to think after school club shouldn't be charging this?

[rumbelina]

I've never done an AIBU before but I don't know what to think about this.

Got an email from after school club (never used it before) which states that each family is charged £1 per month to go towards the cost of the software system which gives parents access to their accounts.

Is this normal?

So as not to drip feed they state later in the email that they donate £1 per family per month to X charity in X 3rd world country.... They don't mention if this pound comes directly from the software subs but if they can afford the charity donation, why are we paying for the software? I'm not uncharitable but it's usually done more transparently and I'm not entirely comfortable with the whole thing.

AIBU?

Seems a bit tangled!

They say your pound is for software.

Surely you can choose which charities your family donates time/money/goods to?

Is it software provided by a charity? Seems a bit garbled otherwise

Rno it's two separate things. They charge a pound a month to use their online system, and they donate a pound a month on your behalf (no opt out given) to their choice of charity.

I would say that I make charity donations of my own choice (and in a tax efficient manner), thank you

It's really odd as they've just increased fees by 18 and 10% for morning/afternoon respectively so it is bound to get people's backs up.

I would say that I didn't want electronic access to my account as I always pay in full in a timely manner and that therefore I wouldn't be paying my £1.
I would also say that I have my own favourite charities and that I would be withholding a further £1 and would they please notify make a donation on my behalf.
If enough parents do the same the penny will drop.

*not make a donation.

No, that's not normal. I'd question it and would ask to opt out of the software system. Id rather be invoiced in the normal way anyway.