The PTA has been running successfully at Byfield School for many years, and this success is due to the enthusiasm and commitment of its members: a group comprising parents of the school's pupils and their teachers.
Meetings are held about once a month, in order to organise fundraising events and to discuss how the money raised will be spent. All parents and teachers at Byfield are regarded as members, although being a committee member is voluntary.
The PTA, a registered charity, has raised thousands of pounds though many different events, some regular and others a one-off.
The Midsummer Night's Ball in June 2010 gave local residents the chance to enjoy a formal three-course dinner and live music inside a Byfield Village Hall transformed into a magical forest with twinkling lights, blossom, butterflies and trees. Many of the people who bought tickets said how much they had enjoyed the ball and were already looking forward to the next, which is due to take place in July 2012.
There have now been three "That’s Entertainment" shows, from an idea originally put forward by a parent and which grew into some fabulous evenings of live music and fun, staged in conjunction with the Village Hall Committee.
Byfield Church Fete is another example of the PTA working together with other organisations within the village community. In 2010, our efforts brought home the Best Decorated Stall prize ... along with more money for our coffers from activities including Soak The Headteacher, Sweetie Jars Raffle and Face Painting.
But last year we joined forces with Holy Cross Church to run the fete for the first time, which was a lot of hard work but a rewarding experience for the people involved and a financially profitable one for our funds. We will be co-organising the 2012 fete with the church and welcome offers of help from parents, both in the planning stages and on the fete weekend.
A Christmas Craft Fair at the Village Hall has become another regular fixture on the Byfield social calendar, bringing in money from stallholders' rents, entrance fees, a raffle, Santa visits, games and refreshments.
Other popular events organised by the PTA have included the Byfield Bop, Bags2School clothes collections, plant sales, hot dog days, Northbrook wrapping paper sales and raffles.
The existence of the PTA helps to firmly cement Byfield School into the foundations of the village community, at the same time as supporting the work of the teachers in providing the children with facilities the school might not otherwise have.
Among items paid for in recent years by PTA funds are:
If you are interested in finding out more about our fundraising, or have any ideas for generating more money, please speak to me or any other PTA committee member. If you can't find one of us, there is a PTA mailbox in the school office, where you can leave a note.
Current PTA members include Joanne Wood (vice-chair), Sally Devall and Heather Prestidge (joint secretaries), Tony Bignold, Isobel Norris, Andrew Ward, Heather Stone and Sharon Smith.
Fiona Jones PTA Chair