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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

mrwalkensir · 08/05/2019 21:17

Could be that they’ve asked for payment so late because the volunteers are so desperately overstretched. May be why they end up with so many film nights.

MyDcAreMarvel · 08/05/2019 21:18

Our brownies is £2 a week, bargain.

Original poster

Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 21:18

There is a uniform, but we buy that ourselves - it wasn't just automatically issued by the unit. Yes I was an idiot for forgetting to tell them. I had a hard situation 6 months ago which made most things low on my priority list (but again not brownies fault and the leader was aware of this when I apologised). It's the sudden attitude and demands for cash that frustrated me when I've not had the opportunity to pay.

Yes its £70 they want which I know isn't a great deal and I will make sure they have it next week.

I'm good now though, just needed that rant so thanks to all

OP posts:

Firewitch · 08/05/2019 21:22

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

Seriously, that’s what it is. In my PP I said rainbows was the same but that was actually 50p a week and they (voluntarily) donated another 50p to the WWF. It’s church run so I don’t know if that makes a difference 😕

Firewitch · 08/05/2019 21:24

@Oakmaiden - I can assure you, that is the cost of my daughters Brownies. I live in Scotland so not sure if it’s different here?

LetsDialDownTheIanPaisley · 08/05/2019 21:29

When I went to brownies in the early 90s in London it was about 80p or £1 per week. Was definitely small change.

IceRebel · 08/05/2019 21:30

Rainbows was the same but that was actually 50p a week

Surely they had to have been losing money each week.

Oakmaiden · 08/05/2019 21:30

I'm not disbelieving you, firewitch. Just wondering how they manage it!

Although, now I think about it my daughter paid very little for her guide unit - it turns out they got left loads of money by someone years ago and it has let them keep subs low. So maybe something like that.

However - it is very unusual and you are very lucky. It will almost always cost quite a bit more simply because there are all sorts of costs involved in running a unit.

thankyourforthemusic · 08/05/2019 21:34

I wouldn't pay 6 months.
Yes you should of told them but they should of contacted you after a few weeks and given the place to someone else .
Anyway you have agreed now so drop it off next week and if they contact you again block the number .

Rory786 · 08/05/2019 21:37

Beavers and Cubs for my kids and they take direct debit-much easier. If parents don't show up- it literally is their loss!

mcmooberry · 08/05/2019 21:46

I know you are planning to pay and I would too but as many people have pointed out, 6 months?!? It must have been patently obvious your daughter wasn't returning after the first full term surely!?

TanMateix · 08/05/2019 21:47

Frankly, I find it unreasonable if them for waiting 6 months before chasing and then come with a bigger bill. Honestly, if they are so strapped for money, they should have contacted you earlier in order to vacate the place for another kid.

I really don’t understand who the hell she think she is, obviously, there is no way she can force you to pay, she depends on your good will for you to pay and she comes and destroys it with that attitude?

She is the CF, you had already agreed to pay. I would be paying because I’m a weak person when it comes to doing the right thing but I would be very tempted to tell her where to go for being so rude.

Perhaps the middle ground is to let her know you found her attitude rude and unnecessary, if she feels like having another go she walks away without a penny.

SmarmyMrMime · 08/05/2019 21:52

6 months sounds very strange. Both my Guiding and Scouting groups would be enquiring about 3-4 weeks of absence, waiting list or not.

Census was back in February, so any sensible unit would have chased up before then to avoid paying for an unnecessary non-member.

CF is the parent who pulls out two children without warning when they owe double subs... yet the children were the ones with by far the most extravagent presents at Christmas shortly before.

BrownOwlknowsbest · 08/05/2019 21:54

To those of you wondering how units manage to only charge £1 a week, I expect they raise the money for census as a major annual fundraiser, separate from weekly subs. If you then have a low rent and fairly high numbers of girls, £1 would cover other expenses.

sqirrelfriends · 08/05/2019 22:01

P t. Myth

Ceebs85 · 08/05/2019 22:02

If they've left it 6 MONTHS to ask they are being CFs. Surely after 3-4 weeks they'd want to know if you were coming back??!

Thurmanmurman · 08/05/2019 22:03

Brownie Leader here. I think they are being unreasonable for asking for 6 months of subs. If a girl hadn't been to a Brownie meeting for a few weeks I would check if she was coming back way before this. YABU for not letting them know though, as you may have stopped another girl having your DDs place. Also it's common courtesy to the people who are giving their time to volunteer, it takes 2 minutes to e-mail or text to tell them that your DDs place is no longer required and a thank you wouldn't have gone amiss either!

Ironmanrocks · 08/05/2019 22:03

I thought this was going to be a thread about chocolate brownies and I got a little bit excited I don't mind saying.......

Becles · 08/05/2019 22:10

Lots of hidden guiders - join us on our thread in extracurricular board

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/3507468-guiders-staff-room-part-4?msgid=86815134#86815134

Becles · 08/05/2019 22:11

OP, regardless of the rights and wrongs of timescales. You promised to pay up two weeks ago and haven't paid, and I bet haven't been in touch in that time.

Eliza9919 · 08/05/2019 22:14

For that angry text, they could take a running jump, if this was me.

Pinkprincess1978 · 08/05/2019 22:15

6 months is excessive, they should have chased up after a few missed weeks. In our group we charge by the term and if someone left midterm and hadn't paid we would try and get them to pay and they wouldn't get a refund if they had paid.

Original poster

Cellardoor84 · 08/05/2019 22:19

Becles, brownies was cancelled on the night I'd arranged to go and pay. The only opportunity for me to pay is then as they wouldn't let me transfer it. I dont know what else I could have done?

OP posts:

chocolateworshipper · 08/05/2019 22:20

@ironmanrocks same

Ironmanrocks · 08/05/2019 22:23

At least it's not just me @chocolateworshipper

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