AMimbaWay - it is time for the playgoup to become more professionalised otherwise it WILL close.
Our nursery is committee run, but we have a Manager who manages the nursery. We don't 'clean', that is done. We have hired a bookeeper who keeps on top of the accounts, she has taken some of this off the Manager and some of it off the Chair. The bookkeeper prepares everything, but all cheques are signed by committee members, payroll is run by a committee member (1 morning once a month). In terms of staffing, we occasionally lend support of for any reason they are down on staff members, or if they want to hold a staff meeting during the lunch club (less than half the children stay for lunch club).
We hold committee meetings once every half term, with occasional additional topic specific meetings.
The nursery should be run in such a way that the income covers staff and rental cost. 2 1/2 year olds actually earn the nursery a little more than the funded 3 year olds, but we don't lose the funded money if the nursery has to close (eg for snow) but have to refund that session's money to the fee paying students.
Training for employees will usually be paid for via grants by the government.
Fundaising is for the new and replacement equipment. I am in charge of fundaising, but everyone takes part and runs their own events, I just coordinate. As a result I will not do any bookeeping, pay roll, Ofsted liaison etc. This is what I am willing to do and am intersted in and that is my boundary. I will participate in discussions, and offer assistance in other areas but won't run them.
We run 2 or 3 major fundaising events a year which are very intensive. I run the fair, and another mum ran the fashion event, with assistance from other mums but to be honest, it's just easier to get on and make the decisions on your own and then run them past whoever's interested.
The main fundraising decision we have made is to make all the events actually count. On sports day we offer a DIY coffee/tea making service with some biscuits on hand and parents help themselves, leaving money.
At the 2 plays a year we ask parents to make cakes which we then sell with coffee/tea and squash. A raffle is also held at some of the events - not all, people become all raffled out.
The Fair earns money from tables rented out, from the nursery run tables (second hand toys, clothing, cake & coffee, a couple of children's activities, hotdogs, and mulled wine - its a Christmas Fair).
One of our parents is a photogapher so he came in for about an hour every day one week and took photos of all the children. We had about 5 different individual photos to choose from of our DS taken on different days, some were a bit blegh, but others were absolutely fabulous. He also took about 15 different whole of class photos and we spent ages choosing one where DS looked the best in. He covered his costs and the rest of the money went to the nursery.
The Fashion Show earned money from ticket sales, wine sales (get them on a buy and return basis so unsold bottles can be returned) and a portion of the sale of items.
I have flatly refused to run any cake stalls which used to be run in the past and have said if the other mums want to do it feel free and I will supply a cake but won't run it. Everyone has agreed not to run them.
It's always a bit of a catch up, especially if large purchases are desired (eg playhouse which we're fundraising for at the moment) but it never seems to be too much work for any one person. We have 6 very active members of the committee, a few others not so active, and a bunch of happy helpers who will help at events but are not on the committee.