Group: / The Friends of Ranelagh School, Bracknell
Meeting: / Meeting of the Trustees
Held On: / 08 October 2015
Location: / Beacon Room, Ranelagh School at 19:00
Present:Louise Hodkinson (Chair) - LVH
Marina Stone (Trustee) – MS
Dawn Pritchard - DP
Grant Cunningham (Trustee) – GC
Robert McLean (Trustee) - RM
Beverley Stevens (Headteacher) – BS
Mark Williams (Deputy Headteacher) – MW
Lindsay Cooper (Parent) - LC
Apologies Martin Clow (Secretary) – MC
Jo Clow (Trustee) - JC
Distribution:All those Present/Apologies/plus:
Amanda McLean (President) - AM
Terry French (Trustee) - TF
Next Meeting: 02 March 2016 in the Beacon Room @7pm
Issued By:Louise Hodkinson
Approved By:
Friends of Ranelagh
Ranelagh School, Ranelagh Drive, BRACKNELL, RG12 9DA
The Friends of Ranelagh School, Bracknell. Established 1947.
Registered Charity Number 1060543
Minutes of Meeting ReportGroup: / The Friends of Ranelagh School, Bracknell
Meeting: / Meeting of the Trustees
Held On: / 08 October 2015
Location: / Beacon Room, Ranelagh School at 19:00
1.0APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCEACTION
Apologies were received in advanced from: Martin Clow and Jo Clow
2.0MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the previous meetings from 11th July 2015 were approved and signed as a true record subject to the following amendments:
- Apologies were also received from Mark Williams
3.0 / MATTERS ARISING
4.0 MS investigated whether or not other schools were introducing a ‘School Fund’ and identified that Edgbarrow were requesting £60 contribution from all parents.
5.1Updated campaign timetable still to be issued. LH
5.6RM has updated the Charity Commission website and will prepare the annual report in time for submissions next February. RM
4.0APPEALS STATUS (DP)
65 positive respondents of which 56 are year 7.
17 one off donations
Av. monthly SO looks positive.
£18,112 Gift Aid has now been refunded.
Friends of Ranelagh
Ranelagh School, Ranelagh Drive, BRACKNELL, RG12 9DA
The Friends of Ranelagh School, Bracknell. Established 1947.
Registered Charity Number 1060543
Minutes of Meeting ReportGroup: / The Friends of Ranelagh School, Bracknell
Meeting: / Meeting of the Trustees
Held On: / 08 October 2015
Location: / Beacon Room, Ranelagh School at 19:00
5.0TRUSTEE REPORTS
5.1Secretary’s Report (MC)
None
5.2Treasurer’s Report (LH)
FOR is still without a treasurer and DP is doing most of the work with assistance from LH.
There is £45,000 in the current account which it has not been possible to move to the savings account due to difficulties in changing signatories and setting up online banking for the new signatories.
There is £6,000 in the CCLA account.
5.3Appeals and Database (LH/DP)
Peter Hulbert has handed over the database to LH and she has reviewed it with her husband who works with databases. Everything that is currently being done with the database could be done with Excel cutting out the need for a separate laptop and database LH also has a trial database which could potentially hold all the donor information. LH proposes to try the systems alongside each other. Other possibilities are still being looked into.
DP has recorded current financial procedures in order to ensure that this information is available to other trustees should the need arise. This information to be passes to MC to keep. DP/MC
5.42015 campaign (GC/LH)
See notes at point 8
5.5Events, website and publicity (MS)
MS asked for newsletter items and LH proposed a FAQ item in response to the survey. MS/LH
MS proposed a small freestanding display in reception and agreed to explore options. MS
The FOR display board needs to be put out at parents’ evenings. BS and MW agreed it would be best if they took on this task. BS/MW
5.6Charity Compliance (RM)
Amendments are needed to the FOR constitution. Quorum is 1/10 of the membership but since membership requires a subscription we currently have no members. RM proposed that parents and staff are offered the chance to pay a subscription of £1 to give them voting rights at the next AGM when the constitution can be amended. GC seconded this proposal.
Necessary changes to the constitution need to be identified prior to the AGM. LH and RM will meet to do this. RM suggested that it may be possible to find a suitable model constitution that serves FOR’s purposes. RM/LH
The first draft of the annual report needs to be completed.RM
6.0BANK SIGNATORIES
Difficulties have been encountered in setting up the new signatories (MS and MC) for online banking. The security questions are incorrect/unknown in a lot of cases. MChas now been approved. LH will write to Co-op banking to try to resolve the issue. LH
7.0 ONLINE GIVING
LH has looked into various online giving sites. BTmydonate appears to be the cheapest option. They only charge for credit card (1.3%) and debit card (15p) transactions. There are no admin charges. They sort out the Gift Aid reclaim on donations. It was greed to proceed with setting this up. LH
We need to make it clear that this does not replace the monthly donation model.Invitation to make an online donation could be used as a follow up for parents who choose not to donate by standing order.
8.0SURVEY UPDATE
See separate documents.
It is important that we underline that we do not chase to pressurise people into making a donation rather to obtain a response.
Our appeal letter will be amended so parents feel less pressure. LH/MS
There needs to be a clearer message about the relationship between the school and the Friends. This could be reinforced at school briefings. BS
A response to some of the comments will be published in the forthcoming newsletter. MS/LH
Non responders will be emailed rather than called by phone.A general email could be sent first as a reminder. LH
9.0UPDATE FROM THE HEADTEACHER
The school has had to close the gym this term for 2 reasons:
- To manage the hazard of falling ceiling tiles resulting from significant leaks.
- To protect the sprung floor from water damage.
The school has explored alternative funding streams without success as of yet. The school is submitting a bid to the EFA but it is important that works gets underway as soon as possible. The cost of the work is £45,569.
10.0DECISION ON DONATIONS
The trustees agree to support the gum refurbishment project.
It needs to be articulated to parents that the primary purpose of the Friends is to support capital projects. It was acknowledged that it is helpful if FOR projects are visible to parents.
LH will transfer £45,500 to the school in the next couple of weeks once there are sufficient funds in the current account. LH
MW to advise LH of timescales for the project and update on progress. MW
11AOB
There was no other business.
APPENDIX
CALENDAR LOOK AHEAD / DATES FOR DIARY
Wednesday 02 March 2016 / Meeting of the Trustees.Beacon Room @7pm
Wednesday 11 May 2016 / Meeting of the Trustees.
Beacon Room @7pm
DONATION HISTORY
Date / Amount / PurposeMar 09 / £40,000 / Refurbishment of central courtyard including purchase of
cycle sheds, seating, planters and basketball nets
Dec 09 / £20,000 / Specialist School funding
£30,000 / ICT Upgrade
£10,000 / Music ICT
Nov 10 / £100,000 / Hall Refurbishment
Feb 11 / £20,000 / Hall Refurbishment
£3,000 / Lecterns
Mar 12 / £100,000 / Lab Refurbishment
Sep 12 / £50,000 / Lab Refurbishment
Feb 13 / £40,000 / Pre-fabricated Laboratory Unit/Lab Refurbishment
Oct 13 / £50,000 / Lab Refurbishment
£10,000 / Specialist Schools Task Group
Feb 14 / £30,000 / Lab Refurbishment
Jul 14 / £22,000 / Lab Refurbishment
May 15 / £88,000 / ICT Upgrade, Kitchen Equipment, Geography and Maths
Department, General Repairs & Essential Maintenance
Oct 15 / £45,500 / Gym Refurbishment
Friends of Ranelagh
Ranelagh School, Ranelagh Drive, BRACKNELL, RG12 9DA
The Friends of Ranelagh School, Bracknell. Established 1947.
Registered Charity Number 1060543