Christmas fun

Friends of Hope House School exists as the fund-raising arm of the school, but that is not our only aim. One of our aims is to foster the school's family atmosphere, and judging by these photographs, both our aims were fulfilled today. Certainly, in the current economic climate, it is important that we raise funds to enable projects to go ahead, but it is also important to stress the importance of working together and fostering good relationships in everything we do.

Staff and pupils:

Our thanks go to all who helped, including the many willing pupil helpers, and to all who supported this event through their creativity and generosity. We are thrilled to announce that we also have been given a generous donation of £1000 towards the outdoor play area and so hopefully further work on this project will begin in the very near future.

More Christmas Fayre photos

The Primary department opened the Christmas Fayre in style, singing a medley of Christmas carols:

The musical theme was continued, with members of the Barnsley Youth Choir eager to sell their CD to raise money for Barnsley Hospice:

There were games and competitions:

The Pirates' treasure (a.k.a. as a box of Maltesers) was won by Vicky Davis:

Christmas decorations abounded and there was the opportunity to visit Santa in his grotto:

Jo and her fantastic team of volunteers from Hope House Cafe provided refreshments galore:

Both hampers were won by current pupils of the school. Lydia and Stuti shared the beauty hamper and Amber won the food and drinks hamper!

Christmas Fayre news

Today's Christmas Fayre was extremely successful, raising £452.69 towards the outdoor play area. Many thanks to all who contributed, either by bringing things or by helping or by attending and spending all this money!

Today's photographs were taken by this Y10 pupil (though not this one, obviously!):

Setting up beforehand:

A range of stalls on offer:

Christmas Fayre coming soon!

Just a quick reminder about the Christmas Fayre which is THIS FRIDAY (29th November). Home baking should be brought into school that morning. We still need bottles for the Lucky Dip stall; these can be brought in this week until Friday morning.

The Fayre will start at 3 p.m. with pupils from the Primary Department singing Christmas Carols. The Fayre will run until 5 p.m. Prize winners will be announced at 4.45 p.m.

There will be a number of stalls and activities to do, including:

• Guess the Value of the Food & Drink hamper competition (£1 per guess)
• Guess the Value of the Beauty Hamper competition (£1 per guess)
• Treasure Map game
• Roll-a-penny game
• Connect 4 game
• Home produce & home baking
• Christmas tree decorations to make and buy
• Face painting
• Nail painting
• Jewellery & craft stall
• Christmas candles & crockery stall
• Lucky Dip bottle stall
• Lucky Dip bran tub
• Christmas cards & crafts

Jo will be running the Hope House Cafe for us and has agreed to donate any profit from this afternoon to FHHS. Hot sandwiches and jacket potatoes will be available to eat as well as a range of drinks to buy. We ask that all food is consumed in the cafe area.

There is a rumour that Father Christmas may also be visiting us, but as yet this is unconfirmed. You will have to come along and find out for yourselves!

Looking forward to seeing lots of people on Friday and hoping we will raise a lot of money towards the outdoor play area.

Coming in November...

Don't forget the Bag2School Recycling Day this Thursday (14th November) - an ideal opportunity for that clear-out which will raise money for the school! All items (clothes, bedding, curtains, shoes, bags, belts) should be brought to school on Thursday morning.

The Christmas Fayre is coming soon! That starts at 3 p.m. on Friday 29th November with Primary pupils singing carols for us to get us into the festive spirit. There will be a whole range of stalls and activities:

* home baking & home produce
* Guess the Value of the Hamper competitions
* Lucky Dip bran tub
* Lucky Dip bottle bank
* jewellery stall
* Christmas cards & crafts
* Make a Christmas Tree decoration
* nail painting
* face painting
* visit Santa's Grotto
* fun games

Hope House Cafe will also be open serving refreshments.

We still need items donating for the hampers and for some of these stalls. Hamper items are listed below, but we also need bottles (wine & non-alcoholic drinks in particular), home produce (pickled onions, chutneys, preserves etc.) and home baking (buns, cakes, mince pies etc.) Items for the hamper need to be handed in to the School Office by Friday 22nd November. Fresh produce needs to be brought in on the morning of 29th November.

Food/ Drink Hamper
A bottle of spirits (brandy, whiskey etc.)
Cheeses (please check dates on these!)
Tinned food
Christmas cake
Christmas crackers
Mince pies
Turkey gravy
Cranberry sauce

Many thanks for your ongoing support.

Fund-raising update

The Bake 'n' Take on Monday/ Tuesday raised £136, a fantastic amount! Thank you to all who contributed, either in sending in some wonderful baking (my husband and son can testify to the taste of the chocolate fudge cake and the chocolate cake lasted approximately one hour in the school staff room after I bought it as a leaving present!) or in buying the baking.

The bags for the Bag2School Recycling Day on 14th November have now been sent out, so maybe half-term could be a time of cleaning and clearing out unwanted items? Clothing, bedding, bags, belts and shoes are all welcome. Please bring them in to school on the morning of 14th November. Last time, we raised £70 from this, so please help us to raise further funds for the outdoor play area.

The next Planning Meeting will be on Monday 11th November at 7.30 p.m. in school. Come along and help sort out details for the Christmas Fayre on 29th November.

Updates

Many thanks to all who provided home baking for the Bake 'n' Take yesterday. We had so much provided that we will be selling again this afternoon (22nd October) at 3 p.m. Please do come along and buy the lovely cakes and buns!

Thanks to everyone who sponsored Mr Felton in the Ring O'Fire event during the summer holidays. The total raised was £295 which is a fantastic amount! Many thanks to Mr Felton, for his willingness to endure great hardship in order to raise funds (this was no ordinary 'sponsored walk'!) and for all who have given so generously.

Please note that the next Planning Meeting will now be on Monday 11th November at 7.30 p.m. (a change to the previously advertised date) and that the Bag2School Recycling Day will be on Thursday 14th November. Bags have been sent out with pupils this week and all items of clothing, bedding, curtains, belts, bags and shoes should be brought in to school on the morning of 14th November only. It's a great opportunity to have a clear-out during half-term!