Being a Governor

I've been a school governor for 8 years now, both in a Primary and at a Secondary School, both positions has offered me a challenge to try and make a different to children's school environment and more so being a Parent Governor I want the other parents to know that they have a voice within the school, and school is not just a place only to come for parents evening, but other fun things can happen at a school.

The team of Governors at the Secondary school has had a radical shake up this summer, with old policies being thrown out and new ones coming in to try and keep up with what the different agendas that the Government keep churning out.

Anyway, one of my roles is the try and engage pupils and parents to come into the school other than parents evening etc.  So a few of the Governors got together and decided to hold the schools very first Christmas Fair, the date was set and off we went in preparing to pull off something that we didn't know how well it would do.

We targeted all the local primary schools, the local supermarkets, and even got a local celebrity to open the event.

We even advertised it outside the school.

I collected 80 selection boxes for Santa

and me and my neighbour spent an hour wrapping them up

I've got a friend who makes cakes and she did one for the event, which we did as 'guess the weight'

I put together 4 Christmas Hampers that where also raffled off on the night.

Has I had done the main organising I spent a large amount of the time, walking (or should I say running) around the hall making sure everything was going according to plan.

So I didn't take as many photos has I would have like, but managed to get a quick photo of Adrian Goldberg from BBC Radio WM (who opened the event).

The Head got the organisers some flowers as a thank you.

We had games for the students to have some fun on, and I had organised 16 various craft stall to come along and try and sell their products.  This is very hit and miss - some of the stalls did really well, others not so good, but that the nature of these events you never know how the evening will turn out.

It was very hard work pulling everything together, but on the night I really enjoyed the event.  The pupils where really impressed and wanted to know when the next one would be - lol x.

I really enjoy 'giving something back' even if it is only my time.

We have got a few other events planned for next year, and hopefully it will be an successful as this one was.