It has been a year since the formation of our PTA, Friends of the Mendip School. FOMS held their second annual general meeting  on 22^nd March. Here is a brief summary of the main points that were covered. If you would like to receive the full minutes in PDF format please email us to be added to the circulation list, thanks: mendipschoolpta@gmail.com

We now have a Just Giving page to receive online donations:

https://www.justgiving.com/friendsofthemendipschoolpta

And we are registered with Gift Aid (thanks Kate for both of these amazing feats!)

Our treasurer reports that in our first year as a PTA committee, we went from having no funds to a bank balance just shy of £3000! The family fun day was our top fundraiser bringing in £1176, the first sponsored walk raised £673 for the swimming pool fund and our 2 raffles last year also made a good deal of money with the Christmas party and raffle raising £820.

We received many generous donations throughout the year from parents, friends and local businesses, for raffle prizes which included a stunning Mulberry handbag and tickets for family days out. Tescos very kindly donated prizes for our lucky dip and hook a duck stalls and a huge thank you also to Gibbs Surfacing for sponsoring our bouncy castle at the fun day.

The committee agreed unanimously that money raised by FOMS should be split 50/50 between the swimming pool fund and purchasing additional equipment for the school; with the caveat of dedicated swimming pool fundraisers, such as the sponsored walk.

It was agreed that £2500 of the money raised so far should be treated in this way: £1250 to be set aside for the swimming pool project and the other £1250 to be spent on items now. The school said that musical instruments would be most needed right now and the children would also like some new play equipment. We are also currently purchasing some freestanding basketball hoops which will be funded by monies raised last weekend by the Stance West car group at their car meet and family fun day – thanks guys!

Future /regular fund raising events will include the annual sponsored walk,  which this year raised a whopping £1871! Thanks so much to Clare and Kate for organising this. And we are planning our annual family fun day in September which also aims to welcome new families to the school. We would also like to repeat our Christmas raffle which could perhaps be drawn at the end of term assembly rather than hosting an evening party this year and to hold some additional social events, with a pizza / film / chill theme!

The following committee members were elected for the coming year: Chair – Verena Fuller, Vice Chair – Georgie Richards, Treasurer – Kate Smedley, Secretary – Josie Budd, Vice Secretary – Rhiannon Gogh

Any ideas for fundraising and / or social events are very welcome indeed and feel free to get involved as much or as little as works for you. As Verena says in her Chair’s report, ‘By the very nature of the school we are supporting, we are a group of parents who juggle the fastest spinning plates you’ve ever seen.’ And as we are a newly formed committee and brand  new school we are very much finding our feet and testing the water but this past year has been a really great start as it’s been wonderful to get to know so many truly remarkable parents and carers.

You can donate at: https://www.justgiving.com/friendsofthemendipschoolpta