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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School booze raffle

167 replies

nicegirl73 · 12/10/2021 13:55

I don’t usually post but this really got to me.

My daughter’s CoE primary sent out an email saying the children can come in normal clothes next Friday if they give a bottle of booze for the “booze barrow raffle”

They have defended this because the raffle is for adults and the school needs money,

but I still think it sets such a poor example to the kids. Talk about making alcohol fun.

AIBU? Or is this wrong on so many levels?

OP posts:
notacooldad · 12/10/2021 16:00

I've never heard of this and find it really odd. Someone else mentioned it, would a cigarette raffle be ok? To me there isn't a difference.
I'm suorised you haven't heard of it. Thus used to happen when I was a kid at svhool and I started in 1969!!
There was even an alcohol tombola at the summer fete that the monks held!

tintodeverano2 · 12/10/2021 16:01

My dds school asked for bottles of alcohol but not wine. And it was per child! Minimum spend £15. Imagine if you have a few at the same school.

NailsNeedDoing · 12/10/2021 16:01

I agree with you, but only because it looks weird seeing small children come into school with bottles of vodka etc. But then I also find it strange when children come in with bottles of wine as teacher thank you gifts at the end of term.

notacooldad · 12/10/2021 16:03

I think it's in bad taste
Some of the cheap nasty shit I've won over the years has certainly left a bad taste but there has been some good wins!

BasiliskStare · 12/10/2021 16:03

@saraclara - I agree with you - a bottle raffle / tom bola should not have to be "booze" and I disagree with idea - a bottle raffle if it can be anything from the the most cheap and chips bottle of absolutely anything to a nice wine I think is fine - but I do get your point & agree with it. I also think if a child turned up in own clothes and has forgotten ( or more likely parents have forgotten or can't ) to send them in with something ) - they should not be not allowed to join in - that's not right IMHO. ( Hope I have got enough nots in that.

These things raise money which is important - but there is a fine line I think

BaronessOfTheNorth · 12/10/2021 16:08

I usually have to be drunk to attend a raffle. I think the two go hand in hand.

TrashPanda · 12/10/2021 16:08

Our PTA does a bottle tombola, biggest money spinner. Doesn't specify alcohol though so plenty of bubble bath and soft drinks. They also do a sweet/chocolate one. Usually KS1 asked to bring sweets and KS2 a bottle.

Viviennemary · 12/10/2021 16:11

Its cheeky of the school. Complain to the Governors

CornedBeef451 · 12/10/2021 16:12

Our school does this but it's just bottled anything. A specific booze one does seem a bit weird though.

At ours the same bottles of Radox and Lambrini turn up each time. It's quite good fun.

jillandhersprite · 12/10/2021 16:12

Isn't this where you do the parenting - and decide how you want to bring up kids and influence their views on alcohol - rather than expect the world around to accommodate your wishes. I've grown up with bottle tombolas and don't have a problem. Somehow I think banning booze in school tombolas is not going to change people that have a problem with alcohol.
Also I suspect this is similar elsewhere but...
They don't police the kids and everyone is non uniform - its to remind parents that a contribution helps with the fundraising efforts
Its not just booze at many schools - it can be a bottle of anything. I think the same bottle of dodgy bath bubbles/weird foreign spirit that are not wanted get regifted back into next years tombola to be laughed about on the parent whatsapp groups!

HermioneAndRoger · 12/10/2021 16:15

@Soubriquet

I see where you’re coming from. I’m teetotal. I don’t drink at all. Don’t enjoy the taste, don’t enjoy the hangover. I don’t think alcohol should be promoted around children either but it’s normal now

However, you don’t need to actually the raffle tickets I guess.

“Now”?

This isn’t new. I remember helping my mum to run the tombola at the PTA fête in the 80s. All the prizes were booze (and a duty-free pack of 200 fags, IIRC…)

EdenFlower · 12/10/2021 16:18

Errr! My CofE school does exactly the same thing.

Alcohol is fun and most adults don't have a problem with alcohol and can drink in in moderation. Isn't that what we are saying to the children. It's not shameful to have a glass of wine or a beer!

Brainwave89 · 12/10/2021 16:19

So does the school have no-one with moral or religious objections to drinking? In most corporates it is now seen as inappropriate to offer alcohol as incentives. Anyone Muslim for example would be wholly excluded by this.

EmmalineC · 12/10/2021 16:20

At my kids' primary school, the same bottle of non-alcoholic rhubarb wine turned up at every single summer and Christmas fayre on the tombola table, for 5 consecutive years. Grin

For all I know, it's still in circulation now!

notacooldad · 12/10/2021 16:20

I agree with you, but only because it looks weird seeing small children come into school with bottles of vodka etc
Parents hand it over to the teacher ( or the childminder or who ever us doing the drop off/ pick up.
I wouldn't trust a kid with a bottle of Smirnoff. What if they dropped it. What a waste!!😮

Tomatalillo · 12/10/2021 16:20

Bad and manipulative idea.

Can you imagine being a parent with an alcohol problem and your child trying to persuade you that you have to buy a bottle of booze so they can wear non-uniform?

It’s not fair on adult or child.

Better to have non-uniform for a quid or two and anyone who wants to enter the booze raffle can donate to that too.

MilduraS · 12/10/2021 16:20

Funny you should mention it. My colleague was telling me about her primary school daughter being ask to bring in alcohol for a dress down day. My colleague and her husband are Muslim and grew up Libya so she was asking if it was normal or just a strange school. She decided to buy a bottle of wine but said it felt really weird buying alcohol when she's very obviously Muslim (wears a hijab).

TheOrigRights · 12/10/2021 16:21

The only problem I have is if they expect the children to be carrying bottles of alcohol into school to donate to the raffle.
There's just no need.

sunglassesonthetable · 12/10/2021 16:22

It's legal, decent and honest to drink alcohol over the age of 18.

You sound puritanical OP.

FWBNC · 12/10/2021 16:22

@LittleLottieChaos

Why can’t it just be ‘drinks’ raffle… the use of the word ‘booze’ is actually gross.
Don't be daft
EmKayEm · 12/10/2021 16:26

2ltr bottle of 'Frosty Jack's' 7.5%ABV cider is only £2.29.

Get some of that.

FWBNC · 12/10/2021 16:31

@nicegirl73

Omg at the replies, no wonder there is such a huge alcohol problem in this country if people’s attitudes are so pro drinking as yours all are.
Get over yourself.

Schools NEED to fundraise. If this raises money I don't have a problem with it. I don't have a problem with adults buying or drinking alcohol, nor do I have a problem with kids taking it into school for a fundraiser.

Funnily enough, none of this means I have a problem with alcohol.

toomuchlaundry · 12/10/2021 16:33

I can't imagine they will send children home to change back into uniform if they don't bring a bottle

BanditoShipman · 12/10/2021 16:33

Should do a bottle tombola where it can be a bottle of posh bubble bath or non alcoholic too

girlmom21 · 12/10/2021 16:33

@notacooldad

I agree with you, but only because it looks weird seeing small children come into school with bottles of vodka etc Parents hand it over to the teacher ( or the childminder or who ever us doing the drop off/ pick up. I wouldn't trust a kid with a bottle of Smirnoff. What if they dropped it. What a waste!!😮
Dropping a bottle of Smirnoff would be a kindness Envy (not envy)
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