Calling PTA parents - is this a claimable expense?

[Whoopsi]

Some school parents on site over half term working on a project. PTA is reimbursing cost of materials but they are providing several days labour for free. Disagreement over whether refreshments should be included in their expenses to be reimbursed. Treasurer appears to think it shouldn’t be reimbursed. Chair has mentioned ‘beers’. Not sure if that means cans or a pub trip when it’s finished. I’ve kept quiet so far as I’m on the fence! What do you think?

We wouldn't pay for beers at a pub out of PTA funds. We would buy tea / coffee whilst they're working but not a lot else. Defeats the purpose of parent volunteers if you're then going to spend money on them.

Tea and coffee maybe but I wouldn't make a big deal about it and would happily take my own. Beers no. Wouldn't you rather every penny went on your children's quality of education given the dire financial situation schools are currently faced with.

Tea, coffee and penguins usually. Head Teacher would do a bread and cheese lunch if we were doing all day gardening for example. Was never expected (though appreciated) and would have done it regardless. Drinks down the pub were self funded.

Going to the pub for a piss up? No. Usually tea / coffee/ sandwiches or biscuits if you're
Lucky.

I am a PTA treasurer and wouldn’t pay refreshment expenses unless it was tea/coffee for a specific event. We use our own or the head provides drinks or bacon sandwiches if in for a specific event.

We would be allowed tea/coffee and all the crisps you could eat (that had just gone past their sell by date, or would be past date at the next event).

Also after a fair, we'd sometimes open a left over bottle of wine or finish open mulled wine/Pimms while we counted the cash (everything counted and recorded by two people and bagged up).

Tea/Coffee and maybe some biscuits yes, but no alcohol!

Tea, coffee, squash, cheap biscuits. Nothing more!

We would provide tea, coffee, squash and biscuits (these would all already be part of our stock except the milk), plus as with a PP, any recently out of date crisps or similar. Sometimes a PTA member will bake a cake to be shared.

Tea, coffee, cordial and biscuits from our supply cupboard, bought and claimed as we use it for events. For planning events one if us will bring in a 1 pint of Milk which we dont tend to claim for as it's about 60p and costs more in admin for the office staff, so it's no big deal.
Booze either bought or from a pub - absolutely not. Not sure of the legalities but morally I couldn't piss away fundraising cash.

Squash, tea, coffee and whatever biscuits or crisps in PTA cupboard which had gone off is way more likely.

The cake is a gift BTW, its costs aren't claimed back.

Drinks - folk can treat each other. Nothing out of expenses!

Agreed, tea, coffee, biscuits, maybe sandwiches

Tea, coffee and biscuits yes, alcohol no

Tea & coffee, though these would normally be provided from our stores back in the day I did PTA. Pub drinks definitely not and I don't think it would sit right claiming for expenses bought while out doing an event, such as coffee shop coffees. I volunteer for a charity now which sometimes involves manning a market stall, I wouldn't dream of claiming my Costa or lunch I might get myself.

To increase volunteers we would probably get a case of pop, some tea and coffee and some biscuits. Might even push the boat out and splash out for some bacon and buns but never more than £20 and that's to thank people for giving their time and to be honest often used to come out of mine and the co-chairs pockets. But sending that money was better than giving up an extra 2 days because we didn't have the volunteers.

I would offer soft drinks or hot drinks and maybe some biscuits to share whilst the work is taking place. I would consider this a reasonable expense, and it shows gratitude for people's time. I wouldn't offer beer or a pub visit.
I'm chair of a similar type of charity.

Most of my schools would provide tea, coffee, squash and biscuits. At the end of the day it's a small cost that shows appreciation.
One school a member of SLT took orders for breakfast buns, which was a lovely gesture.

Tea/coffee/biscuits yes. You might if someone had done a particularly big favour give a bottle of wine as a one off.

Not everyone goes to the pub or alcohol.

That will come back to hit you.
Year before I arrived at the school, the PTA had decided for the last meeting of term they'd go and have a nice meal. A letter went out to all parents inviting them to join them. They paid for themselves as the letter had said.

It still all kicked off with a rumour that the PTA had used funds to treat themselves to an all-expenses clique-only invited meal.
They weren't even a cliquey group (and I'm saying that as an outsider), but they worked very hard on the PTA events with very little thanks.