Eynsham Community Primary School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) was one of the successful applicants in the Parish Council’s most recent round of grants, securing funds to allow the school swimming pool to open – just in time for the summer term.
The PTA consists of parents, teachers, carers, staff and friends of the school, with the group of volunteers led by a small, elected committee. They work together to raise funds to cover the costs of resources for the school children. The money raised usually pays for things that Government budgets can’t, such as subsidising the cost of school trips or creating a school sensory garden to support mental wellbeing.
Helen Goldberg, current Chair of the PTA, explains the appeal of being involved: “While we do work hard, in partnership with the school, we have a great time together and manage to organise a wide range of fundraising events that both parents and children enjoy. We are passionate about collaboration with our wider community, delivering some events that the whole village can enjoy, and we have a lot of fun along the way.”
The Parish Council grant awarded to the PTA was over £600 and will be used to buy a new cover for the swimming pool. As Helen stresses, “a pool cover is vital to ensure the pool is safe, clean and free from contamination each day to enable swimming lessons. Without a cover we couldn’t open the pool – and for many children this is the only place they can access swimming lessons or learn crucial life-saving skills. And swimming is great fun for them!”
With the pool cover crossed off the list, the PTA is now focused on raising money to fund a whole-school library. Currently, students only have access to books inside their classrooms, but a larger library would allow them to read more widely. It is hoped that a portion of the required money will be raised in their annual Run Wytham Woods 10k & Fun Run, which is coming up on 12 June.
“This one of our main fundraising events and 2022 is the third time we’ve organised it,” says Helen. “We attract runners from all over the country because the route is so beautiful and quite unique.” The event is still open for registration, with more details available on the website.
Read more about the PTA on the Eynsham Community Primary School website or on their Facebook page. The Parish Council is thrilled to have been able to support the PTA’s work and ensure the primary school students can enjoy their swimming pool during the summer months.