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SPINFIELD SCHOOL PARENTS' ASSOCIATION
Registered Charity No 1080390
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Spinfield PA Newsletter - 16th November 2009
Well, there is no escaping it... as I didn't win £45m on the lottery, I'm just going to have to stay here and get the Christmas Fair organised....
Christmas Fair - Raffle Tickets
We are a week late with the circulation of our raffle tickets this year, for which I apologise, but blame the postal strikes. However you have them now. Please do buy all you can... we have excellent prizes as always, along with the exclusive chance to become a "two-hundredaire" if you have the winning ticket! Please return money, stubs and unsold tickets to the school office via the book bags, from where you can also obtain more tickets if required.
As in recent years, we have been fortunate to get a donation from Pizza Express, Marlow, in the form of a pizza making (and eating!) session for the year that sells the most tickets... so the race is on. Last year's winners (year 6 - now left) sold the staggering number of 600 tickets! So there is a target for you all.
Christmas Fair - Stalls and helpers
We have about 25 stalls planned for the fair this year, featuring many old favourites as well as some new events. As ever, we rely in your donations for many of them, so please do dig around at home and see what you can donate to help make a successful and enjoyable day!
This week - from WEDNESDAY 17th Nov - we will start collecting various items at the school gates (both drop off and pick up times), so you will be able to leave items like Toys, Games, CDs, DVDs and Computer games and Books, Bottles and Gifts, etc.
We also really appreciate choice fayre from all you cooks out there, whether it be items to be sold on the cake stall, or for the refreshments stall... cakes, biscuits, buns, muffins, and of course, lots and lots of mince pies! Mind you, I do like my fancies, me!
As appropriate, cakes should be nut-free if intended for sale as refreshments, or marked "contains nuts" and sealed in a clear plastic bag, if intended for sale to take-away. Cakes, etc can be brought in on Friday 27th and the morning of Saturday 28th November. Thank you!
We have a key volunteer or organiser for most of our stalls, but many of them would definitely appreciate additional help, so please to let us know if you have some time either in the weeks before the event or on the day for 45 mins to man a stall, and so let others circulate.
This is a licensed event at which we will be selling the famous Spinfield PA Mulled wine... it’s a chance for the organisers to perfect their recipe (hic!) prior to taking the stall "on the road" a week later at the Marlow Late Night Shopping Event, which we hope you will also support.
One of the new features of this year's Christmas Fair are the "year hampers". This was very successful at the Summer Fair, and we would like to do it again. The idea is that each year puts together a hamper around a theme. Obviously, we can't easily get away from "Christmas" as the theme, but to add a twist, the RJ Mums have proposed "Colours". So each year, via the Parent Reps, has been given a colour, and will donate a hamper, which will either be in the Silent Auction, or the Raffle! Please see your Parent Rep for more details.
As so to the Silent Auction... Please do help us all you can by drumming up support for this... if you know of anyone who might have a suitable prize that they could donate, please approach them on our behalf, or give the details to a member of the PA.
At the end of this newsletter you'll find a short description of all the stalls, who is organising each one, and what they'd appreciate in the way of help and donations. Please contact the stall organiser or email me if you can help us !
We do have some special requests:
- If there are any budding paparazzi out there, we're looking for photographers to help out in Santa's Grotto - to make it an extra special experience! Please email me if you can help us ou t here.
- Old keys! If you have any old door keys lying around in drawers, we would like them for Santa’s Grotto please! You can leave them with the donations at the gates
I'm going to stop now as I've got to wax the sleigh and get the reindeers' toenails clipped before the big day.... Ooops! What a giveaway!
The Stalls and Help Wanted section
* Front Door
Needed: A few people to man the door in 30 minute sessions
* Raffle & S.Auction
Organiser: Danny Ryan & Nigel Meek
Needed: Donations for the Silent Auction Please!
* Gift Tombola
Organiser: Debbie Walker
Needed: Donations Please! Unwanted small gifts, chocs, etc
* Bottle Tombola
Organiser: Orla Searson & the Youngs
Needed: Donations Please! Drinks: soft or alcohol, lotions, bath oils etc
* Crafts
Organiser: Pilar Norfolk
Needed: Help manning the stall
* Wreaths
Organiser: Zanna Craigmile
Needed: Help manning the stall
* Refreshments & Cakes
Organiser: Rachel Grant & Dawn O'Shaughnessy
Needed: Cakes, biscuits, cookies, etc
* Puds, Tea towels, Cookbooks, etc
Organiser: Sarah & Steve Carter
Needed: Help setting up and manning stall
* Mulled Wine & Mince Pies
Organiser: Ruth Uden & Sally Casale & Helen Nash
Needed: Mince Pies baking please!
* Childrens Crafts
Organiser: The Eleys & RJ Parents
Needed: Help manning the stall
* Face-painting, nails, etc
Organiser: The Eleys & RJ Parents
Needed: Help manning the stall – Years 5/6 children ?
* Toys/Computer Games/DVDs/CDs
Organiser: SOMEONE PLEASE!
Needed: Donations Please!
And so half term finishes and things start getting back to normal... During the break I heard some really exciting news...
Apparently, last year's Christmas was such a success, they're going to have another one this year, and it starts in November !!!
Recent Events
The last day before half term was "Hot Dog Day". The children really enjoyed this, and we'd like to give a big thank you to all those who helped out, as well as to Jenny Searle and Jackie Veitch for the organisation. Thank You!
And many thanks to all of you who supported the Harvest Festival. We delivered 15 harvest boxes to the elderly at the Friday Club, 38 boxes to Saunderton Lodge, and 56 boxes to All Saint's Church, for Romanian families.
Next Events
This is one of our busiest times here at PA Central Control... you wouldn't believe the hustle and bustle of committee members rushing here and there in order to look busy and avoid having to get too involved in our up-coming events!
Seriously though, (did I really type that???) we have a lot to do in order to get the Christmas Fair and the Late Night Shopping events organised in the next three and a half weeks... yes, that's all it is... really!
Now much as I would like to call on Santa and his Elves for a bit of free labour, I think it best we keep this closer to home (- Elves have a really strong trade union and you don't want to cross them !) So, we would appreciate lots of volunteers and willing helpers. If you can help us, or if you traditionally do help us, please let me know: spinfieldemail@gmail.com
In the next few days (postal strike permitting) we will be distributing raffle tickets for the Christmas Fair draw. We'll be finalising the stalls and publishing a rota for the collection of various goodies (books, toys, cakes, etc) for the fair, which is to be held on Saturday, 28th November 2009, this year.
One of the best features of the Christmas Fair is the Silent Auction. For this, we rely mainly on donations from local businesses and the shops on the High Street. In the current climate (not melting ice caps... the other "climate"...) we know that retailers, particularly those that aren't part of big chains, are tightening their belts, and so we would appreciate your help in drumming up suitable donations. If you know anyone who runs a business or who might have an item or service suitable for the auction, please do ask them if they would consider making a donation to us. As always, we list all donors on our Christmas Fair Programme.
The following Thursday, the 3rd December 2009, is the traditional Marlow Town Late Night Shopping event. As usual, we intend selling our "special home-brew" mulled wine, mince pies, and other items. Carrie Stockton has foolishly volunteered to head up the organisation for this event, and she would welcome your help as well as your support on the evening.
Boring non-Christmas things
I know, I know... we're all getting really excited about opening that BIG present on Christmas day, fibbing to Aunt Matilda about how nice the hand-knitted socks are, and stuffing ourselves with... well, stuffing! But there are other more mundane things which I'm afraid I still need to bother you with...
The deadline for recipes, food ideas, etc for the new Cook Book is this Monday, 9th November. Please do send in your suggestions, either via PA Email, the book-bags, or directly to Ruth Uden at r.uden@tiscali.co.uk - I'm going to submit my "Lemming Meringue Pie" for approval (not suitable for vegetarians!).
We have received a special offer from Granville Estate Agents. If you are thinking of moving house, or if you have a property to let and instruct Granville Residential to act for you, they will offer our PA a share of their fees upon successful completion or letting. Please ask us if you would like more details, and we'll send them on to you.
Some of you may be aware that during half term, work commenced on the refurbishment of the PA cupboard and adjoining room to form the new Music rooms. Good progress appears to have been made in the holiday week, but this does mean that we have less space than usual for storage. This refurbishment is one of our key objectives for this year, and we look forward to your support at our events to help make this possible!
Ah yes... another week, another newsletter... We'll be back soon with lots more information about... Christmas! Shhhhhhh! Don't tell the children!