The Friends of Ely St John’s PTA (FoESJ)

Everyone who has a child at Ely St John’s is automatically a member of FoESJ. We are a registered charity (No. 1117367) that raises funds to provide additional equipment, resources and experiences to enhance our children’s education and school life.

As the school’s charitable body, we also apply for grants, seek external funding and build links with local businesses to maximise the support we can offer. Our committee is a friendly and welcoming team who meet every half term to plan events and explore new ways to support the school community.

In a typical year, we raise around £15,000 through fundraising activities such as:
 
 • Summer Fair and BBQ
 • Winter Fair, tombola and raffle
 • Film nights
 • School discos 
 • Quiz & bingo nights
 • Second-hand uniform sales
 • Bring and buy cake sales
 • Grant applications

To book tickets for events, please visit www.pta-events.com/esj

How FoESJ Supports the School

Each year, the PTA funds one major project which becomes the focus of our fundraising. Alongside this, we provide a small annual grant to every classroom, allowing teachers to purchase extra items that enhance the learning environment.

In recent years, FoESJ has funded:

• Building and stocking a new school library
• Replacing play equipment in the KS2 playground
• Purchasing 30 new laptops for school use
• Providing a whole-class set of iPads
• Building The Cabin, a quiet courtyard space for one-to-one work
• Supporting trips, immersive learning experiences and workshops across the school

Get Involved FoESJ

The PTA only exists because of the parents and families who give their time, ideas and support. Whether you can spare an hour once a year or want to be more involved, every contribution makes a real difference to what we can provide for the children.

You do not need any special experience to help. Some parents volunteer behind the scenes, some help at events, and others simply share ideas or contacts. Many volunteers find it is also a great way to meet other families and feel more connected to the school. You could help us by:

• Volunteering at an event such as the Summer Fair or film night
• Donating raffle prizes or supplies
• Supporting grant applications or match funding through your workplace
• Joining the committee or helping organise a specific project

If you would like to get involved, please email TheFriendsofESJ@hotmail.co.uk.  We would love to hear from you.

“The Friends are tremendous supporters of the school and help make it such a wonderful place to learn. On behalf of everyone at Ely St John’s, we cannot thank them enough for all they do.” John Henson, Headteacher

FoESJ Committee

School Representatives

Mr Henson – President (honorary non-voting role)
Mrs Fretwell – Teacher Representative

Trustees

Fran Greaves – Chair
Sonja Nicholson-Austridge – Secretary
Joanna Walmsley – Treasurer
Brian Calvert
Silver Guest-Guy
Laura Woods
Nicky Chilvers
Anisha Parmar

Donations

If you would like to make a donation, large or small, you can do so via our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/charity/friendsofelystjohnspta

Match Funding

Please check with your employer to see whether they offer match funding for charity events. Some parents already help us double the funds raised at events such as the Summer Fair through their workplace schemes. Please see the list at the bottom of the page for companies we know participate.

Shopping Online

You can raise money for the PTA at no extra cost by shopping through EasyFundraising.

Register at: http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/foesj, then shop online as usual via their website or app. The PTA receives a percentage from participating retailers including Amazon, eBay, Argos, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Waitrose, John Lewis, Booking.com, Apple, BT, Sky, Aviva and many more.

Uniform Name Labels and Stamps

The PTA receives commission when you order name labels or stamps using our referral codes

Stikins
https://www.stikins.co.uk/?NAME-LABELS=6823 
Code: 6823

Stamptastic
https://stamptastic.co.uk
Code: CB63BW

Donating Raffle Prizes

We are always grateful for raffle and tombola prizes. This could be anything from a toy or gift set to vouchers or experiences from local businesses.

Contact Us

Email: TheFriendsofESJ@hotmail.co.uk 
Events and tickets: www.pta-events.com/esj