FOGWA    Friends Of Great Walstead Association

The FOGWA committee is a team of individuals associated with the school who help to ensure that parents of the school are able to meet at sociable events. Every year we organise events such as the fireworks display, the Christmas Bazaar and the Summer Party.

At the same time these events help us to raise extra finances for the school and for charities.

FOGWA is run by a group of people who give up their own time to help organise all the events and activities, and decide where the money should be spent. In addition, other parents help out at specific events, for example on the stalls at the Christmas Bazaar, or serving hot chocolate at the Bonfire Night.

If you’re interested in joining the committee or helping out at future events, or have any suggestions, please contact Sam Matthew or email fogwa@greatwalstead.co.uk

FOGWA Committee:

Chairman:

Sam Matthew

Vice-chair

Rachel Swan

Secretary:

Louise Richardson

Treasurer:

Susan Lodge

Class Rep Coordinator:

Janine Van Niekerk

and Bev Benfell, Evie Freeman, Jane Gareze, Ali Longley, Mark Parsons, Catherine Rohan, Louise Richardson, Joan Riddell, Richard Sandys-Renton, James Skillicorn, Emma Strong, Sue Walker-Reilly, Brenda Williams and Janine van Niekerk.

*The Yellow Moon Catalogue*
Keep the children entertained and remember up to 25% of anything you spend comes back to FOGWA. Order on line, by phone or by post. Just put in the school code SGR1245

Are you interested in joining the FOGWA committee or maybe just helping out when you can? We would love to hear from you. Just jot down your contact details & pop them into the FOGWA BOX or e-mail us at
fogwa@greatwalstead.co.uk

Many Thanks For Your Support, The FOGWA Committee.

For all those new to the school FOGWA (Friends of Great Walstead Association) is an organisation which every parent automatically becomes a member when they join the school. For parents and staff wishing to become more involved there is a committee of between 15 – 20 members, who make decisions about events and how best to spend the money raised by FOGWA.

FOGWA aims to enhance the lives of the children, parents and staff of Great Walstead School through running various social events throughout the year. Most notably for the whole family there is Bonfire Night, The Christmas Bazaar and The Summer Party. Last Year parents & staff could also dress up and dance the night away at The Retro Bash or put their heads together at The Music Quiz Night.

Although the committee work hard organising events we also very much rely on support from parents and staff on the day. As a mostly new committee this year we wanted to say A BIG THANKYOU to all those parents and staff who also gave up their precious time on Bonfire Night and at The Christmas Bazaar to help make these events such a success. We had fun and we hope you did too.

In addition to running events FOGWA also raises funds for the school and outside charities. We raise funds through Northbrook Gift-Wrapping and The Yellow Moon Catalogues where up to 25% of money spent comes back to FOGWA. Also through any profits made at Bonfire Night, The Christmas Bazaar and The Summer party. For example the Christmas Bazaar takings were over £5000.

Much of the money is channelled straight back into the school, buying equipment and resources through a teacher request system. Teachers are able to put in requests for particular items. The FOGWA committee then decide if it is something they feel FOGWA should pay for. Historically FOGWA tends to pay for items that enhance the children’s life & curriculum in school but are not necessarily essentials - The Icing on the Cake.

Some recent purchases from funds raised by FOGWA include:

* Baby Grand Piano – Music Department    *   Digital cameras for the Junior Department
*   Story sacks for Pre-Prep   *   Nativity Costumes - Pre-Prep
*   Crockery - home economics   *   Student cam - Science Department
* Data logger for the Science Department   *   Headphones for the Snug
*  Bee Bot Mats for Pre-Prep  *   Inflatable Globe for Pre-Prep
* Cameras for Pre-Prep  *   Milacron Potters Wheel – Art department
*  Printing Press – Art Department  *   Infant Video Toolkit Software – Pre-Prep
* Radio Microphone  *  Boarding Improvements

F O G W A  news       April 2008

FOGWA Changes

After being secretary for a year, I have agreed to take over the role of chair, my name is Sam Matthew and my son Benjamin, is in Year 1. Firstly, on behalf of all of the committee, I’d like to thank Fiona Clutton for being a great chair of FOGWA for the past 12 months. Fiona stepped into the role at short notice and guided us very successfully through all our events last year. Thank you Fiona, we could not have done it without you! I would also like to say a big thank you to all of the committee, who have worked so hard to make the events run smoothly and profitably, long may it continue!

FOGWA – WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

In January, we evaluated a long list of requests from teachers and the following items were all approved, you may have already started to see some of the items in action around the school.

Ø Additional Staging for the Chapel, plus 2 new spotlights
Ø A fume cupboard, which will be used by Years 6, 7 & 8 for practical demonstrations of chemical experiments.
Ø 6 Digital microscopes to be used by Years 3, 4 and 5.
Ø £250 worth of outdoor toys for the nursery.
Ø New bikes and trikes for the Keep.
Ø 6 new walkie talkies to be used by all staff, around the school grounds. Ensuring safe and swift communication back to the office all times.
Ø 8 Moveable Magnetic Whiteboards for use in each Pre-Prep classroom.
Ø 60 Maroon ‘skorts’ for Girls Match Kit.

It was great to be able to say yes to so many teachers’ requests, these items we believe provide the icing on the cake to our childrens’ education. A big thanks to all who have supported the various events throughout the year. Please do keep on supporting! We hope to bring you pictures of these items on the screen in the entrance hall.

TABLE TOP SALE – 2ND MAY, Years 3-8

If you haven’t already registered for the table top sale, please do so, as tables are limited. Registration forms can be collected from Matron.

FOGWA – WINE TASTING EVENING- FRIDAY 16TH MAY

We are keen to try out new ways to raise funds and wine tasting ticked a lot of boxes for many reasons. Tickets for this event will be available when we get back from the Easter Holidays. A local Spanish wine importer Oliver Burridge and Co will be bringing along a ‘taste of Spain’. We hope that you will come along, relax with friends, whilst sampling good wine and cheese. Tickets will be £10.00 per person.

FOGWA SUMMER PARTY – SATURDAY 14th JUNE – 5-9PM

We have listened to feedback from last year and moved the event to later in the day as it has been in years gone by. A key part of making the evening a success will be the support we get from you, please keep the date free and keep an eye out for ways you can help. This year we feel we definitely deserve better weather than last year!

Many thanks, Sam Matthew