Friends of Greenholme

Why do we have a Friends of Greenholme School (FOG)?

We are very fortunate at our School to have a Friends of the School Association that is and has become an integral part of the school community for 6 years. In this short time, through the generosity of parents supporting our events, the Friends have raised thousands of pounds, which have been spent on equipment and resources to further enhance our children’s learning opportunities and to promote their learning in school in general.

The Friends of Greenholme School is extremely conscious of the ethos and morals of our school and we try very hard, when organising and planning events, to respect this. Our events are not run as fundraisers, they are self financing and raising funds has become a bonus element of this.

But it is much, much more than just fundraising. The Friends of Greenholme School exists to provide closer links between home and school and it is an excellent way to bring staff, parents and friends together socially, in support of the school and working towards a common goal. And it’s fun! Just ask any of the Friends of Greenholme School Committee or helpers. Obviously, as in any organisation, there are times when it is more ‘challenging’, but with the continued support of parents and staff, our Friends of Greenholme School has always succeeded in its efforts.

All parents and members of the school community can get involved if they want to, even if they only have a small amount of time available, and all parents are automatically members of the Friends of Greenholme when they join our school.

• Role of the Committee

  Our Friends of Greenholme School Committee consists of 5 Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer and Secretary). We also have between 10 and 15 other Committee members to make up the full Committee.

  The Committee meets on a regular basis, usually once per term, with smaller working groups meeting as necessary to organise our bigger events. We encourage and welcome all parents to attend any of these meetings. If you are unable to attend but have some points that you would like to be discussed, please contact a Committee member.

• Annual General Meeting (AGM)

  Our Annual General Meeting is held during the Spring Term and this is an opportunity for all parents to come along and hear in more detail about previous activities and events, current events being run and funds raised, and, of course, how the money has been spent. It is also the occasion when we elect our new Committee and Trustees.

  A list of current Friends of Greenholme School Committee members is displayed in the Friends Of Greenholme box located in the playground. Updated lists are displayed in the box when changes take place.

• When we raise the money

  As in most schools, the majority of our funds are raised through the events that we run. Some of our most popular events are the Fayres, Fun Days, and Balls.

  We have printed calendars, tea towels, mouse mats and mugs. We’ve had fashion shows. We have exclusive viewings of popular films like Harry Potter, trips to the Pantomime, events that include all the family. So you can see there is always something going on! We always try and respond to the children’s requests for events and it is truly the icing on the cake to see them having fun at the events or enjoying using a piece of new equipment that the Friends of Greenholme School has donated.

  Donations are extremely important. These can be time, money, items for sale, donations for raffles or offers of services and skills.

How we spend the money we raise

Quickly! Once money is raised from events the funds are banked straight away. It is at our Friends of Greenholme School Committee Meetings that the decisions on how to spend the money are taken.

Usually, Mrs Fisher and the Senior Management Team have a ‘shopping list’ of items that the school would like to purchase. Sometimes this will be as a result of the children asking for something, the giant chess set is just one of these. And, of course, sometimes it is a parent who suggests something that they think should be purchased, such the creative arts activities. At other times it will be for resources to improve a particular area of the curriculum or school environment, as in the ICT update. In the main, the Friends of Greenholme School funds are for the ‘extras’ not provided by the school budget, that make our children’s learning experiences so much more fulfilling and exciting.

Friends of Greenholme School funds are not generally spent on improving the fabric of the school building as this is the responsibility of the school. Our Constitution commits us to spending money on things that will benefit the children directly. We always endeavour to spend our funds in ways that will benefit all our children across all areas of the school and curriculum. Many of the resources purchased have a direct link to the School Development Plan.

The money we raise is usually spent fairly quickly. That way you can be sure that in supporting our school, yours and everybody’s child will feel the benefit.

Of course there are times when we have a big project underway that we need to save money for. In the past, we have had ‘special projects’ to provide additional funds for the ICT update, and provision of the Early Years Garden. However, whilst saving for these, we have still managed to find funds for smaller items thanks to the generous support of our parents.

How you can get involved

There are lots of ways you can help and support your child through the Friends of Greenholme School.

Offering to help before events or at other times during the year is so valuable – it really is a case of ‘many hands make light work’. It doesn’t matter if you can’t help on a regular basis, or even if you can’t come into school. There are always little jobs that can be done from home, if you have half an hour to spare e.g. wrapping gifts, preparing raffle tickets etc. We really couldn’t achieve what we do without the unseen ‘army of help’ that exists in school.

• You can of course if you feel able, volunteer to be a Committee Member.
• You can attend the AGM and give us your ideas for fundraising events – this is also the time to ask questions or voice your opinion.
• You can help by letting us know if you have any contacts or skills we could use – anything is valuable to us.

On behalf of all the children we would like to thank you for your very valuable support, which enriches their learning experiences and makes their time in school so enjoyable. From all the Friends of Greenholme School Committee.