St. George's has still managed to appoint two full-time staff and is looking to recruit someone to run their after-school programme.

With only nine children on its books -- six short of the break even figure -- head teacher Kennita Perry said the non-profit making co-cop was on its last chance.

She said: "I'm only being paid in part. I'm doing this out of love for the job.'' She appealed for sponsors to give cash or books and materials to the nursery which won charitable status earlier this year.

And she added: "We need someone to run the after school programme between 3 and 6 p.m. every day for kids aged five to 11. If we get more kids, then we'll be able to pay for staff.'' The nursery is also appealing for volunteers to help run the centre.

Mrs. Perry said: "We need help from anyone who loves kids -- that's the only qualification. Even if it's just for a few hours a week. We need a few extra pairs of hands.

"We also need someone to help out with maintenance.'' The nursery has struggled for numbers since it was formed out of the ashes of the former Kids' Venture Nursery School in October.

Former headteacher Constance McHardy said: "We are scraping by at the moment.

We need at least around 15 children, but we'd like to get around 20.'' She said parents using the facility tended to be ex-pat workers and she would like more Bermudians to sign up at the nursery which is the only one in the centre of St. George's. She said: "We are appealing to the Bermudian public.

We'd like to open it up to Bermudians to give us more stability.

"A lot of Bermudians tend to work in town and take their kids in so they can be nearer to them.'' She said children could benefit from individual learning programmes.

"We like to build on what children already know so they are given a recognition test and then we move on,'' Mrs. McHardy explained.

Parent Nicky Brown, who has children aged two and four at the Church Folly Lane centre, was full of praise for its staff.

He said: "It's a loving and caring environment with very nice teachers.'' There is also a scholarship fund available for parents with proven need which will pay for 25 percent of the $100 weekly fees.