court of mumsnet - advice please

[tatt]

the PA chair did not want to have a fundraising event which had taken place before and which had been the biggest fund raiser in each year it was held. Some people were keen for it to go ahead but none of the previous organisers wanted to organise it. I wouldn't commit to organising it until I knew more about what was involved but said I'd look at it if was feasible for it to go ahead.

After looking into it I decided there were enough people to get a group together if I organised it so I did some work on it and told the chair there were enough people to take it forward. Then I got a very odd e-mail from the chair saying I should call a meeting and pass it over to a previous organiser who had told the PA chair they had a venue for the meeting. What would you do - call the meeting or tell them to do it themselves?

If I've followed that correctly, I think I'd call the previous organiser and have a chat with her.

Personally I would (and have) got out of this world of petty PTA politics ... they seem to be often run by power-crazed individuals, with few abilities in motivating, inspiring, and managing volunteers. I started school with ds1 with good intentions, and lots of enthusiasm, but after a few run-ins with ours, we now just slip the school some dosh (a donation) from time to time, and have nothing whatsoever to do with the coven.

yes I'm with lemonaiiee

cut out the middle man

Sounds as though it wasn't completely true that none of the previous organisers wanted to organise it. However given that there wasn't overwhelming enthusiasm and you have found some new people who would like to be involved, I would contact the previous organiser and try to work with him/her. The PA may just be bad at communicating things, but I don't think I would read too much into it at this stage.

run

lol, yes I agree with Filly. I would hand over the work you've done (being very clear that you are handing it over because you have been told to do it) and run away very fast in the other direction...
sounds like a bonkers situation but not unusual.
don't hold your breath for a thank you either.

I spoke to the previous organiser after getting the e-mail. She really doesn't want to organise it, she also wanted to stop it happening. Why do people do this?

If I don't carry on with it it won't happen and the school badly needs the money. There are people keen to see it happen, so they'll form a team if I'll be the overall organiser ( and focus of blame ). But I can't organise it unless we get a new chair - this one is supposed to stand down soon. I don't want to chair the PA so I'm not going to take that on. Don't really want to organise this event either but I don't want to see it cancelled when it raises a lot of money.

I am utterly intrigued now as to what this controversial-but-lucrative event actually is...

I rather - ingly remember an Iron Maiden song from my younger days.

Run to the hills
Run for your liiiiife

What is the event anyway?

sounds like they want to take over now you've put the ground work in , elbow you out and take the credit...i'd hand over and leg it.....!

it's not that lucrative - simply that all the other events have been less lucrative . That's why the school needs the money ......

We had a similar thing a few years ago it wasnt that people didnt want an event to take place just that no-one wanted to organise it, then two new members agreed to give it a shot and it was the best fun day ever.

I don't actually care if someone else wants the credit. Anyone who wants credit is welcome to it, I just want the school to get the money. Last time the Fair (nothing exciting )was held there were a few problems. As a result a couple of the people who were involved before have become very negative. Going to wait and see if we get a new PA chair or not, if not I run . If we do and other people are still willing to get involved I won't let them down.

perhaps the "chair" could be a shared roll. Its less daunting, and a good excuse for a couple of peeps to get together and share ideas and a glass of wine.