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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU - Gambling at school fair?

24 replies

Confrontayshunme · 03/07/2019 20:36

DD's school fete was last week, and I ended up helping with the kids tombola. All prizes were brought in by students so think cheap dollar store tat, perfume and soap sets from the backs of cupboards and leftover Christmas boxes of chocolates.

I was absolutely gobsmacked at how a few of the parents acted. Jumping in front of children and spending £10 on 30 tickets when a child is patiently waiting with their £1 coin. Then half a dozen parents and grandparents proceeded to spend about £60 each! They kept saying "This is our last go, we have spent too much, and then we are going home!" Then, 30 seconds later they were handing me another tenner! All this while the schoolchildren were trying to play.

I never realized the tombola was something people might have a gambling problem with. In the end, they would have been better off going to the Poundland round the corner and buying £50 worth of stuff they want instead of wasting their money on paper tickets. Lots of disadvantaged kids at our school and I was worried a few of them might actually have financial problems if they are spending all that on nothing.

We don't have alcohol at them intentionally (even though we could raise more money) as we know there are kids who need a safe space where their parents can't get plastered and make a scene.

AIBU to think we shouldn't do the tombola next year?

OP posts:

Baguetteaboutit · 03/07/2019 20:41

It sounds like you'd be ditching a huge money spinner. There can't be many stalls generating that kind of revenue.

WarmSunBlueSkies · 03/07/2019 20:44

Absolutely what Baguetteaboutit said.

IGottaSeeJane · 03/07/2019 20:47

But they are not "spending all that on nothing!. They are giving (nb "giving") money to their DC's school via the medium of the school fair. I don't think you've grasped the whole point of the event is to get money off the parents and I for one always go to our DC's school fete fully intending to spend a load on nothing because the school needs the cash.

topcat2014 · 03/07/2019 20:47

We have two tombola's - a kids one and a 'bottle' one. They are big earners.

And we have a bar too.

Medianoche · 03/07/2019 20:52

My goal when going to the school fair is to donate as much as I’ve planned to give to the school without having to bring home a heap of crap. The queue for the tombola at ours is massive, so we usually spend our money on the bouncy castles.

Dontlickthetrolley · 03/07/2019 20:56

We have a chocolate tombola twice a year and it will raise £500 each time, following a year when parents were using it to buy Christmas chocolates for everyone in their family, it's now restricted to 2 goes per person as "Everyone's a Winner" it is a stall that is absolutely chaotic and sold out in about 30 minutes!

MadCap · 03/07/2019 21:01

Yabu sorry. I despise most gambling, sports betting, horse racing etc, but this.is a.real money spinner for the school. I usually only bring what I'm planning to "donate."

We do a seperate children's and adult's tombola, but the biggest money spinner is the jolly jars at £1 a go.

We also do a prosecco pram and cider barrow. No one gets wasted and we raise thousands.

Celebelly · 03/07/2019 21:02

God I love a tombola. The sheer excitement of winning some Jacob's Creek and a candle that smells of feet, it shouldn't but it gets me every time! DP would probably have to escort me away.

NewName54321 · 03/07/2019 21:03

Just run children's and adults' stalls.

There is some theory about children’s and adults' approach to risk and gambling. Children enjoy the winning, so go for games with a high chance of immediately winning a low-value prize. Adults enjoy the prize, so go for games with a low chance of winning a valuable prize, even if it is in the future.

Trees2905 · 03/07/2019 21:05

Honestly, you’re trying to raise money for the school and you’re complaining about parents who are generously finding a way to donate? I think you’ve missed the point....I always spend £20 on the Tombola, it’s a bit more classy than tucking a note in the head’s pocket...

MrsMiggins37 · 03/07/2019 21:05

YABU

if you’re doing the tombola then control it and stop letting the adults barge in front of the kids.

We had it at our Christmas Fayre at school some people spending shedloads on raffle tickets to win a crappy hamper

Orlandointhewilderness · 03/07/2019 21:12

Oh the tombola is completely terrifying! I have manned it on occasion and the look on their little faces is enough to send some helpers straight to the Pimms! But it is a fabulous money spinner.

Baguetteaboutit · 03/07/2019 21:13

Couldn't you just put an upper limit on the number tickets in any one go to keep the queue circling and make sure that kids aren't muscled out by the big spenders?

Tink1990 · 03/07/2019 21:41

I think you are missing the point tbh, to make money for the school!

BendydickCuminsnatch · 03/07/2019 21:43

Wow that behaviour is a bit extreme!! But great for the cause I guess!!

There is a human fruit machine at our local village fete which is basically the best idea ever.

edwinbear · 03/07/2019 21:49

I only managed to volunteer for the tombola once. It was like opening the doors at Tesco on Black Friday. I stick to the hot dogs at the KS2 disco these days. Far less crowd control required.

BadLad · 03/07/2019 23:29

My wife played cricket yesterday, with a bat she won at a charity raffle thing, oh, what's the word for them?

Tombola?

No, Steve ran her out.

I'll get my coat.

LadyRannaldini · 04/07/2019 13:45

Where would schools and churches, be without tombolas, raffles etc?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 04/07/2019 14:42

Call me boring, but I've never seen the appeal; there are too many where you just know the ticket for the "big prize" is kept back until the end to keep the punters spending

That's how my neighbour came to lose a £200 cash prize; she spent and spent until she'd run out of cash, then borrowed from a pal to buy the last 50 or so tickets, knowing it was a sure thing this time

How embarrassing that the lady with the ticket had forgotten to put it in before going home ...

InTheHeatofLisbon · 04/07/2019 14:47

Why didn't you tell the parents not to push in front of children waiting in the queue? Or anyone else running the stalls?

Shocking but unsurprising behaviour.

LaurieFairyCake · 04/07/2019 14:51

bit more classy than putting a note in the Heads pocket

I properly laughed at this

sweeneytoddsrazor · 04/07/2019 15:02

@Puzzledandpissedoff i have been to (and helped run) loads of school fetes and never has the main prize ticket been kept back.

The teddy stall was always the most popular and usually sold out in minutes. Basically ask for cuddly toy donations and then give them all a name. Charge 50p or a pound a go and whatever name you pull out is the toy you get.

FrenchJunebug · 04/07/2019 15:09

our school also has two tombolas: one for adults (alcohol mainly) and one for kids.

federationrep · 04/07/2019 21:17

I always spend big on the tombola. The whole point is to donate to the school. I don't want cakes of unknown provenance or pre-loved toys or masterpieces made by children (except maybe my own). Nor do I want to risk winning a giant teddy by guessing his birthday or make a twat of myself by failing to beat the goalie or splat the rat so tombola, hand over tenner, maybe come away empty handed, maybe win some chocolate, maybe win something that can be donated next time. Win, win. (I don't trample small children to get to the front of the queue though)

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