CHRISTMAS FAYRE 6TH DECEMBER 2009(DONATIONS)

Please help we need you to donate NEW unwanted gifts and toiletries.Search your cupboards and boxes in the loft and send in your donations as soon as poosible.
Put them in a carrier bag and leave in the reception area at school.

PLEASE REMEMBER WE CAN ONLY USE NEW UNOPENED GIFTS.

CHRISTMAS FAYRE

The Friends Association Committee will be holding the Christmas Fayre on Sunday 6th December 2009 commencing at noon and finishing at 4.00 p.m.
We need your help not only on the day by running stalls etc.but also in the preperation for the event.If you can give time please complete and return the form that has been circulated.

We promise that it will be just as much fun on the night,come and join us

BARN DANCE UPDATE

Come on all you families,you have had the letters/forms please return your ticket order to the school office ASAP. Ticket prices are only £4.00 per adult and £2.00 per child(under 16).

Come and have a nice family night out and support your school

THEATRE TRIPS BY THE FRIENDS

We are pleased to announce that trips are being planned for the following shows:-

LION KING
SNOW WHITE (PANTOMIME AT THE FAIRFIELD HALLS)
HAIRSPRAY

Please log into the Blog and look at our notice boards for details in the coming weeks.

200 CLUB

In the coming weeks Nursery and Reception Parents will receive a letter inviting you to join the Friends 200 Club.

The cost to join is £5,00 per term or £15.00 for the full year.

Also towards the end of the month reminders for payment will be sent out via book bags to existing members.

NEXT MEETING

The Friends Committee will be meeting on MONDAY 14th September 2009.If you have any ideas or suggestions please contact any committee member or leave a note at the school office addressed to the committee.

BARN DANCE

This will be held on Saturday the 3rd October.the group and caller are local and have been recommended. We will have the Bar open for your dutch courage and there will also be a kiddies Bar.

Also for your entertainment the Conor Academy Adult Dancers will perform.Come and give this team your support as they are off to compete at the Great Britain Championships in Bognor Regis in the coming weeks.

DETAILS AND TICKET PRICES TO FOLLOW.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR 2009

The Friends Committee welcomes everyone back to school and anounces the following events for this year.

Saturday 3rd October – BARN DANCE, Friday 6th November – GRAND FIREWORKS DISPLAY, 6th December(provisional date) CHRISTMAS FAYRE.

More information will follow for each event.

2009 Fete Great Success

Dear Parents, Carers & Pupils

Well what a day – our grand summer fete is over and I am delighted to tell you all that we have raised in the region of eleven and a half thousand pounds (yes eleven and a half thousand).  We still have some bills to pay and are waiting for “matched funding” from our two main sponsors Barclays Bank and Mercer.  Huge thanks to Andrew Cranwell and Jackie Gibbons for securing this funding.  This wonderful total will go back into the school for the benefit of all the children.

I hope you all had an enjoyable day – it was lovely to see so many past pupils there with their families catching up with friends.  There was a wonderful mix of stalls, displays and entertainment – something for everyone and this was evident by the number of people who relaxed on the field banks enjoying the sunshine, food and pleasant atmosphere.  Sadly there we were very disappointed that the children’s rides did not turn up as agreed especially as we have left that large area in front of Radio St Helier for them – nevertheless the children made full use of our three bouncy castles and the electric cars on the infant playground (many thanks to Billy Lawlor for bringing these along).

An event such as the fete would not be possible without an enormous amount of help and support from many people. The list is vast and I hope not to miss anyone but thanks go to:

• Mr Beck and all the staff at St James the Great for all the tasks and activities they helped with
• Infant & Junior Dance Festival participants
• St James the Great Gym Club
• Conor Academy of Irish Dancing
• Our International singers
• Mick Duffy (collecting and transporting tables and returning them all on Monday morning)
• Dave Goldsmith  for his endless cooking at the BBQ (including the 9am slot for early morning helpers)
• Sheila Williams for her advice and guidance on catering matters
• Mr Lessler (Ambulance Service) along with St John’s Ambulance
• Simon Kelsall (website)
• Radio St Helier; Bishop Thomas Grant School; St Joseph’s College and St Bartholomew’s Church
• Stall Sponsors & Fete Programme Advertisers
• Companies & Individuals who donated Grand Draw raffle prizes
• Richard McPherson & John Leathem – fete programme
• Pupils and staff from Year 5 for their delicious homemade biscuits
• To those parents who loaned us their microwaves and extension leads
• To those parents that did lots of tasks in the run up to the fete – you know who you are – sorting books, groceries, bottles, folding raffle tickets, washing toys and shopping
• To everyone who sent in donations (own clothes days), baked cakes, supplied plants or cooked for our fantastic International Food Hall (thanks to Mrs Mascarenhas for coordinating this ever popular stall)
• To those parents (especially dads, granddads, uncles etc) who were with us very early on Sunday morning to help set up and to many of you who were with us at the very end of the day to clear up (the worst job of all)
• To everyone who gave their time to work on stalls.  Sadly some people did not turn up for their allocated time so my sincere apologies to those of you who got stuck on a stall for longer than expected.

Please forgive me if I have missed anyone out – so many of you supported the Fete in so many ways.

I would personally like to thank my fellow Committee members for a superb team effort.  Finally to my own two boys and my husband Alan who have totally supported me in this enormous role.

If you have any comments, about the fete, we’d be delighted to hear them (good or bad) as this will help enormously when a new coordinator takes on the role in 2011.  The Friends Committee will be meeting shortly to have a post Fete discussion so drop us an email fete2009@stjamesthegreat.org or speak to any committee member.

Bridie Willis
Fete Co-ordinator