Parents & Friends Association (PFA)

Welcome to the Parents and Friends Association for our wonderful school! As a registered charity, we support the Staff and Governing Body of Gamston CofE Primary School to raise funds and organise events to provide the best experience possible for our children in their formative years, as well as creating very special and happy memories along the way. If you would like to help us, in any capacity, your support is always greatly appreciated. If you wish to contact us, please email gamstonpfa@outlook.com

Ways that you can help us fundraise

There are lots of ways that you can help us with fundraising. As well as supporting events and activities the events and activities in the calendar below, here are some other easy ways that you can help us: 

• Easyfundraising: use easyfundraising to shop online to raise funds for school. There are no catches or hidden costs, simply register to support our cause by searching for “Gamston Parents and Friends Association – Retford” on the easyfundraising app or website (www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/gamstonschoolpfa). We’ve already raised over £2,000 simply by shopping!
• Amazon Smile: Shop at Amazon and raise funds for the PFA on eligible purchases using Amazon Smile. Register to support us via the Amazon website to be able to raise funds via the app or online: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1162413-0
• Ink cartridge recycling: Drop off your used inkjet printer cartridges in the box outside the office. We will send these off to The Recycling Factory and receive up to £3.50 for each cartridge successfully recycled.
• Bag2School: Donate your unwanted clothes, shoes and handbags for our termly Bag2School collection. The recycling company will pay our school for every kilo collected.
• Xmas4Schools: Get your child to do an amazing Christmas design, then you can purchase items featuring your child's design including cards, gift labels, calendar and mugs.

• Individual donations: If you would like to support us by making a one-off or regular donation, you can either do this online at www.justgiving.com/gamstonschpfa or by emailing the treasurer at gamstonpfa@outlook.com. And if you choose to gift aid your donation, we can claim back an additional 25%.

• Sponsorship: You can raise funds for our school by doing a sponsored event or activity such as a sponsored read or run. Click the 'Fundraise for us' button on our Justgiving page (www.justgiving.com/gamstonschpfa) to set up your own sponsorship page.

• School water bottles: Featuring the school logo and a space to write your child's name, all of our water bottles are leak-proof and BPA-free. They are available to purchase for £3.50 from the school office.

• Labels: Looking for a way of naming your child’s clothing and school items that doesn’t involve sewing or ironing? The PFA has registered to receive commission on any orders with the following companies:

  • Stikins: Stick on name labels that can be used for clothes, shoes, lunchboxes and all school items. Order at www.stikins.co.uk and enter our fundraising number “7722”.

  • Stamptastic: A personalised stamp that is usable on fabric, metal, wood and some plastics. Order at www.stamptastic.co.uk and quote our code “DN220PE” at checkout

Calendar 2021/22

Summer Term 2022

Frozen Fridays - new for this term! The PFA will be selling frozen treats in the playground after school every Friday. Ice creams cost £1 and lollies are 50p. There will be plenty for parents as well as children!

Thursday, 21 April

• Deadline for return of jubilee designs to school.

Tuesday 24th May

• PFA AGM, 7.15pm in school: All parents/carers at Gamston CofE Primary School, as well as friends and family, are welcome to join us at our Annual General Meeting. If you are unable to attend in person, please send an email to gamstonpfa@outlook.com for details of how to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams. The AGM will be followed by a meeting to discuss fundraising for the rest of this term, including the return of our Summer Fayre!

Friday 27th May

• Bake sale, 3.30pm in the playground: our ever popular bake sale is back! Please can homemade or shop bought cakes and buns be brought into school on the morning of the sale. We will then be selling them after school for £1 per plate. £142 raised!

Wednesday 8th June

• Bag2School collection: Funds will be given back to school in return for donations of the following good quality items: Men’s, Ladies’ and Children’s clothing; Paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around); Handbags and bags; Hats; Scarves and ties; Jewellery; Lingerie; Socks; Belts; Soft toys; Household linen, curtains, towels and bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers). Please leave bags of items outside the school hall when you drop off your children. £55.60 raised!

Wednesday 22nd June

• PFA meeting, 3.30pm in school: All are welcome to join us to plan our fundraising for the rest of the term.

Tuesday 28th June

• Sports Day, 1.15pm: The PFA will be selling refreshments and ice creams at the school Sports Day to raise funds for our school.

Friday 1st July

• Summer disco, 3.30pm: This term's disco will start straight after school for children in all year groups and will finish at 5pm - please can children be collected from the doors to the main hall. Entry costs £2 per child - please can you bring in the cash on the morning of the sale, or pay it online by clicking the 'donate' button at www.justgiving.com/gamstonschpfa. Entry includes drinks and a bag of sweets. Children can also bring a change of clothes to wear after school.

Wednesday 13th July

• The PFA will be having a raffle at the Bannister class production of The Lorax. Tickets will cost 20p/£1 a strip.

Friday 15th July

• Summer Fayre: our summer fayre is back after a 2 year absence! This is our biggest fundraiser of the year as well as being a fun event for all the family. On offer will be a barbecue, cakes & refreshments, Pimms, bouncy castle, welly wanging, stocks, hook-a-duck, lucky dip, splat the rat, raffle, tombola, plant & produce stall, toy & book stall and much more. Donations of the following would be very much appreciated:

- Prizes for the tombola and raffle

- Items for the toy and book stall

Donations can be left in the boxes outside the office. We would also appreciate donations of cakes, plants and produce closer to the day. If you would like to help to run a stall or activity, or would like to support the event in any other way, please  email gamstonpfa@outlook.com

Spring Term 2022

31 March 2022

Jubilee Fundraiser: Your child will be sent home on 31 March with an Xmas4Schools Platinum Jubilee Fundraiser form. Over the Easter break, your child can get creative with their Jubilee designs which can then be printed onto a commemorative mug or tea towel as a keepsake or gift in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Please complete the form on the reverse of your child’s artwork and return to school no later than the morning of Thursday, 21 April. A box will be left on the shelf in the office for artwork to be dropped off. Once the forms have been received by Xmas4Schools, you will receive an email and text with an order code and link to the online ordering portal where you can log in, complete the order and make payment. This is a great fundraising activity for school – £1 from the sale of every product will go straight to school via our PFA.

Tuesday 22nd February

• Bag2School collection: Funds will be given back to school in return for donations of the following good quality items: Men’s, Ladies’ and Children’s clothing; Paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around); Handbags and bags; Hats; Scarves and ties; Jewellery; Lingerie; Socks; Belts; Soft toys; Household linen, curtains, towels and bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers). Please leave bags of items outside the school hall when you drop off your children £147.60 raised!

Autumn Term 2021

Friday 24th September

• Macmillan Coffee Morning, 9-11am: Join us in the school hall for coffee and cake to raise funds Macmillan £284.11 raised!

Monday 13th October

• Bag2School collection: Funds will be given back to school in return for donations of the following good quality items: Men’s, Ladies’ and Children’s clothing; Paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around); Handbags and bags; Hats; Scarves and ties; Jewellery; Lingerie; Socks; Belts; Soft toys; Household linen, curtains, towels and bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers). Please leave bags of items outside the school hall when you drop off your children £84 raised!

Wednesday 8th October

• Xmas 4 Schools Christmas card design pack sent home to parents with your child(ren). If you do not receive a pack or would like another, please send an email to gamstonpfa@outlook.com

Monday 2nd November

• Deadline for returning Christmas card designs forms to school £103 raised!

Friday 12th November

• School disco from 3.30 to 5.30pm

Tuesday 14th December

• Christmas Draw in school: £370 raised!