Friends of Our Lady's School First Newsletter

The Friends of Our Lady's School have created their first newsletter to go out to all parents. You'll get a black and white copy in your child's book bag but you can see the full colour version here.

The Container Arrives!

Remember all those donations collected at the end of last year to send off to our twin school in the Philippines? The container has arrived and the contents are being distributed this week to many needy families in remote areas. Huge thanks to all those who made donations and helped out and a massive congratulations to Debbie del Rosario and her family for making such an amazing thing happen.

The container arrives.

Unpacking the container.

So many donations, thank you!

 

 The jeepney crosses the river half submerged

Play equipment purchased with proceeds from our July cake sale

Enjoying some new toys

Let's play!

The children line up to choose clothes and shoes

Thank you all, a small effort on the part of many people and the inspired thinking and hard work of one family has changed many lives.

Shop online and help us fundraise

Do you shop online? If so, you could be helping to raise funds for our school with no additional cost to you.

Simply go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ourladyscowley, quickly sign up for an account - so they know who to make the donation to - and for every purchase you make through a partner site a percentage of your spend will be donated to the school.

There are over 2,000 participating retailers including Amazon, eBay, Mothercare, Debenhams, John Lewis, B&Q, Argos, M&S, Currys, Lakeland, Gap, Littlewoods, Premier Inn, Travelodge, Viking and Asos. And the nifty 'Find & Remind' toolbar instantly alerts you when a site participates in the scheme so you never miss  a potential donation. If you buy supplies, accommodation or travel for a business these can all raise funds for our school too!

Sign up and we can do even greater things for our school. 

Summer Fete - a huge thank you!

Huge thanks to all our volunteers at the summer fete on Saturday. To those who made donations, sorted donations, did the shopping, put up tents, baked cakes, grew plants, manned stalls, cooked food for the masses and helped clear it all up afterwards a sincere and heartfelt thanks. We raised £2,498 for our school, the sun shone and hopefully everyone had a good day out too. Thanks again.

Summer Fete June 29th

Roll up, Roll up! The Summer Fete is nearly here - but we need your help to make it happen.

 

House bursting at the seams? Time for a clear out? We urgently need your unwanted books, toys, DVDs, CDs and bric-a-brac for our stalls.

• Can you bake some cakes for the cake stall?
• Could you donate a bottle for our bottle tombola? 
• Can you donate some plants for the plant stall?
• Could you help set up the morning of the fete?
• Can you run a stall for an hour or two on the day?
• Do you have a flag we can borrow to decorate out multi-cultural food hall? Better still, could you cook some food for the food hall?

Or can you help sort through donations, in the Mornese Centre (the building just behind the playground in the convent grounds)? Friday 14 and Friday 21 June 12noon-3pm,Friday 28th June all day. Any time you can spare will be helpful, even 20 minutes.

Some messages from the parents at Sorioan Elementary School

Some messages from the parents of the children of Sorioan Elementary School, for they will surely make you smile...

Their comments have made me proud and supported our feeling that we have choosen the right school. Just so you know when you read the comments the word "po" is a sign of respect to elders.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!

A month ago or so, I met ate Deborah. I had the question "who is Deborah del Rosario?"  And I thought that's it all. But I was wrong, and I'm thankful about that, and happy too. :-) Ate Debbie as I address her, is no ordinary clink 'n go citizen. She really wants to reach out, as she and her family were fond of helping others. In such a short time the entire school of Our Lady's Catholic School Oxford, UK where her children are studying accomplished so much for Sorioan Elementary School. Our school in Sorioan is so blessed folks! And just like everyone else, my heart just cannot contain my gratitude and joy. To you  all and the children and parents of Our Lady's Catholic School Oxford, UK, Maraming maraming salamat po! (with great thanks) God take care of you and keep you blessed. 
Venus Tulliong

Wow! Its a year long supply, thanks God and bless your children. I don't know what to say but thank you so much for your support and determination to make this project work in helping children for their school. I salute you. God Bless you more.
Merly Tulliong

A bountiful blessings, thank you very much for the blessings that you've given to our school it's a big help to the pupils of Sorioan God bless you and keep it up for the good work
Lily Tamayo Gutierrez

Wow, what a big big big surprise to us here in SORIOAN elem school.  Thank you very much po, for sharing the blessing to our school children of Sorioan Elem School. On behalf of SORIOAN ELEM SCHOOL...thank you for gifts.
Laarni Amuten Mago

Thanks for sharing the blessings. May the good Lord return the blessings to you the children of UK who sacrificed their time and effort to collect the goods for Sorioan Elementary School.
Jhun Manzano

Our heartfelt thanks for the support... Godbless all the donors... Thanks again and more blessings will surely come your way.
Evangeline Sidayen

As per Pastor Serge Damias: Bless GOD and HE bless you more!!!, how to bless GOD?, by simply sharing the blessing to others especially to those less fortunate, as HE blessed you.
Delfin Amgao

Help is on the way…. we will pray for the blessing and the one that GOD use to deliver and share the HIS blessing. May the bountiful blessing of our LORD JESUS CHRIST bless your whole school in return, with HIS unmeasurable love, peace & joy in giving…..Thank you very much for your great action and the support of your school.
Sjoy Amgtull

Bait nyo nmn po (You are so kind). Godbless you po, proud to be a pupil of Sorioan Elementary School, sy 1995-1996
Myles Angela Acenas Dolliente

Thanks po.. malaking tulong po yan sa mga bata sa amin yan (this is a very big help for our children) ..godbless u po and more blessing to come... Keep up the good work kids by helping those children who are needy..and god will continue to bless all of you there...thanks mam devorah maybe god use you as an instrument for our beloved school..god bless u and your family
Monaliza Amgao Amuten

Children of Our Ladys Catholic School, Oxford UK.......THANK YOU!!!!!! I am truly touched by your generosity your spirit and willingness to get out of your way to help Sorioan Elementary School.
Christy Sayan

Wonderful spirit. God bless
Viola Bacdayan Donato

Thank you! The first donations are ready to go.

The stationery donations

Collections from each class were amazing. I was close to tears to see how much each class had raised. You can see from the photos that the appeal has touched many hearts and our school children are wanting to make a difference.

Donations of clothes and shoes have also started to come in. As the donations are over and beyond mum's flight weight allowance, she has taken what she can, to distribute. Two pencils and pens for each child and 30 donated pencils cases. She will use a portion of the £200.00 raised from the cake sale to buy note books that she can purchase at a bargain price in Philippines when bought in bulk.

The rest of the items (and boy it's a weight!!!) have been packed into the shoe boxes to send over in the 40ft container end of July to arrive in September 2013. 

Classes start beginning of June, just in time for mum and dad to make their first visit to the school. A BIG box only full of sweets has been sent from USA for these children, from a family also donating to charity, these will be distributed with the school supplies.

Maggie will return in September, with the purpose of receiving the container and sorting it out. The packed donations will be given then. Each class will receive their own supply of colouring pencils, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers and sharpeners for school use and each of the 116 children will receive writing tools for home-use.

Thank you all for you efforts in making this all possible .....

with kindest regards,

Debbie

Read more about the twinning project here

Sorting the stationery for shipping

Some clothing donations