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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be pissed off I have to buy things for summer fair?

78 replies

woodenrule · 17/07/2019 09:17

I work in a school.

I have to attend a summer fair and run a stall.

AIBU to be a bit pissed off I have to buy these things? I spend enough on pens, glue etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
woodenrule · 17/07/2019 09:39

I’m sure it’s not maddening, I’m still skint though!

OP posts:
Bowerbird5 · 17/07/2019 09:43

Ask a local firm to sponsor it and donate a prize. Make a poster saying donated by🦊🦊🦊🦊 make a game.

A good one for next year is to collect old keys and have a box (woodwork) that only one key opens. Put a note in say £20 and recoup it from float later. Or a voucher from somewhere that appeals to teenagers.

I was on the cake stall this year and didn’t know until the day so I hadn’t even baked a cake.
We have a bake off decorated cake competition that morning then sell some and cut the rest up and sell those individually. Made a good amount this year.
You could make a cake...Guess the Weight and winner gets the cake. I have done that at Christmas.

I usually donate stuff but have lots of staff leaving so also been putting money in for that so likewise can’t afford any more and for once didn’t donate to Summer Fair. I’ll do something for the Christmas one instead.

Comefromaway · 17/07/2019 09:43

Not all high schools have a PTA.

NoSquirrels · 17/07/2019 09:44

You take it out of the profit for the stall.

Who’s providing the float? Ask them to sub it in advance. Keep receipts.

NoSquirrels · 17/07/2019 09:45

Next time get the students to come up with ideas and organise it - educational, innit?

WhenOneFacePalmDoesntCutIt · 17/07/2019 09:45

woodenrule

I didn't say I had made a survey of all the schools in the country, just that no -one else with secondary aged schools had ever mentioned there were no PTA in theirs, and all the usual Proms and so on are all organised by the PTAs 🤷

Now wondering WHO puts a prom together then? I am not a fan of Proms AT ALL but they are a thing across the country nowadays

ItWentInMyEye · 17/07/2019 09:50

Surely they'll give you a float? So you can take the money out of that before you hand it back (with receipt of whatever you buy)

ohcanada · 17/07/2019 09:50

Buy stuff from the Pound Shop, keep the receipt, take it out of what you make at the stall.

BlueSkiesLies · 17/07/2019 09:53

You take the prize cost out of the profits form the stall! You don't fund it yourself.

Kazzyhoward · 17/07/2019 09:55

very few secondaries have a thriving PA

They used to be rare but now seem a lot more commonplace. When we were looking at secondaries, we visited five open days and three of them had what looked like very active "friends" (PTA) groups.

In one, they had displays in the tech lab of the 3d printing machine, lego mindstorm robotics, etc., with a huge sign alongside saying they'd been bought by the "friends" group.

In another, they had a big stall with raffle/tombola etc to make money from the open day visitors.

In the one my son went to, they are incredibly active with regular social events and even have a school shop selling second hand uniform, books, branded pens/umbrellas, etc.

Comefromaway · 17/07/2019 09:56

Wooden - Dds school has a PTA & ds’s school doesn’t. AT both schools prom is organised by the school. At Dds school leavers hoodies are organised by the prefects, at ds’s school by the uniform supplier.

echt · 17/07/2019 09:56

How is a summer fair directed time? When does it happen?

Deadheadstickeronacadillac · 17/07/2019 10:00

I ran a very successful stall a few years ago with a £15 iTunes gift voucher as prize.
You had to throw 5 sixes in one throw.
Draw out a board on a table with whiteboard pen, use card to make borders around edge of table.
No one won the prize in 3 hours of playing so I took the voucher home with and spent it, having paid out for it in the first place.
If you could get kids to give 50p each , that would cover it.

DontMakeMeShushYou · 17/07/2019 10:03

Buy the sweets and take what they cost out of what you took on the stall

This! It's the basic principle of fundraising, surely.

OR

Write a brief letter explaining what you're fundraising for, print it on the schools headed paper, and ask in your local stores for donations of sweets. I got £15 worth of chocs for a fundraising hamper from the Co-op.

ohcanada · 17/07/2019 10:15

That's a great idea @Deadheadstickeronacadillac

chocomug · 17/07/2019 10:24

I'm a teacher. My new favourite word is no.

I'll always go out of the way to help a colleague or child, no questions asked. But not all these extra things that are not part of my job.

I work hard enough, if my attendance at these things is so necessary, then compensate me for it. I'm not getting paid extra to leave my family for no thanks and extra headaches.

Say NO!

saraclara · 17/07/2019 10:32

Obviously you take your expenses from what you take on the stall.

WorraLiberty · 17/07/2019 10:41

but if I say no it’s going to be a bit shit as we all have to run a stall

All of you?

How many staff are in the school? That's a hell of a lot of stalls even for the smallest senior school.

Hearthside · 17/07/2019 10:41

MyOpinionIsValid my eldest DC's do that stall it always goes down a treat 🤣.

Rachelover40 · 17/07/2019 10:50

You're a miserable git aren't you? I don't think you can be compelled to run a stall or buy anything but it won't hurt you to show your face and buy something small or enter a raffle. A summer fair is very much part of school life and most enjoy it, especially the pupils. Why work in a school if you can't be bothered with its activities?

Honestly - £2!

Being ill on the day is an option of course if you're determined not to enter into the spirit of the event, try breaking your ankle - or have a family emergency.

echt · 17/07/2019 10:54

Why work in a school if you can't be bothered with its activities?

Let's say yes to unpaid work and then.......pay to do it.Hmm

Fuck that.

TeenTimesTwo · 17/07/2019 11:02

Pay for prizes out of takings.

Our secondary has a small PTA. We don't do a lot, one quiz night and then refreshments at school events. But it slowly adds up to buy extras. We certainly don't organise summer fairs or proms.

Kazzyhoward · 17/07/2019 11:15

Let's say yes to unpaid work and then.......pay to do it.

It's not work, it's fund raising. Lots of employees do things in their own time for fund raising for their employer's charity. A load of Asda workers in a local fun run won't be getting their hourly rate!

saraclara · 17/07/2019 11:18

It's not work, it's fund raising. Lots of employees do things in their own time for fund raising for their employer's charity. A load of Asda workers in a local fun run won't be getting their hourly rate!

The difference is that they'll have chosen to do it, and the charity they're running for won't be Asda!

Wodkavodka · 17/07/2019 11:19

Rachelover40 ask your doctor / nurse / bank manager to run a stall on a day where they will not be paid to work? They are part of the community too!

At our last summer fair I was verbally abused by a parent who wanted me to do something (that I probably would have done if she'd asked in advance) but I didn't have the stuff with me - because nobody had mentioned it! It will be the last Saturday I give unpaid.