To think this was a bit mean...

[Anon1993]

A local charity has recently been awarded several thousand pounds of funding. They are using that funding to pay for various clubs and events in our local area; which is incredibly deprived.

Now I’ll declare my bias first; I have a quiet personal issue with the chair of this charity; which may be colouring my thinking. So here’s the aibu:

As part of this funding her charity (and everyone round here does think of her when they think of the charity), are paying the expenses for me to put on a community event next saturday.

Basically, I’ve organised and paid for everything needed for the event; and then I’ve put my receipts in to claim the money back. One of them got turned down - £15ish on refreshments to feed the volunteers at the event.

Due to the nature of the event, most of the volunteers are children; many of whom due to the demographics of the area are free-school meals; and who will be at venue from 11am to 10pm. When I asks why this money had been denied; she told me they could just bring a pack-up. I reminded her that many of these kids are fsm; so wouldn’t be expected to bring pack up to school trips or similar; and in this case we’re giving up their whole Saturday near enough for the benefit of the commmunity.The answer was still no.

Okay then - I’ll pay for it.

The thing that annoys me is she has approved money for refreshments to sell; with the money going to her charity, she has approved marketing with her name all over it (Yes, her name not her charities name), but she will not approve £1.50 per child so a group of disadvantaged, likely fsm, kids, who are volunteering for their community, don’t have to worry about lunch.

Cross post. I agree with pps. It’s all about her, isn’t it? Her standing in the community. I can’t imagine she actually gives a shit about the actual fundraising element or the people doing the leg work.

Just seen your comment about working in the food bank. I’m even more confused.

@drquin.

When I say her name it was more like this:

She asked me to draft, for example a letter to volunteers explaining dates and times and send it to her for approval.

She changed the letter from being “kind Regards, Anon1993” to “Kind Regards, Her Name” and then stuck a letter head on it that mentioned her name three times!

And the poster for the event had to include her name and contact details for inquires even though I’m the one with all the info as I’ve organised it.

I was on the board of trustees of a charity until quite recently. No way would we use charity money on refreshments.

@mummyoflittledragon

Sorry if I’ve confused you. Her paid work is at the local food bank.

She does legitimately volunteer her time to chair these committee meetings, and write letters and funding bids and things... I’m not saying she doesn’t deserve any credit at all, she does help the local community in her own way.

I’m just not sure on her motives - but is that really my place? I don’t want to sit here and bitch about this woman.

Write an email to trustees stating what you’ve spent and explain that you’re out of pocket. Place the issues in their hands.

Also at the event you could start a charity box labelled refreshments for volunteers. £15 needed. Excess will go to

I was on the board of trustees of a charity until quite recently. No way would we use charity money on refreshments. If it were kids you bloody well should!

I've worked with a lot of charities over the years and we always discuss refreshments. We make that decision based on the ease of getting / keeping food on the site and the age of the volunteers. If, as OP said, the volunteers are kids we ALWAYS feed them, especially if we are aware that some may be on fsm!

At ALL events we make sure there is water provided, delivered to each individual if necessary! It's part and parcel of organising any event!

Donation box for volunteer refreshments is a good idea; any excess can go to the charity itself.

I can't see the value in writing trustee boards, etc., but I would look for ways to change the 'corporate culture'.

Volunteer expenses should always be met. What does your Volunteer Terms and Conditions say?

If the aim of the event is to level the playing field for children from a deprived background then providing a lunch so that they can volunteer would generally fit into the aim of the event imo. We've used volunteer expenses similarly in the past, especially for young volunteers who'd be unable to take part otherwise.

If volunteer expenses were part of the funding then they should be used for volunteer expenses.

Have you spoken to the treasurer of the charity ? The treasurer is who you need to speak to,

No way would we use charity money on refreshments.
For children who will be there from 11 am until 10pm ?
Wow!, just wow !

I used to manage and organise events using volunteers, for the local large food bank. And we absolutely would budget for a lunch, coffee etc. Mean woman

Stuff like this really gets my goat. I volunteered frequently at my child’s school. I’m talking hours and hours. They asked if I would help at a specific event, so I agreed. Only reason I went, was because I was asked. Was informed on arriving that I needed to pay to attend.... questioned it and was told all volunteers needed to pay..... it seems perhaps petty on my behalf, but I felt quite annoyed. Surely volunteering means you are giving of your time. Events would not be able to take place if not for volunteers, so surely, you look after them? Make sure that they get drinks, can take a comfort break etc, if helping all day, yes I would expect to feed them. It’s not a large cost and the ‘cost’ of replacing their ‘man hours’ would be far greater- therefore an obvious- that’s fine then, not least of which because they are underprivileged children.

Any charity's aims should surely include meeting volunteers' legitimate expenses and actually exploiting child labour is not very charitable. Definitely do the box & I would deduct the expenses if it doesn't cover them. I would also report. Vile to take advantage of kids from skint families.

If there was no funding or budget for it then that's one thing (and some funders have cut down their volunteer expenses funding), but when there is then statements like 'it doesn't meet the charity aim' end up sounding iffy because volunteer expenses funding will have to be spent on that. Very few funders imo just hand over 10k (for example) for "stuff" they hand over 6k for x, 2k for y, 1k for z and 1k for volunteer expenses. So what expenses are being allowed would be my question?

Yes raise with trustees. She's a mean individual. Charitable my ass 😡

That is awful, very mean, so she is using the kids and not providing any refreshments for them, I like hell would complain. These kids are on FSM, therefore they are poor, and their parents cannot afford to make up a pack up. She is in it for the wrong reasons.

I'd make sure her sign for the refreshment stall, with her name all over it, mysteriously went missing.

Perhaps forward this on from the Direct Gov Website. It's a few packed lunches not dinner at The Ivy.

We've had donations of masses of food from Waitrose and Morrisons in the past for charity events, they are clearly of a higher standard than the woman who is running this charity.

I would definitely make a complaint to whoever gave the funding or high up to her, as it is unacceptable. Slave labour, how can she use vulnerable kids like that, it is beggars belief.

I am glad you are paying for it op, but you shoulden't have to, she has no morals.

YANBU - that's both mean and petty. And as an aside, she sounds self serving. I agree with PP's, some of her behaviour is not ethical.

I was on the board of trustees of a charity until quite recently. No way would we use charity money on refreshments

We wouldn't either. I'd ensure there was juice and maybe a biscuit but would expect volunteers to bring food with them. No different than going to work and taking lunch. It's not an expense as the person needs to eat regardless of where they are.

You've got bigger issues to tackle if parents aren't feeding their children than putting on a community event.