FORCE (Friends of Ridgeway: Community and Events)
Who are we?
FORCE is the Ridgeway School PTA, made up of a mixture of parents and staff who want to support the school, mainly by raising funds whilst integrating the school with the local community. We aim to improve the learning experience of the students whilst providing a range of fun and social activities/events for the students, parents, local people and businesses. We currently have a chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer and a group of around 10 other parents and staff. We hold regular (monthly) meetings to plan and organise fundraising and community events. Our most recent and planned events include: Christmas Fayre, Wine & Cheese tasting evening and Summer Fete. In the future, we hope to run more events such as quizzes, craft sessions and dances.
FORCE will hold its Annual General meeting at the start of the Autumn term, when the new committee is elected or confirmed. There is no obligation to join the committee, but any parents, guardians and carers are welcome to attend to listen to our future plans. If you want to become part of the committee, and there is a vacancy, we would love you to get involved. You don’t need any specific qualifications, and our current members have a wide range of experience and knowledge. Otherwise, you can join our list of committed helpers/volunteers – our most valuable resource for ensuring the success of what we do.
Why have a PTA?
PTAS tend to have a really strong presence in primary schools, and we want the same to be true of our PTA here at Ridgeway. There is so much that this group contributes and supports. FORCE benefits the whole school in a variety of ways:
- Pupils and teachers are able to receive additional funding outside the school budget.
- Provides an additional link between staff, parents and pupils to further enhance the whole school community.
- Adds to and develops links with the wider and local community.
- Gives parents the opportunity to meet new people, form friendships and socialise.
How can you get involved?
We’re really grateful to everyone who has participated so far in our events and supported us, and will continue to do so. However, we are always looking for more help from parents who would like to get involved in their child’s school, volunteer their time, meet other parents, and have fun, so if you would like to get involved, please contact us via email (FORCE@ridgewayschool.com) or call the school and ask for Josie Meredith. In essence, you can help FORCE in three main ways:
- Become a committee member
- Join our “helper list”
- Attend the events that we hold, come along and have fun while raising money for your children.
Mrs J Meredith
WSLT (Community and Events)
