Becoming a Member of the FoV

All parents, guardians and carers of children at Vale School are automatically members of the Friends of Vale School (FoV). All members are welcome at any General Meeting (usually held annually), and are also very welcome to help at our events as parent helpers.

How is the FoV managed?

The FoV is managed by a group of volunteer Trustees who are responsible for deciding how the charity is run, and for making sure that the decisions are in the interests of the charity and its aims. Trustees meet approximately once a term. 

In addition the Trustees can appoint event committees, made up of volunteer parents and carers, who help with the planning and preparation of the larger events.

A representative from the FoV also attends the School’s Council, consisting of pupils from all year groups, so that we can keep the children up to date with information about forthcoming events. This also provides the children with the chance to make suggestions and share ideas about events.

We are all volunteers, but volunteering as a parent helper is very rewarding for people who wish to be actively involved in supporting the school through fundraising. Not just because of the money raised, but when you are involved in events and activities you witness the children getting much enjoyment and pleasure, with the Christmas Fair being particularly lovely. 

We are all volunteers – Trustees and parent helpers alike, but you don’t have to be a ‘parent’ to be a ‘parent helper’.

As volunteers we can all support the FoV by giving a little of our spare time. We recognise that many of us have many pulls on our time – children at the school of course, as well as work and family commitments. We know how precious time is but the more people, parents, grandparents and carers who step forward, even for just an occasional hour here or there, the more difference we can make.

We need your help in sharing ideas, planning, running and helping at events. It doesn’t have to be a permanent commitment – we would really welcome whatever time you can spare.

So please get in touch, we keep a database of volunteers so we can give you good notice of what may be needed when and how you can help.

Why is it so important to volunteer to help?

Just as an example for the school Summer Fair – for everyone to enjoy seeing a bit of the fair with their child, in an ideal situation we would need on average over 100 volunteers, each giving JUST ONE HOUR to help run a stall to make the fair a success. The fair has operated with considerably less volunteers in the past – but the majority of work shared by a minority of volunteers makes it much harder.

Other ways to help

Stikins Clothes Labels

FOV are excited to announce that we have teamed up with Stikins to offer parents the opportunity to purchase quality labels for your children’s school uniform, whilst earning the school commission at the same time!

Lost property is a problem in all schools and I am sure we are all familiar with our child, at some point, coming home from school with a missing item. As parents we think these labels are such a great idea; they simply stick onto the wash-care label of clothing. They can even be used in shoes!

How it works:

Simply follow this link to order your labels: Stikins Clothes Labels

This link should auto-populate FOV’s School Fundraising Number when you place your order, allowing our commission to be tracked. If this does not occur, please enter code 24271 where prompted.

Clothes Bank

Located at the front of the school by the gate, our clothes bank offers you the opportunity to recycle any sort of clothing, linen (but not duvets, pillows or rugs), shoes, belts, bags and accessories. The bank is emptied fortnightly and the FoV receive payment for the clothes etc that you donate.

Music Magpie & Ziffit

Another recycling initiative – if you are clearing out old DVDs, CDs, Blu-Rays or books these can be placed in the container in the front office. The FoV collect and sort these for recycling with a company called Music Magpie in exchange for payment to the FoV funds.

Cash for Coins

You can also donate your old and foreign currency (coins and notes) -again by placing it in the container in the front office and once we have enough we can exchange it for payment for the FoV Funds

Pre-loved Uniform

This is a hugely popular initiative which enables you to donate any good quality uniform that your children have outgrown. 

Water Bottles

Vale School water bottles can be purchased from the school office – a small profit is made from the sale of the bottles which is added to FoV funds.

House Colour T-shirts

These are available for sale mainly during the autumn and summer terms ahead of the inter house cross country and sports days, but a small amount of stock is retained during the year should you wish to purchase one. A small profit is made from the sale of the T shirts which is added to FoV funds.

Christmas Cards 

In the autumn term there is an opportunity for your child to design their own Christmas card which is professionally printed. FoV make a small profit from facilitating this activity.

Please play your part and support the FoV – thank you!

• Keep up to date with our events via Vale School news on the website and our Facebook page @friendsofvale
• Support our events
• Volunteer – as a parent helper, or as a Trustee (elections for Trustees take place annually at the AGM)
• Recycle unwanted items via one of our recycling initiatives

Online Shopping

You can also help raise funds for the school when you shop online. Find out more here.