Meeting, Thursday 14 March, 8pm
Attendees: Helen Albon, Katie McMahon, Rachel Joshi, Marcus Cherry, Abi Lethbridge, Ellie Eakins, Sandra Whitehouse, Eunice Ouei Borsu, Siobhan Riordan, Jackie Young
Apologies: Jason Rayner, Sarah Shreeves
Actions from previous meeting:
Handover for new chair responsibilities have been completed.
Helen Albon has access to the gmail account, shared drive and website.
Charity commission registration complete – Helen Albon trustee/chair and Katie McMahon listed as a charity contact.
‘Show you care and park elsewhere’ signs. Ongoing
Action: Sandra to speak to school to see a caretaker or someone onsite will be around to put them out in the morning.
Finance
Balance as at 5/2/24 = £36,654.36
Estimated current balance 14/03/24 = £17,758.97 (awaiting bank statement in the post)
Recent Expenditure
Performing arts play area = £16,000
Storage = £185.94
Reception tables = £204.99
Author visit (Carol Hart) = £672
Olympic & Paralympic workshops = £356
Amazon wish list = £1304.51
Other commitments
Estimated a further £900
Finance actions
Discussion around publicising the Amazon wish list more across the school community.
Aisling suggested that when adding resources to the wish list, if they are required for a specific class that the teachers pop a note in the comments.
Action: Helen to chat to Mrs B to remind the teachers and to include in a newsletter for parents.
Action: Marcus to explore setting up a ‘shop’ page on the PTFA website where teachers can advertise required items, and people can pledge to buy specific items for classes.
Action: Helen to chase up confirmation of the invoice for Alex Wharton.
Action: Jason Rayner – Bank account switch to Lloyds
Review of recent events
The PTFA committee would like to thank everyone who supported and volunteered at these events.
Daffodil sale raised £47. Even though it was incredibly wet it was well received. Considering doing another flower sale. Donna and Helen also spoke to Pawsons about sourcing fruit for a healthy eating sale.
Yr 4 bake sale raised - £261.90. 1st one of the year, other years will follow weekly.
Pre loved uniform sale raised - £116.50
Future spending plans 2024/25
With an estimated balance of c£16k plus 2024 /25 fundraising we have a healthy budget to start planning to fund significant projects for the school.
Helen met with Mrs Ballantine recently and discussed how to continue to support school aims for ‘learning through play’ and ‘creating love of reading’ resources, as well as a new focus on a larger project (see below).
Committee agreed the following funding commitments (including estimates)
We will continue to fund
Books - £1000
Old Vic Nativity - £600
Year 6 – SATS breakfast £200
Year 6 leavers gift - £600
Workshops - £1000
Proceeds from bake sales and frozen Friday to year groups - £1500
Grow With It – a phased project with significant legacy benefits
Mrs Ballantine is really keen to transform some of the unused areas in the school grounds.
The committee agreed that committing funding to redevelopment projects provides a valuable legacy.
Helen presented a project plan that highlighted the areas to be developed and how once improved how they will support the schools learning themes of:
Care for our common home
Live Simply
Learning though play
Supporting children’s mental and physical health.
See a full copy of the proposal:
The project can be used as a way of actively involving (both financially and in practical ways) our wider community of parents, friends of the school and businesses in a long term project which will enhance the education of the children at St Bon’s.
The plan is the fundraising generated from the ‘big’ events will be earmarked for this project.
Action: Helen to start publicity for the campaign. Blog post, social media etc. This will include a big reveal of the plans and proposed timeline. More info to follow.
Phase 1 – Biodiversity boost
Grow With It
PTFA will be signing up to the RHS ‘Grow with it’ campaign.
A national campaign to schools and the local community to learn more about the importance of protecting the planet and improving the biodiversity and sustainability of local communities.
Kitchen Garden
Replant the existing raised beds to create kitchen garden
A parent has offered to help co-ordinate this.
Estimate approximately £1200
Implement: Term 5/6
Action – Helen to confirm timescales, plants and start to advertise to let school community know and call for more volunteers.
World Garden
By the side of the school entrance small colourful garden including water feature– a nod to the Live Simply initiative.
Estimate TBC
Implement Term 5/6
Living Wall & Bug Hotel
A green wall at the back of school
Estimate TBC
Implement over terms 5/6 2024 and terms 1 and 2 2025
Phase 2 – Living Sustainably
Greenhouse – located in an area next to the drive
Further raised beds and allotment areas
Implement – TBC
Phase 3 – Natural playscape
Transforming the play area at the rear of school.
Provide play equipment built with natural resources that challenge the children physically in a biodiverse environment.
We would like the children to help design this area.
Year 6 leavers
Year 6 leavers funding was discussed. Is £600 still an affordable / appropriate amount for the charity to gift for this year?
Year 6 requested an increase to the value of the gift because of rising costs of hoodies. It was reiterated in the meeting that £600 is technically a gift, it is not given for anything specific (hoodies is what parents have decided to purchase this year).
The charities constitution states the St Bon's PTFA exists to ‘’engage in activities or provide facilities or equipment to support the school and advance the education of the pupils.’’
However, there was a strong feeling in the meeting that we want to continue to give a gift to year 6 parents and pupils.
There was concern that increasing the amount this would be unfair for previous years and that it was a generous amount to gift for no educational benefit. Agreed to maintain at £600. Action: Helen to confirm with year 6 reps.
AOB
Quiz committee update from Rachel. All in hand and publicity to ramp up after the holidays.
Disco – planning to start after Easter holidays
Summer Fair committee to set up. Action – never too early to think about sponsorship. Helen and Aisling to meet to discuss.
Grants – Action – Helen to look into options such as Aviva or Tesco.
Date of next meeting
Thursday 18 April at 8pm online.
Meeting closed.