Friends of Goldstone School PTA Annual General Meeting
Friday 29th September 2017 – Meeting Minutes
Present:
Sam Aitken, Jigna Patel, Sara Gregory, Sarah Clark, Jo Harrington, Sarah Bean, Tash Warburton, Bethany Myers, Zoe Musson, Ruth Birmingham, Ginty Evers, Hannah Fitzpatrick, Annie Russell, Kay Whitcroft, Christine Gates, Sarah Relf
Apologies:
Leonie Sweetman, Louise Tondeur
1.Welcome and Introductions
Chris Pearson was unfortunately busy with prospective parents so unable to attend but was able to make it along for a brief welcome at the start. He explained how the school views the FrOGS ethos as being primarily about providing experiences and making the school experience positive, with fundraising being secondary to that. He also thanked everyone for their contribution to school life and giving up their time.
Jigna welcomed the group and opened the meeting. Everybody briefly introduced themselves.
2.Committee Vote
Jigna explained that as a registered charity we have to have certain officer roles on the committee, including Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.
There were no candidates interested in taking on any of the roles, so the current holders of the roles will continue, having confirmed they were happy to do so.
Chairpersons-Sam Aitken, Jigna Patel
Treasurers-Sarah Bean, Jo Harrington
Secretary-Sara Gregory
Core Committee - Sarah Clark (Raffle co-ordinator)
It was explained that we needed more members to come forward to join the committee.
3.FrOGS Money Update/Treasurers Report
Sarah Bean and Jo Harrington supplied breakdown of figures for the past year (attached sheet).
Headline Figures are as follows :-
Total Raised 2016/2017 (NET)- £12,403.82 plus £1,000 in match funding = £13,403.82
Total Spend 2016/2017 - £13,033.61
Gifts to School 2016/2017- £12,440.80
Currently there is £12,569.71 in bank. This year we have already spent £698.24 on Santa books, and £1,525.85 for 2 new sheds, a friendship bench and sign, plus 2 outdoor blackboards.
The major spend last year was the activity trail.
Jo explained that the items which the FrOGS purchase for the school are non-essential items – fun things and things to improve the environment of the school, rather than essential items which are paid for by school budget.
We raise between £10,000 and £15,000 a year.
In response to questions, she explained that fairs are our biggest source of funds, followed by discos. Other events also raise funds, but generally events are kept as affordable as possible, so that everybody is included.
4.Plans for funds raised/Ideas for Activities
Sam brought feedback from last meeting with Anne Gibbs. The school are currently looking into an outdoor auditorium with raised seating that can be used for performances, talks, classes etc. They are at the costing stage and have requested that FrOGS make that our big project for the next three years.
Anne Gibbs is asking teachers to make their requests for items to be purchased with FrOGS funds. These will be brought to committee.
It was requested AGM minutes be emailed out so that other parents who cannot access the website and Facebook can see what FrOGS funds are being used for.
5.Diary Dates
Discussion of the provisional activities booked. These mostly follow the familiar pattern of the last few years.
2/11/17 - Halloween Disco
30/11/17 - Chocolate Tombola Mufti
7/12/17 – Bottle Tombola Mufti
8/12/17 - Christmas fair
26/1/18 – Parents Quiz Night
8/2/18 - Glow Disco
14/3/18 – KS1 Film Club
15/3/18 - KS2 Film Club
29/03/18 – Spring coffee morning/pre-loved uniform sale and Easter bonnet parade 27/4/18 - Family Quiz Night
?/5/18 - Wheelie Day
21/6/17 - Chocolate Tombola Mufti
28/6/18- Bottle Tombola Mufti
29/6/18 - Summer Fair
6/7/18 – Camp Goldstone at Wowos
We are awaiting confirmation of these dates from the school.
We will have a list of volunteers needed for halloween disco shortly. We need a creative/crafty volunteer to prepare/create the spooky corridor.
It was explained that the FrOGS organised parents’ drink night is NOT a recruitment event, and that we avoid FrOGS talk as much as possible at drinks nights – it is a purely social occasion.
Sara will prepare the new stall booking form as soon date is confirmed for Christmas Fair. We have a few people awaiting forms already, and would be happy to hear from parents who would be interested in having a stall/know someone who would like to via Facebook or the FrOGS email account.
Reception children do not come to KS1/KS2 film clubs, it has been suggested in the past that reception parents could run a mini film club afternoon for Reception children, with FrOGS support, and we would welcome hearing from anyone interested in doing so.
A family quiz night has been added to the programme. This will be an alcohol free event.
6.Discussion – New Events/Ideas
It was explained that as welcoming ideas for events/activities, we are happy to provide support, either admin, liaising with school or financial, to enable groups of parents to organise and run events, s has been successful in the past with fashion shows, wheelie days etc.
Ideas from parents at today’s meeting that were discussed included :
A coffee morning with pre-loved clothes and toy stalls
Other types of clothes sales including fashion shows.
Easter Egg Hunt.
Kids Fashion Show.
Costume Swaps
A Sports Event, possibly a big rounders match/tournament or fun run with medals and certificates for participants – it was agreed that we should try and make this happen as another ‘healthy’ activity would be a good addition to the programme.
In School Sleepover (It was suggested this would need to be a school event rather than a FrOGS one because of the issues around child protection etc)
Festival of some sort
Parents were invited to give it some thought/discuss with friends and come back to us with ideas via facebook or email.
A discussion took place about event timings, and the committee explained why we do not hold weekend events. The school, with the full support and understanding of the committee, feel teachers, caretaker/cleaning staff etc should not be asked to give up their own leisure/family time, given the fact that they work very hard and work long hours during the week, they need time away from the workplace. Children can usually come to events with after school club if parents are working.
- Any Other Business
Those attending were invited to join the Facebook group.
A parent had suggested via email that parent reps role could be brought back. There was some discussion. Sam and Jigna feel they would like to get settled into their new roles before making changes to the existing system.
Sara will contact those who wish to join the committee and be actively involved in the day to day running of Frogs
This will be Sarah Clark’s last raffle, it would be helpful if she had someone work with her this time in readiness for summer. Tash Warburton indicated she may be able to do this.
NOTE
Subsequent to this meeting, and following conversation with the school, it was decided that the Halloween Disco would become the Spooky Disco.