Hello!
As we skip into the summer and bid a fond farewell to the 2025/2026 school year, we wanted to send one final newsletter to say a huge thank you. From the Summer Fair to Safari Pete's unforgettable visit, this term has been bursting with fun, generosity, and community spirit, and every bit of it happened because of you!
Below are a few of the Summer Term highlights, some early AGM news, and a peek at what's coming next year:
Summer Fair
What an absolutely brilliant fair! Grasmere was buzzing with games, stalls and sunshine, with steel drums setting the vibe and even Gunnersaurus popping by to say hello. None of it would have happened without our amazing volunteers, over 70 of them, who gave up their time to set up, run stalls and help pack it all away again. A huge thank you to every family who came along, played, ate, browsed and donated. This is what makes Grasmere so special, and we're endlessly grateful to be part of it.
The fair raised an incredible £6,000, with over £5,000 in profits going straight back to our kids. Thank you for making it such a joyful, roaring success!
Thank You to Our Wonderful Prize Donors
A massive thank you to the local businesses and individuals who so generously donated prizes for the fair:
Oxygen Trampoline Park, Active Reality VR Experience, Shine on the Green, Stoke Newington Bookshop, Earlybird, Simon's Sports Camp, Brags and Brams, The Prince, Belle Epoque, Lim Studio, Clay Time Pottery, Big Potato, Ester's, Discover Children's Centre, Perk, Rowan's Bowling Alley, Creative Mash, Push Cycles, Arsenal Football Club, The Martial Arts Place, Julia, Sapid, Nourished Communities, Book Bar, Finks, Golden Tooth (new Leconfield), Mome, and Jolene.
You made the raffle such a treat for our families, thank you!
A Note from the Fair Organizer
"I'm so proud of what we pulled off together this year! Between the steel drums, Gunnersaurus, and all the energy on the day, it really did feel like the whole Grasmere community came together for a special day. We raised over £6,000, with profits of more than £5,000 for the kids. Thank you all so much!" - Rosie
FROGS Meeting and AGM
Thanks so much to everyone who came along to our last FROGS meeting of the year on 8th July. It was a really productive evening, and it was lovely to see such a great turnout. The minutes are available here.
Before we send you off for a well-earned summer break, here's some early news on our AGM, which will take place on Friday 18th September at 9 am in the School Hall. As a registered charity, we hold one AGM every year, where we elect (or joyfully re-elect!) our committee.
At the AGM we'll be voting to welcome any new committee members, and re-electing anyone keen to continue. Being on the committee is largely an administrative role that keeps FROGS running as a charity, and members need to be responsive on the committee WhatsApp and able to attend at least one meeting per term. There's no "inside track" either; every decision is made openly at meetings that all parents are welcome to join. You can read more about the role here.
We'll also be updating our constitution at the AGM. The main proposed change lowers the voting threshold for written resolutions (used between meetings, for example over WhatsApp) to 75%, to make sure we can still pass spending resolutions if one or two committee members are unavailable. You can see the proposed changes here.
Any questions at all, just drop us a line at secretary@friendsofgrasmere.com.
Safari Pete's End of School Treat
Back in June, families voted on this year's end-of-year treat, and Safari Pete's wildlife experience was the winner! Safari Pete visited Grasmere last Thursday as a special way to end the year, giving every class a hands-on encounter with a range of animals.
It was such a treat to watch! The children were completely captivated from start to finish, full of questions and wonder, and were a genuinely brilliant audience throughout. It's clear the whole experience made a big impression, so do ask your child about their favourite moment, we're sure they'll have plenty to tell you!
A huge thank you to our wonderful staff, who threw themselves into the day with just as much enthusiasm as the kids, and to all the volunteers who helped make it run so smoothly. This kind of enrichment is exactly what FROGS is all about, and none of it would be possible without your support. You can find out more about Safari Pete at safaripete.co.uk.
Thank You for Contributing to end-of-year collections!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the end-of-year collections! Parents and carers raised an incredible £3,315 for the Grasmere Staff End of Year Gift. Each of Grasmere’s 39 members of staff received a voucher for £85, a wonderful way to thank them all for their care and dedication this year.
We also said a fond farewell to two much-loved members of staff. Hugo and Jasmine's leaving collections were both very well supported and filled with heartfelt messages from grateful Grasmere families. We wish them every happiness in their next chapters, and thank you all for being so generous.
FROGS 2026/27 Fundraiser Summer Project
Calling all budding artists! We need your help creating next year's FROGS merchandise, and we'd love every single child to get involved.
We're looking for drawings of:
Animals of N16 🦊🐞🐶🦆
Plants of N16 🌱🌷🍀🌳
Favourite sports ⚽️🏓🏉🏸
Favourite food 🍕🍓🧁🌮
A few tips to help your masterpiece print beautifully on a T-shirt:
Please use white paper
Pens, paints and pastels work best. Pencil drawings need to be extra bold and bright, or they won't show up well when printed
Sign it with your child's name and next year's class
Drop it at reception in September
Submit as many as you like; there's no limit! It's such a fun way to fill an hour or two over the holidays, and we can't wait to see what you dream up.
Dates for Next Year
We've got a full and fun year ahead planned for 2026/27! Here are some of the highlights to get in your diaries:
Autumn Term
FROGS AGM (18th September)
Welcome Garden Party (25th September)
Jumble Sale (10th October)
Kapla Workshop (during school time, 12th to 13th October)
Winter Fair (4th December)
Spring Term
Winter Disco (15th January)
Cinema Night (5th February)
Pub Quiz (10th February, date TBC)
Jumble Sale (13th March)
Easter Egg Hunt (24th March)
Summer Term
Chess Event (7th May)
Enterprise Fair (18th June)
Summer Fair (10th July)
As always, keep an eye out for class cake sales throughout the year, a lovely way for each year group to raise a little extra for their class treat.
This is just a taster, so do check back in September for the full, updated calendar with all the details confirmed!
In Closing
Thank you, Grasmere, for another brilliant year! To every student who brought their sparkle and imagination, and every parent who gave their time and support, we're so grateful to be part of this community.
A special goodbye to our Year 6 leavers and their families. Thank you so much for all of your support and help with our fundraising over the years. You've been such a joy to have around, and we'll miss you loads. Wishing you every happiness as you start your exciting next chapter.
Have a wonderful, restful summer, everyone. See you in September for more FROGS fun!
Thank you and take care,
The FROGS Team