Saturday 14th June, 11am–4pm at Ringwood Waldorf School
This year’s Summer Fayre was a great success – an enriching celebration of the season and a true reflection of the community spirit that lies at the heart of Ringwood Waldorf School.
Held on a beautifully sunny Saturday, the event brought together families, friends, and visitors to enjoy live music, children’s crafts and games, holistic therapies, handmade goods, and a wide selection of food – from a BBQ using locally sourced meat to freshly prepared vegan and gluten-free meals, plus a cake-filled café. It was a wonderful opportunity for all to come together and celebrate the start of summer.
Christine Polybank, Founder of Ringwood Waldorf School reflected on the day “I was struck by how many families I didn’t know – either they are new to the school, or they have not yet joined; and I was thrilled by the number of toddlers and tinies who were brought along. I hope they’ll all be staying!”. This is a heartening reminder of the growing nature of our school and the importance of events like the Summer Fayre in welcoming new families into our school.
A Community Event
What makes the Summer Fayre especially meaningful is that it is entirely organised by our parent body as a fundraiser for the school. It was a fantastic coming together of families, with each class contributing something unique to the day. We’re deeply grateful to all our parents for the care, creativity and responsibility they carried to make it such a success.
- Apple Tree Kindergarten set up and ran the carousel throughout the day, creating a magical experience for the younger children. They were wonderfully supported by some of our older pupils.
- Kindergarten created the magical Fairy Garden with the four elements of water, wind, fire and earth, as well as the Berry Café and handmade ribbon wands.
- Class 1 ran the delicious restaurant, serving a vibrant tapas-style menu of caponata, green goddess dip, rice salad, bruschetta, all lovingly prepared and beautifully presented.
- Class 2 led on traders and advertising, helping to curate a beautiful mix of stalls — including handmade Waldorf dolls, mud kitchens, holistic therapies, clothes, accessories, pottery, plants and more.
- Class 3 offered creative and engaging craft activities, giving children the chance to take a quiet moment to make something with their hands and take home to treasure.
- Class 4 hosted a welcoming café, serving a delicious selection of cakes and drinks with warmth and care, this was a perfect spot to pause and refresh.
- Class 5 coordinated the set-up and take-down of the event with calm efficiency and teamwork, helping everything run smoothly from start to finish.
- Class 6 offered fun and lively games and activities for children, giant bubbles were a highlight, adding magic and laughter to the afternoon.
- Class 7 took on the important role of car park duty, helping ensure a smooth arrival and safe flow of visitors to the site – a vital part of the day.
- Class 8 served ice creams to cool us all down – a much-loved treat that was especially welcome in the sunshine.
- Class 9 organised the raffle, gathering a fantastic range of prizes and adding a sense of excitement and generosity to the event.
- Class 10 ran the BBQ, a hot place to be on such a sunny day, with heartfelt thanks to Sturts Farm for donating local produce.
- Class 11 worked on an Electrical Safety Project funded by the charity Electrical Safety First, creating informative posters and quizzes to raise awareness. Science teacher Alin, together with parent Ben Stock, ran the stall on the day, offering hands-on educational activities and free safety testing for portable appliances — a valuable and well-received addition to the fayre.
- Class 12 were busy preparing for the evening performance of their play ‘The Troubles’
Events like the Summer Fayre are an important part of life at Ringwood Waldorf School. They are not only seasonal markers in the school year but also powerful expressions of connection – between children, parents, teachers, and the wider community.
We are a community school, and ask families to take on additional tasks around the school with enthusiasm and goodwill. These qualities are contagious, and we encourage parents to be an active and positive presence in school life. Together with teachers and staff, this forms a warm, caring environment which we believe helps children to thrive. Your support not only strengthens the school community but also contributes to each child’s sense of responsibility, confidence and personal growth.
With Thanks
A special thank you to the School Community Group for their continued work behind the scenes. From coordinating fundraising efforts to supporting publicity and planning, their dedication is a vital part of bringing events like this to life and holding the threads of the parent body together throughout the year.
This year’s fayre was a shining example of what’s possible when a community works together. Thank you to everyone who gave their time, energy, and creativity to make it such a memorable and meaningful day.
Another huge thank you also goes to The Lantern Community for letting us use their field, as well as their fridges to support the restaurant for the day. To Miguel Issa for taking on the role of official photographer and for the beautiful photos that captured the magic of the day. To Gullivers Farm Shop for their delicious biodynamic produce and Sturts Farm for lending us their wonderful carousel. To M&S, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Roebridge Natural Foods, Curve Games and any other organisations that donated produce for the day.
Photos by Miguel Issa
