SO – IT FINALLY HAPPENED!

The School

Founded in 1937, Wynstones is an independent school with 280 pupils from 3 to 18 years of age. As one of the oldest Steiner schools in Britain we have a longstanding reputation for providing a diverse and rich education. The curriculum builds life skills through a child centred and age appropriate education that finely balances the development of academic, creative, practical, social and other capabilities important in the holistic development of the person. A recent OFSTED inspection (Feb. 07) reported ‘Provision of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding’. We are now engaged in year long BIG PUSH to complete the eight year long New Hall project.

Project Need

Wynstones main school building together with various outbuildings date from the Victorian period and since the school started various additional buildings have been added. Pupil numbers have trebled over the decades and the former barn, in which all sports, music, drama or other cultural events are conducted, is now grossly inadequate for our needs. With a seating capacity of only 180 it can only hold around 60% of our pupils at any one time and we are therefore unable to meet together indoors as a larger group of pupils, staff and parents. The provision of a new hall will have a dramatic and beneficial impact on the whole school and a wider closely connected community.

The Community

Wynstones is a vibrant school with an ethos of inclusion. Although we receive no government funding, fees are kept as low as possible in order to make the education widely available. We are sustained by a broad community which mostly does not have the financial wealth normally associated with private education in the UK.

Wynstones, as a registered charity, is committed to ensuring the hall is utilised as much as possible by its extended community and thus will encourage use of the hall during evenings, weekends, holidays and for limited periods during the school weekdays for indoor sports, performing arts, conferences and cultural events. The hall will hugely enhance the opportunities for many hundreds of children and adults to engage in and share a rich array of cultural and sporting activities.

The New Hall

The building design comprises a main hall surrounded on three sides by changing rooms, WCs, foyer and storage areas, with a total floor area of 900m.2 It was developed from an original concept by a team of architects and engineers, and features a timber frame construction including Belfast roof trusses. Ground source heating, the use of renewable materials and other best practice initiatives make the Hall a great example of responsible building practice.

A four-week Summer Building Camp took place in July 2007 and involved more than 150 volunteers (students, teachers, parents, old scholars) from the UK and abroad in constructing and erecting the main elements of the building. On one day alone, more than 120 lunches were prepared for the volunteers at work!

 

The walks, which are almost entirely along public footpaths, will take in Haresfield Beacon, Painswick Beacon and Robinswood Hill. Each of these hills provide stunning views across the Cotswolds and out across the Severn Estuary to the Forest of Dean, the Malverns and if it’s really clear the Black Mountains in Wales. You can download a full map of the walk from here.

There will be three walks. The longest walk (Walk A) will be for Class 8 and above. This will start at the Haresfield Beacon car park, it will follow the Cotswold Way to Haresfield Beacon and will then go on to Painswick Beacon, the top of Robinswood Hill before finishing at Wynstones. This walk will be 12.5 miles long and should take the classes around 7 hours. The classes will set off at intervals from early morning and will finish in the afternoon.

The second walk (Walk B) will be for Class 2 to 7. It will follow exactly the same route as the longest walk except that it will start at the Painswick Beacon car park. This walk is 7 miles long, the classes will start in intervals from mid morning and should finish mid afternoon.

The shortest walk (Walk C) will be for Class I, the Kindergarten children and their parent(s). This will be a simple loop up Robinswood Hill and will include a picnic along the way. This walk is 3 miles long, it will start late morning and will finish mid afternoon.

An enthusiastic team of parents and teachers are organising the event and will provide information before and support on the day.

Parents of children in Classes 1-12 will need to drop off their children along with any other family/friends at either Haresfield Beacon or Painswick Beacon car parks. It will not be possible to leave cars at these start points due to the anticipated number of vehicles involved. After drop off, drivers who also wish to walk will drive to an allocated car park near Wynstones, where a set of mini buses will be shuttling drivers back to the start of the walks.

Each class will be given a time slot for dropping off at the beacon car parks. The prompt delivery of walkers according to these time slots will be critical.

The Class walking groups will set off at 20 minute intervals and each class will be led by a teacher. Friends and family should choose which class they wish to accompany on the walk. Each child, if not a Wynstones pupil, will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult, as will each kindergarten child.

All walkers including children, teachers, friends and family will need to check in at the start of the walk. We will then track each individual and Class group’s progress along the route. For this reason we will need everyone who is planning to walk to register in advance of the event.

In the event of any walkers having difficulties we will provide a minibus service to pick up the tired and unwell.

We plan to have a simple celebration to mark the return of each class. We will all gather on the hockey field to admire the hall and have food, accompanied by some music . We will do our best to ensure that the day leaves everyone feeling that they have taken part in a special event that can also be seen as ‘showcasing’ the school. We would welcome any suggestions that you may have to help us do this.

For the impatient, we have put together a Letter to Participants document which should condense a few of the most frequently asked questions. For the complete Walkathon information, please read on...

Following are some ready-to-print forms to register for the Walkathon and start collecting sponsorship:

• Registration form (PDF)
• Sponsorship form (PDF)

The fundraising will be achieved through sponsorship of the children, family or friends who take part. We have tried to make the walk an enticing one which will attract friends and family who would not normally be involved in the school. In this way we hope to broaden the circle of sponsorship beyond the normal limits of the school community itself.

Find out how to create your personal online fundraising web page with justgiving.com in the next section.

Please photocopy as many sponsorship forms (PDF) as you require. Each individual can have their own forms or you can all work together as a family. Money can be pledged to be collected after the walk has been completed or preferably paid in advance. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Wynstones New Hall’.

We will help you set up and use your own fundraising page on the justgiving.com web site. A link to this web page can automatically be inserted, together with an appropriate message requesting sponsorship, at the base of all your emails. This will enable your sponsors to make direct payments to the hall fund using their debit or credit card. These payments will be added to your sponsorship total and gift aid at 28% will automatically be added where the donor is a UK taxpayer.

Partner Charity

Our Upper School has selected the charity CRY – Cardiovascular Risk in the Young as part beneficiary of the Walkathon.

Every week, 12 ‘apparently’ fit and healthy young people die in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions. CRY raises awareness of cardiac risk in the young and provide screening and support to those affected. CRY's Vision 2008: to work with cardiologists and family doctors to promote and protect the cardiac health of our young by establishing good practice and screening facilities devoted to significantly reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death throughout the UK.

Of all funds raised, 15% will be donated to CRY.

Create a justgiving.com page

• Go to http://www.justgiving.com
• Click on the ‘Get Started’ button
• Click on the button ‘Make your Page’
• Enter your details under ‘Create your Account’ then click ‘Create Account’
• Type in ‘311719’ being the Wynstones charity number and click ‘search’
• When ‘Wynstones New Hall’ appears click ‘choose’
• Click ‘Choose’ next to ‘An Organised Event’
• Then click on ‘Walkathon’ if it appears on the list or ‘create your own’ at the bottom of the page
• If you choose to create your own event, choose ‘Walk’ as the type of activity and type in ‘Wynstones Walkathon’ as the Activity Name and ’01.05/10’ as the date. Then click ‘Save’ and ‘Continue’
• Ensure that the suggested web address (usually your name) for your Web page, is available and if not, enter an alternative name. Ensure that ‘is not’ is selected within the Text ‘My charity is/is not contributing to the cost’. Then click ‘Make your page’
• You can now tailor make your own page, by loading a digital photo, setting a target and writing your own piece to replace the text which starts ’Thanks for taking the time...’ You could choose extracts from the School and Project Description here
• Having completed your web page (you can always change it later), click ‘Save’, choose a colour scheme and preview how your page will look to potential sponsors

Add a link to your justgiving.com page in all your outgoing Emails

You can now ensure that a link to your web page will be automatically inserted in all your outgoing emails by following the instructions below. Please note these are only valid for Outlook Express. For any other email software you need to find the ‘Signatures’ options and then go to step 2.

1. Load Outlook Express Click on ‘Tools’ at the top of your screen, then ‘Options’ and then on ‘Signatures’
2. Ignore the signature box but enter the message which you wish to insert at the base of all you emails which should include the link to your webpage. For example

‘I will be walking across the Cotswolds on May 1st next year to raise money for a hall at my daughter's school. If you wish to sponsor me, please click on the link to my fundraising page http://www.justgiving.com/john-smith.’

Please replace ‘/john-smith‘ with whatever name you have given your web page. Your sponsors will be able to click on the link, go straight to your web page, and make a donation by debit or credit card.

Start Early

When you start conversations with people about what you are seeking support for, they may have other people they know who will sponsor you. Achieving some progress early has a rewarding feel-good to it.

Have a conversation

There is a bit of narrative (see ‘written communication about the Walkathon’) for you to amend and incorporate into emails, letters and your justgiving front pages. If you give people the background and context to why we are undertaking this event they will ‘hear’ better and help more.

Think about what the Hall will do for the pupils present and future

If you have a conversation based on your own vision of the benefits the Hall will offer – the impact will be greater.

Ask ‘little and often’

The number of times we hear people reacting with surprise when they hear ‘yes, sure’ in response to the question ‘will you support me doing this’ .... often from people who are not connected personally with the project. It demonstrates the innate generosity in everyone.

‘Do the math’

If 1,000 people ask one extra person each for sponsorship and that person gives £5.00 – its good news. 15% goes to Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Go outside the community for support

Be really sure not to assume that because someone does not know about the school they are not predisposed to support it – anyone who hears about the community effort that is going into this, the pupil involvement & building camp, its green credentials (see Green Build magazine article on the website link) and the sustainability of the project will be interested – it’s unusual and interesting!

Ask people to help you

This is a class led, family event. For past sponsored events individuals have done best when the whole family is involved in emailing friends and carrying a sponsorship form around. If you are struggling let someone know.

Be bold

Some of the more notable and amusing stories about sponsorship has been when we have asked total strangers in pubs and shops to support.

Be creative

If you have asked everyone you conceivably can to help, then consider doing something different such as sponsored car cleaning, busking (supervision as appropriate!), garage sales or other such mini events all of this is part of the Big Push in the year running up to the Walkathon.

It’s redistribution!

Charitable giving has rocketed over the last few years. It is a fundamental form of re-distribution of wealth and therefore widely accepted as totally normal and necessary.

Speak to those with money!

See above re: redistribution

Show them a film

It is unusual and interesting – direct potential sponsors to the school’s website (www.wynstones.com) where they can click on the ‘Walkathon’ button to see a time-elapsed film of the building of the Belfast trusses and the main frame being hoisted into position during the building camp. Not many schools are doing it the way we are doing it and this filmed illustration demonstrates this.

Smile!

If one looks upon asking for sponsorship as a chore then it may well turn out to be one. If you think you can, and you think you can’t – you’re probably right!

Picture the finished building with you in it and the array of opportunities it will bring to the school

It will remind you of why the effort is worthwhile.

Tell your class what you are doing that is working

This keeps the conversation alive and spreads ideas.

‘But it’s a private school’

This is a fair challenge when balancing the many charitable causes that exist. Describing how Steiner schools operate financially to potential sponsors (for example relaying the relative levels of teacher pay versus other school systems) often opens eyes and the way the hall will offer benefits to the broader community is valuable - see ‘written communication’ sheet in the activity pack.

Who is participating?

The whole school is involved plus all parents and invited friends and supporters – there may be as many as 1,200 people.

What is it?

A big walk and then a momentous gathering at the hockey field in celebration of the New Hall.

How far?

There are three different start points – the longest walk being 12 miles - see the additional info sheet about the routes etc to find out more.

Why are we doing it?

The school needs £150,000 to complete this fantastic facility and by working together in this way we will really make a difference to the completion date so that current generations can benefit from using the space.

Who is organising it?

The Fundraising Group will coordinate all the activity required to manage such an event but it will be the classes that organise to do the walking and co-ordinate the sponsorship.

What about food?

We are fully aware of the effort that goes in to families supporting events by making food. We may ask for some contribution but, due to the scale of the event, we will be investing in some form of outside catering to ensure that hungry walkers are well nourished.

Who should I invite?

The whole idea of this event is that, as has happened with other successful money raisers, we look outside the immediate Wynstones community for support. Invite friends & family who have the energy and interest to both walk and ask for sponsorship in their respective communities! By December you will need to inform your class rep who you have invited – there will be more communication about this but everyone walking will need to be registered and sponsored.

What should I tell my friends/familly?

Tell them to book the date (1st May 2010) and give them a sponsorship form to start them off. They will be communicated to once they are ‘registered’ as a walker – this we will be asking you to do as soon as possible by providing their address and other details on the registration form.

What is the target?

There is no target BUT we can obviously calculate that if each family (and their helpful friends) raised £1,000 then the sum would, indeed, be huge! Experience of previous bike rides etc is that individuals have done really well even when they started with modest expectations. We have ambitious thoughts but make absolutely no demands on the scale of sponsorship per family – please go for it and see how you get on.

What if I am concerned about finding sponsors?

We are producing an info sheet with tips for finding sponsorship and letters will be available that inform potential donors about the school and the project. It becomes alot easier when your family and friends are willing and able to find sponsorship from their places of work and local communities.

Where is the money going?

85% will go to the Hall and will provide the opportunity to get on with and even complete Phase 3. 15% will go to our partner charity CRY – Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Sounds like a logistical challenge – how is it being managed?

With three different starting points (Haresfield Beacon, Painswick Beacon and the school) there are logistical challenges that will mean a really organised approach to dropping off walkers, parking at the school and getting back to join the walkers. We have done a lot of work on timings and marshalling – all will be communicated to your class.

Will we be using the Hall on the day?

We will definately want to show the Hall to all those who will have supported the cause so generously. The floor will need protection and the Hall’s use will need to be closely managed due to the fact that it will still, technically speaking, be a building site.

Can we run the route?!

This question was recently raised in a meeting of the upper school – we’re thinking about it!

What can I do?

Volunteer for something in connection with the preparation and running of the event or simply focus your energies on generating the sponsorship and sponsored supporters needed to make a great big success of the day. See the "Want to help?" section to fid out how to get in touch.

Who can I ask for more information?

The Fundraising Group will be in dialogue with the teachers and class reps but do feel free to email us at reception@wynstones.com or leave a note for us with Liz at reception.

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THANKS FOR READING THIS. HEAVEN KNOWS WE HAVE ALL HAD PRACTISE AT SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL AND WORKING AS ONE TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS – HERE’S A QUOTE TO GET YOU GOING

LESSONS LEARNED FROM GEESE – DAME RENNIE FRITCHIE

Adapted from the work of Dr Angeles Arrien based on the research of Milton Orson, Naturalist.

Fact: as each bird flaps its wings it creates uplift for the bird following, by flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock has a 71% greater flying range than if it flew alone, that is a fact, 71% greater flying range than if the bird flew alone. Many of us recognise that there is a lot I can do by myself, there is a lot I can do with a colleague or partner, but the power of what I can get done with a network group is quantum. The lesson from this fact – people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they’re going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

Up to 1,000 walkers this event will require lots of volunteers to help organise and run it. If you are interested in helping in any way, then please let your class rep know or contact someone on the Fundraising Group.

Who can I ask for more information?

The Fundraising Group will be in dialogue with the teachers and class reps but do feel free to email us at reception@wynstones.com or leave a note for us with Liz at reception.