Dear Parents,
Please find below the minutes of the recent meeting, which was held to discuss joining together our two fundraising groups. We are currently appealing for more volunteers to come forward so that we have an even greater capacity to raise funds for our two schools. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or just lending a hand during an event please click the link below.
If you are able to consider being a member of the Executive Committee then please fill in and return the skills audit. Ideally we'd like to receive these by Monday 7th November.
MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2016
FRIENDS OF MEAD AND FRIENDS OF BROADFORD
Present :
Fiona Tisbury Sarah Rowley
Lisa O'Flynn Tara Hockley
Lisa Woodall Tracey Bodle
Michelle Saunders Alison Shorter
Nicky Wheal Mandy Harrop
Brian Harrop Jean Murray
Mark Borrell
Malcom Drakes - Executive Head (Interim)
Lyn Smith - Head of Mead (Interim)
Chris Kent - Governor
Apologies : Catherine Coop, Sharon Manley
MD explained Friends of Mead and Friends of Broadford working together. No longer separate PTA's.
TH has resigned as Chair of Friends of Mead due to personal comittments but will help when able.
MD explained that Mead provided funds and time for the Chair and funding is now not sustanable for staff to have an active role.
The two PTA's need to co-ordinate events so there are no clashes of times, dates, stall holders and manpower etc. Therefore, the PTA will run as one not two. Helping each others different events at each school.
Both schools work well independantly but need to work as one - communication etc. for senior staff of each school. Information shared across both schools as it is now a Federation.
By becoming a Federation buying power is strenghtened for both schools together rather than buying individually.
It is being looked at for the Learning Federation Parents Association (now longer Friends of Mead and Friends of Broadford) to obtain a charitable status. This has got proviso's.
CK explained that Mead has already been looking into becoming a registered charity, therefore, enabling match funding from Barclays Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland. This means that the bank will match us pound for pound on money raised.
For a charitable status to be achieved £10,000 per annum turnover needs to be raised. With this in mind we will need to have someone who has a sound understanding of accounting.
Corporate alliances would be forthcoming also if a charitable status is achieved.
We know for certain that Barclays Bank would be prepared to do match funding immediately this is obtained and would be willing to have people come to the school to help.
NW did say that because of the building works that have been and are still being carried out at Broadford they could not have a summer fete this year. What will happen next year? Their fundraising is at a standstill at the moment because of this.
MD replied that building work for both schools will be being carried out for the next approximate 2-3 years. Therefore, whichever school does not have building works being carried out that school should be used for events. So at present events to be carried out at Mead and then Broadford when works permit.
As we are now forming one PTA there is no "Them and Us". To be able to move forward positively everything will be shared - the money pot and responsibility.
Bank accounts will now be more scrutinized and audited yearly by an external company.
Transparency needs to be shown for all accounting matters. Therefore, continuous suppliers and vendors need to be onboard so that there is no individual buying and supplying receipts for payment.
The bank account of Friends of Mead needs to have the name changed to Learning Federation Parents Association so that whatever money raised by Broadford can be put in this account, not just money from Mead.
AS asked how much is in the pot at the moment? MD said both schools together would have achieved the £10,000 needed and that between the both schools fundraising it is an achievable yearly target.
MD went on to say that a letter is being sent out, either today or tomorrow, in both schools explaing about todays meeting and asking if any new parents would like to join.
They will be asked whether they are about to help with manpower (setting up and taking down of equipment) at different events. Time issue being taking into consideration for those that would like to help but are at work.
It is imperative that staff are aware of any upcoming events to enable them to be able to help. They are not required to, so they will be asked only.
If the Learning Federation Parents Association (LFPA) put on just one event at a time rather than two individual the level of participants and helpers will be greater, therefore, hopefully raising more funds.
The LFPA will be put together in a similar way the Governing Board merged. This entails a blind auditing of skills. The size of the LFPA will depend on the reponse received from the invitation letter to parents and the skill sets/expertised required and obtained.
The aim will be to meet termly to discuss forthcoming events.
A vote by a show of hands for this was unanimous.
There will need to be an Executive Committee for financial oversite organisation and event co-ordination.
There will also need to be a Treasuer and Vice Treasurer - they may not necessarily be on the LFPA to be able to show transparency.
Roles and title need to be know.
Nothing can be agreed until the skills audit has taken place and names put forward.
The skill set audit will decide -
Lisa O'Flynn Tara Hockley
Lisa Woodall Tracey Bodle
Michelle Saunders Alison Shorter
Nicky Wheal Mandy Harrop
Brian Harrop Jean Murray
Mark Borrell
Malcom Drakes - Executive Head (Interim)
Lyn Smith - Head of Mead (Interim)
Chris Kent - Governor
Apologies : Catherine Coop, Sharon Manley
MD explained Friends of Mead and Friends of Broadford working together. No longer separate PTA's.
TH has resigned as Chair of Friends of Mead due to personal comittments but will help when able.
MD explained that Mead provided funds and time for the Chair and funding is now not sustanable for staff to have an active role.
The two PTA's need to co-ordinate events so there are no clashes of times, dates, stall holders and manpower etc. Therefore, the PTA will run as one not two. Helping each others different events at each school.
Both schools work well independantly but need to work as one - communication etc. for senior staff of each school. Information shared across both schools as it is now a Federation.
By becoming a Federation buying power is strenghtened for both schools together rather than buying individually.
It is being looked at for the Learning Federation Parents Association (now longer Friends of Mead and Friends of Broadford) to obtain a charitable status. This has got proviso's.
CK explained that Mead has already been looking into becoming a registered charity, therefore, enabling match funding from Barclays Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland. This means that the bank will match us pound for pound on money raised.
For a charitable status to be achieved £10,000 per annum turnover needs to be raised. With this in mind we will need to have someone who has a sound understanding of accounting.
Corporate alliances would be forthcoming also if a charitable status is achieved.
We know for certain that Barclays Bank would be prepared to do match funding immediately this is obtained and would be willing to have people come to the school to help.
NW did say that because of the building works that have been and are still being carried out at Broadford they could not have a summer fete this year. What will happen next year? Their fundraising is at a standstill at the moment because of this.
MD replied that building work for both schools will be being carried out for the next approximate 2-3 years. Therefore, whichever school does not have building works being carried out that school should be used for events. So at present events to be carried out at Mead and then Broadford when works permit.
As we are now forming one PTA there is no "Them and Us". To be able to move forward positively everything will be shared - the money pot and responsibility.
Bank accounts will now be more scrutinized and audited yearly by an external company.
Transparency needs to be shown for all accounting matters. Therefore, continuous suppliers and vendors need to be onboard so that there is no individual buying and supplying receipts for payment.
The bank account of Friends of Mead needs to have the name changed to Learning Federation Parents Association so that whatever money raised by Broadford can be put in this account, not just money from Mead.
AS asked how much is in the pot at the moment? MD said both schools together would have achieved the £10,000 needed and that between the both schools fundraising it is an achievable yearly target.
MD went on to say that a letter is being sent out, either today or tomorrow, in both schools explaing about todays meeting and asking if any new parents would like to join.
They will be asked whether they are about to help with manpower (setting up and taking down of equipment) at different events. Time issue being taking into consideration for those that would like to help but are at work.
It is imperative that staff are aware of any upcoming events to enable them to be able to help. They are not required to, so they will be asked only.
If the Learning Federation Parents Association (LFPA) put on just one event at a time rather than two individual the level of participants and helpers will be greater, therefore, hopefully raising more funds.
The LFPA will be put together in a similar way the Governing Board merged. This entails a blind auditing of skills. The size of the LFPA will depend on the reponse received from the invitation letter to parents and the skill sets/expertised required and obtained.
The aim will be to meet termly to discuss forthcoming events.
A vote by a show of hands for this was unanimous.
There will need to be an Executive Committee for financial oversite organisation and event co-ordination.
There will also need to be a Treasuer and Vice Treasurer - they may not necessarily be on the LFPA to be able to show transparency.
Roles and title need to be know.
Nothing can be agreed until the skills audit has taken place and names put forward.
The skill set audit will decide -
Chair
Vice Chair
Treasurer
Vice Treasurer
Secretary
All titles are on paper only and for financial compentance needed for a charitable organisation.
There will be working parties for specific groups ie. a school disco.
NW stated that Broadford are now longer allowed to have school discos and would like to reintroduce this event as it is a good event for both the children and raising funds. MD will look into it.
The audit sheet will have a breakdown of skill sets ie. breakdown with bullet points to tick if they apply and then there will be a box to write additional information relevant to volunteering with the LFPA.
It was suggested that we all have a meeting again to go through the skill set forms and help each other complete them.
Vice Chair
Treasurer
Vice Treasurer
Secretary
All titles are on paper only and for financial compentance needed for a charitable organisation.
There will be working parties for specific groups ie. a school disco.
NW stated that Broadford are now longer allowed to have school discos and would like to reintroduce this event as it is a good event for both the children and raising funds. MD will look into it.
The audit sheet will have a breakdown of skill sets ie. breakdown with bullet points to tick if they apply and then there will be a box to write additional information relevant to volunteering with the LFPA.
It was suggested that we all have a meeting again to go through the skill set forms and help each other complete them.
Meeting arranged for Friday 4th November at 9am. This is to be held at Mead.
