Another school year started in September, and we are already well into the swing of FOJORPS activities for the forthcoming year. 

The AGM held earlier in October saw the passing on (so to speak!) of two of our long standing committee members – we say thank you to Claire Stewart and Caroline Mills for their part on the committee over the last several years. Both have decided to stand down following their children growing up and moving on the secondary education. We welcome new blood to the committee in Liz Simnett, Rachel Carter and Shaun Carlton-Greaves and look forward to working with them to generate new ideas, and update some of the old favourites. 

We have already run a successful Quiz Night and Children’s Discos this term – it is always nice to see the new Reception children getting into the swing of things even if they are not too sure of what to make of things to start with! As usual both of these events will run again around March.

By the time you read this we will have run our Ladies Night again. This year, we have a slightly different feel to the night with a fashion show from Next 1 fashions as the focal point for the evening, supported by several of the therapists and other ‘stall’ holders that came to last year’s event. The only thing missing is The Rolleston Monty because the male committee members didn’t want to play!

We are also in preparation for Christmas as you might expect. The annual Christmas Fayre will take place in the main hall at the Alderbrook (junior) site after school on Friday 8th December. As usual, Santa will be there and numerous stalls will be displaying Christmas paraphernalia. Come and get those last minute things that you have forgotten to buy earlier! Keep an eye out for our Raffle tickets with the star prize of an iPod Nano – that could make a very nice Christmas present for somebody.

Dates for your Diary

Christmas Bazaar Friday 8th December 3.45 – 6.30pm
Beetle Drive Saturday 27th January
Children’s Disco Saturday 17th March 
Quiz Night Saturday 10th March
Easter Eggstravaganza Sunday 25th March
Community Day ’07 Saturday 9th June

Keep an eye out for posters nearer to the date to get more details.

Over the course of the year, FOJORPS has been able to provide a number of new resources to the school, only made possible by your continued support at our events. Can we take this opportunity to thank all who have contributed to this, either in kind, or in supporting our events.

For more information on FOJORPS or its activities, you can contact the Committee through the school office. 

Adam McLoughlin 
On behalf of FOJORPS

As it has a habit of doing, summer is creeping up on us. As usual at this time of year, the minds of the FOJORPS committee members are full, or at least filling with plans for Community Day. The date is set – Saturday 10 June – Tutbury Band is booked, and we are set to have another wonderful day of entertainment and fun as activities, events, food and general chaos abound! All the usual old and new attractions will be there – Pole Bashing, Ducking Stool, Rollercoaster, Rodeo Bull, Inflatable Obstacle Course and Bungee Run. If anyone knows how to assemble the ducking stool we might need your help – it was always Mr. A’s job on Friday morning – I wonder if he showed Mr. B as part of his induction? This year just for a change, the children will be entertained by Coco the Clown with her magic shows and balloon modelling, giving a different focus to the children’s day. If you have an hour or two to spare either on Saturday morning, or during Friday, we will gratefully receive any help to set things up for the day – just turn up, and we’ll find you a job. Gates will open from 11.00am and stay open until around 4.00pm.

At this point it is appropriate for the committee to send its condolences to the family of Malcolm Heywood – the founder and former musical director of Tutbury Band who passed away suddenly at the end of April. His humour and good nature will be missed by everybody who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Our twice annual quiz night ran again on Saturday 18th March. I’m sure that the names of each round and the questions that are asked get more obscure every time! There must be something that attracts the crowds as there were some 18 teams entered this time. The next Quiz date is already set to take place on Saturday 30th September at 7.00 for a 7.30pm start. Make a note now – it’s a bit earlier than usual this year because somebody’s got a 40th birthday party on our usual weekend!

As well as the regular Children’s Disco – Saturday 4th March saw the Sherborne site invaded by lots of young boppers strutting their stuff – we have tried an Easter event this year. Very successful, the Easter Eggstravaganza on Sunday 2nd April was organised to attract families, with its Treasure Hunt, Egg Rolling, Easter Bonnet Parade and crafts, the families that did come had a lovely afternoon – the rain just about held off – and the day was finished off with a Baked Potato supper. I think it will run again next year and of course the Children’s Disco will be back by popular demand on the afternoon of Saturday 7th October.

Over the course of the year, FOJORPS has been able to provide a number of new resources to the school, only made possible by your continued support at our events. Can we take this opportunity to thank all who have contributed to this, either in kind, or in supporting our events? Our major investment for the school this year has been the purchase of two interactive whiteboards. These were installed over February half term, and are now in regular use by Mrs Cooke and Miss Smith. These provide a fantastic resource in the classroom, giving hands on opportunities for the children to get up to date with the latest computerised gizmos that seem to be overtaking our lives these days. Our aim is to provide a further two of these after Community Day, and eventually to fit one in every classroom in the school.

Dates for your Diary

· Community Day ’06 – 10 June 2006
· Fun Quiz – 30 September 2006
· Children’s Disco – 7 October 2006
· Ladies Night – 10 November 2006
· Christmas Bazaar – 8 December 2006
· Community Day ’07 – 9 June 2007

For more information on FOJORPS or its activities, you can contact the Committee through the school office. 
Adam McLoughlin. on behalf of FOJORPS

As mentioned in the last edition of Rollestonian, Ian Bateman, Headteacher has brought some new ideas to the school including provision of Interactive Whiteboards in classrooms. The school already has one installed in the Computer Suite that was demonstrated to committee members at a recent meeting, and following a number of very successful fundraising events, FOJORPS has agreed to provide two more Interactive Whiteboards for classroom use, one based on each site at a cost of £3,500 each. These are scheduled to be installed over the February half term holiday, and should be available for the staff to use on their return to school. We are working towards providing more of these over the next months / years, hopefully to one in every classroom. If anybody has links into businesses or organisations that would consider sponsoring one of these boards, then please contact the school or FOJORPS committee members.

I am told that the Ladies Night held on 11th November went very well – none of the male committee members took part, despite several requests to put on the Rolleston Monty! Local representatives from various retailers and therapists were on hand to pamper and indulge the ladies who took part. This looks set to become an annual event. 

We had a very hectic few hours on Friday 9th December just before Christmas at the Christmas Bazaar, and even had the pleasure of Santa visiting to take requests from the young (and not so young) children, setting out their wishes For Christmas morning – I wonder how many came true!

The time after Christmas is always a bit of a drag, so on Saturday 28th January we held our second Beetle Drive. Many of the players who came had taken part last time, so moving between tables went off far more smoothly! Congratulations to Chris Mills who won the Children’s category, and to Steve Collier who won the Adults. A big thanks has to go to Ye Olde Tutbury Fryer who supplied the Fish & Chip supper for about 70 people!

Dates for your diary………. 

· Saturday 4th March Children’s Discos
· Saturday 18th March Fun Quiz
· Saturday 10th June Community Day 

Watch out for posters with more details closer to the dates!

Thanks to all who have supported our events – we couldn’t do then without you. We look forward to your continued support at forthcoming events. If you have any ideas for things that we could arrange, and involve the community more, please contact committee members, or call at the school office.

The FOJORPS Committee is: Caroline Mills, Sarah Abel, Sue Jacklin, Wanda Russell, Richard Abel, Kay Brittain, Clare Stewart, Adam McLoughlin, Jez Marshall, Jeni Jobson, Kate Bailey, Julie Snelling, Janette Wall, Jenny Winfieldale

Adam McLoughlin
On behalf of FOJORPS

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Last updated: 9 December 2006