Supporting your school
New PTA of the Year Award
Winners: Durham Gilesgate Primary School PTFA
“ Our first year has gone better than we could have possibly hoped!”
“ Our journey began with our governing body. Parent governors were surprised to find that the lack of a fundraising body, such as a PTFA, excluded our school from funding opportunities, and they knew the school could do more to harness local talent and energy. Some of the challenges that were reported in governing meetings included time constraints on teachers to provide everything they wanted for their children, difficulties in home-school communications and perceived challenges engaging families with their children’ s education( including socioeconomic, language and cultural barriers).
In April 2024, we formed a steering group after a successful public meeting demonstrated our project was viable. Subsequently, we spent time with staff, volunteers and our Pupil Parliament to develop our ideas. The PTFA became incorporated at its first AGM on 5th June 2024. We launched publicly at a community fun day two weeks later, announcing the winner of our children’ s competition to design our logo.
Our first year has gone better than we could have possibly hoped! Our group has grown to 30 plus volunteers who represent our diverse communities – including young working-class parents who felt intimidated by the school setting, recently resettled refugee families, families travelling from afar for our specialist provision for deaf children, and families who have migrated to Durham( domestically and internationally) for the university.
We’ ve organised three large community events, have become regular faces in school assembly and, through lunchtime and afterschool clubs, have engaged with nearly every one of our 155 schoolchildren at some point in the year.”
- Words by Jenny Lawshaw, Chair
Volunteer of the Year Award Winner: Ali Hutcherson, Friends of Hinderton
“ Ali never stops – she has an energy, passion and determination unlike anyone I have ever met.”
“ Ali Hutchinson is a one-of-a-kind superstar who has single-handily relaunched and re-envisioned‘ Friends of Hinderton’ and the impact 50 families can have to support the education and wellbeing of the pupils of Hinderton- a small specialist primary school for autistic children.
Ali took on the role of Governor and was then asked to relaunch the PTFA, which had ceased in 2015. Without hesitation, she agreed and immediately launched into a fundraising campaign –‘ Hundred miles for Hinderton’. She raised a fantastic sum of £ 1,050 to support music enrichment, which had already created a lasting impact upon her own son. Ali’ s first fundraiser was not only financially successful, but caught the attention of the local media. This selfless act of personal challenge fundraising inspired a sudden parental engagement and supportive community.
In under a year, and under Ali’ s leadership and encouragement, Friends of Hinderton has won competitions, held numerous parent-led fundraisers, held a children’ s sponsorship event, engaged in community events and raised in excess of £ 10,000.
Ali never stops – she has an energy, passion and determination unlike anyone I have ever met. Her tireless efforts in fundraising, social media celebration, community links and outreach have made a monumental difference in the lives of the children at Hinderton. She has done all of this while supporting the complex needs of her own children, supporting numerous other SEND parents in the community and fighting for SEND reform."
- Words by Emma Howie, Treasurer
Images: Freepik
28 PARENTKIND. ORG SUMMER 2026