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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Arghhh Brownies! Or am I the CF?

108 replies

Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 20:19

About 6 months ago my daughter decided she wanted to quit Brownies, fine with me. She stopped going but stupidly I forgot to let the unit know. I got a text 2 weeks ago asking if she was coming back, I told them no and apologised for forgetting to tell them (they would have been told by DD's friends in any case). She told me I would need to pay for the 6 months she's missed (plus an additional tenner for reasons I can't quite fathom). I asked if I could bank transfer, was told that wasn't possible. I said no problem and I would drop ilthe cash off when I could. Bear in mind this was 2 weeks ago. I was working late on the night brownies was on, the 2nd week it was cancelled. So I've had no opportunity yet.

Yesterday I get an angry text demanding I drop the money off right away, talking as though I wasn't planning to.

First - I don't remember signing any agreement stating the cancellation policy. Just a bit annoyed really and wanted to rant!

OP posts:
oneforthepain · 08/05/2019 20:53

I'm going to take a wild guess that the "randomly added tenner" is more likely to be a joining fee for uniform or books or whatever that you previously "forgot" to pay.

LetsDialDownTheIanPaisley · 08/05/2019 20:54

Does she mean 6 weeks instead of months Confused

BookWitch · 08/05/2019 20:54

If it is over the last six months it will include the Annual Subscription (varies from area to area but generally around the 40 quid mark) - this is due in Feb, and the unit will be billed for the OPs daughter regardless of whether the OP has told them she is not going, unless the leader has removed her from the database (which she probably didn't as the OP hadn't told her)

DobbyTheHouseElk · 08/05/2019 20:54

Sounds like you’ve been unlucky our unit is fantastic. They have a new program since September and it’s all set out what they have to do, for skills builders. My DD loves it and I’m so amazed with the time the volunteers give up for preparation and unit time.

FrancesFryer · 08/05/2019 20:55

Given the time of year i suspect they paid her capitation, or whatever they call it now

HavelockVetinari · 08/05/2019 20:55

Definitely don't pay cash! Insist on cheque or bank transfer. A month or two is fine, 6 months is MASSIVELY taking the proverbial and alarm bells are ringing at her insistence on cash only.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 08/05/2019 20:55

Census I think, it’s quite hefty, £36 in our unit,

Original poster
Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 20:56

Yes I had things going on 6 months ago which meant informing brownies was not top of my agenda. I've already held my hands up and said it was my fault for forgetting. I apologised to the leader (who had not chased me before this) AND I've said I will pay!

OP posts:
Original poster
Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 20:57

Oneforthepain, u ok hun?

OP posts:
Firewitch · 08/05/2019 20:57

WTF - where do your kids to go brownies? Confused

My daughters brownies is £1 a week (during term time, it’s not on during school holidays) there was no joining fee and I buy the uniform myself. Her rainbows was the same Hmm

AriadnePersephoneCloud · 08/05/2019 20:58

I can fully understand why you feel annoyed. Obviously you should have let them know, but you have said you'll pay and you intend to so a gentle reminder would have been nicer of them. That said they sound like a strange unit so are you surprised. It's a shame though the Brownies and Guides my daughters have been to have been so good. Honestly I'm so impressed. It's a shame you haven't had this experience 😁

IceRebel · 08/05/2019 20:59

My daughters brownies is £1 a week

How?? With such a low payment they would barely cover the census for the year, let alone afford rent, materials, badges, activities, trips and other associated costs. Confused

luckylavender · 08/05/2019 21:00

They asked 2 weeks ago & you still haven't paid. They are volunteers who have other things to do but chase after you. Pretty poor I'd say.

The80sweregreat · 08/05/2019 21:00

It was an oversight. Just pay up say sorry and hope it's never used against you ever again! These things happen. They are probably just fed up with people not paying their subs and you had the 'fall out'

Original poster
Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 21:01

It's £10 per month for DD's. And we didn't have to pay for books or uniform that we didn't buy Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 21:03

How was I meant to pay, lucky? They said I couldn't bank transfer it, and the night I said I would go down to pay it was cancelled?

OP posts:
BookWitch · 08/05/2019 21:03

It could be that their accounts have just been audited and a keen treasurer has picked it up.

I'm slightly in awe scared of my treasurer.
Especially when I hand over an envelope of receipts in an envelope covered in scribbled amounts and dates and she gives me THAT look.

ny20005 · 08/05/2019 21:03

The attitude wasn't necessary. Yes you should have told her your daughter wasn't coming back but she should have removed your daughter after a certain amount of time. In my kids scouts, it's 6 weeks.

Back paying for 6 months is nuts & is suspect the attitude is that she's not very good at managing the books & is trying to reclaim census / rent money to make up a shortfall

Serin · 08/05/2019 21:03

Outrageous.
Dont pay it!
I would tell her you will check with the GG association and district commissioner.
I speak as an ex Brownie leader. Our official policy was to contact parents after 4 weeks of non attendance and ask if they wanted to continue or cancel.

ButtonMoonLoon · 08/05/2019 21:04

So they haven’t contacted you for six months? That’s very odd. I wouldn’t be paying for those six months, in our local group you would have been contacted by somebody to check that your child was okay and make sure there weren’t any issues. When you signed up what was your notice period? I think I’d be meeting them halfway and paying three months but I’d be paying into their bank account. The urgency of ‘wanting the money dropped round’ sounds very dodgy to me and not how our groups operate at all....

LetsDialDownTheIanPaisley · 08/05/2019 21:05

So they want £70?

AppleKatie · 08/05/2019 21:05

A film every week? No programme? No uniform?

Yeah that’s not Brownies sure it wasn’t a church youth club? And if it was and the leaders were truly that shite I would be refusing to pay and phoning the DC.

BookWitch · 08/05/2019 21:08

It does sound more like a fairly crap youth club. Not the way the vast majority of units are run.

As a DC myself, I would want to know if a unit under my management was running like this. I'd be interested to know what area you are in OP, would you mind PMing me? Not to get anyone in trouble, but so we can arrange some support and guidance for the leaders (sounds like they need it)

Hollowvictory · 08/05/2019 21:11

Unfortunately yes you a cf for not bothering to tell them your dd left. It's rude, these people are volunteering.
Our brownies removes you if you miss 3 weeks in a row (waiting list)

Oakmaiden · 08/05/2019 21:15

Another brownie leader (and CC) here. Definitely get in touch with the District or Division Commissioner before you pay. I can understand them asking you for census (although to be honest I would just suck it up, but it does mean the whole unit has to find the money to make that payment) but I am dubious about paying 6 months of back subs.

And also - £1 a week? Our census payment is £36:50 a person (including leaders) so it would be completely impossible to run on £1 a week from the girls. I think my last census bill for a unit of 10 girls and 3 adult leaders was about £470. If the girls were only paying £36 a year each that would leave me over £100 short - not counting hire of the hall, materials for activities etc.