BPSPA

What a term! Early in the Michaelmas Term, we had an epic Quiz Night, with the Performance Hall packed out for a fun evening of questions and curry. Next up was our colourful Fireworks Night, which sold out quickly and got a big thumbs up from those that could come along. Most recently, we have had our Christmas Festive Fayre, which was a hive of festive cheer. It was amazing to have the fayre back again after a three-year absence. If that wasn’t enough, we’ve also had a sold-out wreath-making event, the Christmas card project for children who wanted to design their own cards plus a Reverse Advent Calendar, where many of you have kindly donated products for local food banks. We were pleased to support tree planting at School too. And we continue to run the brilliant online BPSPA shop – get your jute bags, bobble hats, Beechwood water bottles and more at https://www.bpspa.shop/! On the fundraising front, Pippa Ridout and I were honoured to represent the BPSPA at a fundraising award presentation, where Keech Hospice Care thanked the whole of Beechwood for its incredible support in raising a cumulative total of £252,316 over 14 years. Since then, we’ve transferred an additional £13,000 to Keech from funds raised at the Summer Ball, with more to go to Keech soon from proceeds of the Christmas Fayre. Young Enterprise raised over £2,500 for Luton & Dunstable Children’s Christmas Wish List. And we have transferred £13,000 to Ukrainian charities from Ball fundraising too. Plus we’ll be putting some money towards new school projects soon. It’s easier for you to raise funds for the BPSPA now too. Just register via Easy fundraising here to sign up and/ or select us on Amazon Smile under ‘Beechwood Park School Limited’ if you ever buy something on Amazon.

We’re keen to promote more sustainable behaviours too. Do support the Dressing Up Box (https://www. bpspa.shop/product/dressing-up-box-donation/98), a chance to recycle children’s costumes for key school dressing-up events. Thank you to the Second Hand Uniform Shop for continuing to kindly donate its profits to the BPSPA – do please use it, reducing environmental impact and saving money! For information about the Second Hand Uniform Shop please contact Pippa Peel via email secondhanduniform@beechwoodpark.com Next term, BPSPA activities will include a disco for children in Junior Department, Middle Department and Year 6, which will take place in the afternoon/ early evening of Friday 20 January. We will also be sending round a survey next term to ask what you want from the BPSPA. Please take time to share your thoughts. And looking further ahead, the all-new BPSPA Dog Show will take place on Saturday 20 May – please can all dog-lovers save the date now!. We are also hoping to hold Fun Night and Beechfest in the Summer Term, and maybe the Picnic on the Lawn (outdoor cinema) too, provided we can encourage some volunteers to come forward to organise them.. . Thank you to our amazing Committee for hitting the ground running in our first term together and for their hard work already. Thanks too to Miss Macpherson for being school liaison extraordinaire, to the parent Class Representatives for your support and to all parents/ guardians and staff that have helped this term,

including those who have invested time and energy organising events. A final special thanks to Mr Balfour for all his support of the BPSPA over the years. There are lots of ways to get involved. Please organise an event, volunteer to help on the day, be a rep next year (at least one male rep per year group would be amazing) and consider joining the Committee in future. Please do get involved. We can’t do it without you! Chat to any of the Committee or get in touch via BPSPA@beechwoodpark.com. Our first BPSPA meeting of next term will be 9am on 23rd January, in the Drawing Room or via Zoom - please join us. After the (enjoyable) whirlwind of this term, wishing you all a happy and peaceful festive period. Dan Crossley BPSPA Chair

Dan Crossley, Chair 2022

Dan Crossley is dad of Isaac (Year 7) and Sam (Year 5), husband to Cecilia and current Chair of the BPSPA. Dan would love to see lots of new and old (!) faces getting involved in BPSPA activities, helping organise events like fun night and the festive fayre, having fun and fundraising for charity in the process. His other missions are to reduce our environmental impact and to get at least one male rep in every year by 2023/24! For a job, Dan runs an organisation focused on food ethics, that brings people together to find long-term solutions to contentious issues. These vary from ‘how do we move away from a reliance on food banks’ to ‘should we eat lab-grown meat in the future’? Outside of the world of food, Dan loves bad puns and is an armchair sports fan (including being a Norwich City supporter). He’s also a fair weather cyclist, culminating each year in the Duchenne Dash - a charity bike ride, cycling from London to Paris in 24 hours, in aid of Duchenne UK.

Pippa Ridout, Secretary

Pip - pa Ridout is mum of Felix (yr 7), wife to Nick and current Secretary of the BPSPA. In this role Pippa is the author of the BPSPA Minutes and prides herself on never splitting an infinitive nor using a grocer’s apostrophe. She is the former Communications Director of a major Swiss company, so can often be found running a gimlet eye over any form of written material emanating from Beechwood. Pippa gave up the Corporate world after having Felix but now devotes some of her time to Beechwood, having been a Class Rep and/or on the BPSPA

Committee for the past 7 years.

She is a keen cook and general foodie - a passion closely followed by an unquenchable desire to book holidays.

Julia Innig, Communication

Julia Innig is mum to Arthur in Woodlands and 18 months old Laura, married to Lukas. Julia shares the Communications Officer role at the BPSPA and is passionate about our Beechwood community. Julia organises weekly BPSPA newsletter updates in the Beechwood Lion and is keen on initiatives to streamline our Communications. She would also like to pass on knowledge to future volunteers. In her work life, Julia works in a bank in Client Engagement. Julia loves watching stars with Arthur and his jokes, clothes shopping with Laura, getting absorbed in a book while pretending she did not hear that the Lego tower is| broken again, and sometimes writing own stories which she hopes to finish some day when her children are able to cook their own breakfast. 84

Suzi shares the Communications officer on the BPSPA with Julia. She has one child at Beechwood and lives in St Albans. Suzi works in research management, having a PhD in low carbon energy systems. She enjoys spending lots of time outdoors and exploring the beautiful woodlands of Hertfordshire and surrounds. She is on the Board of Governors at a local primary school and has a personal interest in diversity and inclusion.

Jessica Roberts, Treasurer

Jessica Roberts is the mother of William (year 6), wife of Sam and current treasurer of the BPSPA. Jessica would love to see more new joiners getting involved in BPSPA activities as it has been a great way for her to meet other parents since her son joined the School halfway through Year 5. J Jessica works locally as a secondary school teacher and especially enjoys teaching further maths. An avid animal lover, Jessica loves spending time with her two spoiled cats and has enjoyed spending many years working with horses as a volunteer for Riding for the Disabled. Originally from upstate New York, she has lived in the UK for over 15 years.

Renata Woodhams, Events

Renata Woodhams is mum to William in Year 2 and shares the role of events coordinator for the BPSPA.

She is a vet by profession, however since having William, she is studying clinical nutrition. - .this time in humans! When she is not working or trialling her latest nutrition research on her husband Tony or friends, she is usually outdoors, in the gym or experimenting in the kitchen.

Kate Hart, Events

Kate is mum with Kitty in Year 1, and Della who has just turned two. She joined the committee this year, and is sharing the events role with Renata.

Kate works for a regeneration consultancy in London, leading their communications and events. When not juggling life in a style akin to Julia from Motherland, Kate enjoys travelling, reading and cooking.