We at the PTFA just wanted to let you know that even though school is currently physically closed, it’s (not quite) business as usual for us. We are still active, working behind the scenes to support school and each other.
Shortly after Easter we held a virtual PTFA meeting on Zoom which was very well attended with only a few technical glitches! This afforded us the opportunity to get together to discuss the possibility of safely staging upcoming events, how to raise much needed funds to support the school and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like to have a nose at other people’s décor!
So far in the school calendar we have missed ‘Encore’, a Bags 2 School collection and the Lower School Production, coming up we should have been getting set to stage our annual Summer Sizzler which is always very popular and our new parent intake evening. Not only are these events lots of fun but also raise valuable funds for the school and awareness of the work of the PTFA.
As I’m sure most of you are aware, one of the things the PTFA involve themselves in is the running of the bar at events. As we have to plan ahead for these, we always have a certain amount of stock kept off-site already in place and so, to prevent this stock from being wasted, we have donated some stock to the Lichfield Food Bank. Cans of coke, bottles of J20 and sweets and chocolate have hopefully found their way to many deserving families around the local area.
One way we are managing to continue to fundraise is through ‘Your School Lottery’ (www.yourschoollottery.co.uk) and ‘Easyfundraising’ (www.easyfundraising.org.uk). I would like to encourage anyone who is able, to join in with both of these as they really do provide important and necessary funds. So, when you’re ordering your Compendium of 100 Board Games or a book of ‘What to Bake with no Flour or Eggs’ you could also be raising money for your school, (not bread obviously, as there’s also no yeast!), at no extra cost to yourself!
One other thing we have set up is an informal WhatsApp group. Through this we are managing to stay connected and supportive of each other through these surreal and often strangely emotional times because first and foremost, the PTFA is a group of friends with a common interest. On there we find a sympathetic ear (or several), words of reassurance when needed and on the lighter side, photographs of members’ home haircuts, the ubiquitous banana loaf recipe and amusing anecdotes to keep us all laughing!
Finally, the PTFA would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff at The Friary for their unfailing hard work and support during these troubled times. Not just the teaching staff, although they deserve a lot of plaudits obviously, but also the Student Support Team, site staff and most definitely the cleaning staff, whose tasks at the moment must seem never-ending and very laborious!
To sum up – we are still here, still supporting each other, still supporting the school.
Thank you for taking the time to read this rather long epistle, and look out for forthcoming lockdown events and news!
Take care, keep safe,
Lindsay and the PTFA team
