Help! In September i'll be the only one left on our Committee!

[Ripeberry]

We've just had a committee meeting this evening and everyone is going to be resigning at the next AGM.
That is the Chairman, Treasurer,Fundraiser and Secretary.
I'm currently the voucher clerk.
The next lot of parents all seem to have no time for us as they all work full time and either send their relatives to collect the kids or their childminders/nannies.
So what on earth am i meant to do?? If no-one turns up at the AGM then we are in the sh*t.
I've been on this committee for almost 3yrs and 2 of those were when i didn't even have a child there! It was just so they had the required number of committee members (5).
And on top of ALL of this we are currently recruiting new staff for September as the current ones are leaving.
And we only have £10 in the bank.
Feel like running away, screaming into the hills.
Would i be seen as a coward to resign as well?
I've got lots to do next term as well as i'm setting up as a childminder so will have all that paperwork as well and my Mum's not well.
I refuse to have so much stress put upon me just because i'm a SAHM.
Is there anyway out of this situation without losing face?
In a way i'm wishing for no-one to turn up for the AGM then i don't need to worry, but it's going to go tits up.

[bigfatuglybitch]

I keep telling you lady, you have done your bit, more than your bit. RUN, and run now.

[bigfatuglybitch]

sorry that sounds harsh, so how about I temper it with a hug, some chocolates and a glass of red.

[naswm]

yep get out quick

[BBBee]

get out with the others - i am not 100% but if it all goesw wrong you don;t want to be the only on listed as being responsible.

go - it is not worth it.

[bigpigonadig]

Go, if the new parents want a nursery, then they'll have to make the effort, you've done your bit, it's someone elses turn.

[Ripeberry]

Thank you, after getting all upset last night and hardly sleeping, then i will leave!
I only did the xtra 2yrs out of simpathy for the playschool leader who is a lovely lady.
The new parents need to run the pre-school themselves or just go elsewhere.
It is best if it starts with a clean slate.
Should we lock everyone in the room at the next AGM? because that is what we would have to do.

[naswm]

good decision berry - move on and let someone else do it!

[jicky]

If you only have £10 in the bank and no committee I really don't think you should recruit new staff.

I think you should write to all parents again, state that the committee is all standing down, that staff members are leaving and the current financial situation.

Say that the current committee can't with good conscience employ any more staff, since the chances of the pre school being able to function in September look very small, so unless new parents step forward now to be involved in the recruitment process, and the on going management of the preschool, then the preschool will be closed at the end of term.

I think this committee needs to look at how it will pay redundancies for any remaining staff and how to sort out your assets. The PLA should be able to give you guidance on that one.

It might be brutal, but you either need money or lots of enthusiasm to make this work and it looks like your preschool has neither.

[Ripeberry]

Yeah, and the killer line, is that we were told last night that each of us would be liable to pay up to £1000 EACH! for redundancy money.
Where am i going to find money like that? i'm a SAHM and my DH is not willing to stump up the money.
They never told us this when they got us to "help out".
Pre-school charities should be banned and just make it like a nursery and run it like a proper business to make a profit.

[naswm]

yep berry that is why I said stay away. I have a very sad and horrible story I could tell, but cant for legal reasons so I would never advise anyone to be part of one! well done for getting out

[cazcaz]

Berry your so right!! I'm on our playschool commitee and it was sold merely as fundraising, before you know it your involved in staff wages, personnel issues, insurances blah blah and very little bloody time for fundraising!

I'm also resigning at the end of this term after a run in with the manager over lack of support from the staff at fundraising events. Thankfully it is in a better financial situation and I shall just walk away.

The sad thing is I got involved because I had the time and felt that we had benefited greatly from such a lovely playschool and wanted to give something back.

[DaisySteiner]

Ripeberry, did you sign anything to say that you agreed to be financially liable in the case of redundancies being necessary? If not, you may not be liable. For anyone reading this who is on a preschool committee, did you know that you can get insurance to indemnify you against such an eventuality? It is very reasonable and I would strongly recommend it.

The chair cannot stand down without a new one being in place, so tough sh*t for her unfortunately.

If you really have only £10 in the bank and not enough to pay any redundancies or outstanding bills then you are technically insolvent which is not allowed under charity commission rules. You need to get some urgent help from the PLA over this.

[naswm]

I was the chair at my group

[cazcaz]

Oh dear naswm!

[HappyMummyOfOne]

Our preschool was a charity, the chair wanted to step down and we had 3 choices - either find a new chair person, dissolve the commitee and have no preschool or let a business take over that had other school clubs already.

We choose the later after a parent vote, is this not an option to look into?

Not all of the members were financially liable, the treasury and admin person weren't iirc at our school when it was explained what new parents would take on if we wanted the charity to remain. However the club was not in financial difficulty so not as bad as your situation.

[OurHamsterisevil]

I would run. I want to run from our school paretn council, in August we will have no Chairperson or treasurer. I'm currently secretary. There are only the three of us on the committee as it is a v small school, only 30 kids so not many parents to choose from