karenlatoy Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 On a similar note to the tea and coffee thread, who do you think should pay for wine and refreshments provided at our AGM? We are a committee run pre-school and traditionally the committee have provided the refreshments for the AGM themselves. Back in my day on the committee, we each brought in a bottle and divided up the purchase of cheese, crackers, grapes etc. This year's outgoing committee have asked if they can be paid back out of funds. Of course, it's up to the committee how they spend the funds but I feel that funding should be spent on things like the children or staff wages. I know the cost of a few bottles of wine would not fund a pay rise but it seems rather mean spritied of them when we are not allowed pay rises and money is tight. They have done little to raise any funds for us during their time in office and have claimed back every last penny in expenses. I also know from experience that they will take home the unused bottles at the end of the evening for their own use! It's perhaps not relevant, but we are based in a wealthy area and most of the parents are loaded! We could charge parents for a glass of wine and make it a fund raiser but it's so difficult to get anyone to come to the AGM in the first place... Am I being unreasonable?? Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 I'd either make it tea, coffee and cake instead or see if I could find a friendly pub that will let you use a room for free so they just buy their own drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertwin Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 our preschool is also comittee run and we feel that the comittee "fund " enough of bits and bobs with thier time and raffle prizes etc etc so we pay for all refreshemnts, it is budjeted for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jenpercy Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 our preschool is also comittee run and we feel that the comittee "fund " enough of bits and bobs with thier time and raffle prizes etc etc so we pay for all refreshemnts, it is budjeted for. Should we provide wine when many people will have come by car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertwin Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 it is a persons choice weather to drink of not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 ours was always tea and coffee.. if they wanted anything else they had to provide it... You cannot charge for wine as you don't have a licence.. not worth the fines if a parent complains... a local pub sounds like a good idea... Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 A room in a local pub sounds like a good idea if that is possible, and then people can buy their own drinks. Otherwise I would provide tea, coffee and cakes, and you could get the children to make them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenlatoy Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 I like the idea of going to the pub, will definitely consider for next year. Don't know why we haven't thought of it before really. If our committee had been supportive and done lots for us, we wouldn't have a problem with this request but they have contributed nothing financially and barely anything in terms of time and effort. If we felt we had anything to thank them for then we would be rewarding their efforts with appropriate thank you presents (like wine) but sadly this is not the case this year. Thanks for your ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 ours was always tea and coffee.. if they wanted anything else they had to provide it... You cannot charge for wine as you don't have a licence.. not worth the fines if a parent complains... a local pub sounds like a good idea... Inge ..........but you could charge for the cheese and biscuits - which has a 'complimentary' drink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Hi used to do cheese and wine in the past which did come out of funds, but with lots of people driving we decided a couple of years ago to just provide a variety of juices, and a few savouries. I know what you mean about committee input and i know we have been very fortunate year on year up to now to get enthusiastic members so we see it is as a little gesture of goodwill really. However after we have closed the meeting we invite everybody to join us at the pub and everyone pays for their own drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 I like the idea of going to the pub, will definitely consider for next year. Don't know why we haven't thought of it before really. If our committee had been supportive and done lots for us, we wouldn't have a problem with this request but they have contributed nothing financially and barely anything in terms of time and effort. If we felt we had anything to thank them for then we would be rewarding their efforts with appropriate thank you presents (like wine) but sadly this is not the case this year. Thanks for your ideas. Forgive me if I've got this wrong, but are you staff and you are telling the committee how they can use the funds? I'm chair, I speak to the treasurer and the playleader about funds, about where the AGM will be and about refreshments. Part of our accounts book includes committee expenses, refreshments, travel, parking ect. I was once told to always take expenses when offered, to refuse would maybe decrease their availablity completley and that might put people off from joining an organistaion. Some people NEED the expenses even the £1.00 bus fare, so there should always be a fund for them. As to wine, I dont see a problem, just make sure the serious stuffs out of the way before you open the second bottle!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenlatoy Posted September 17, 2010 Author Share Posted September 17, 2010 Sorry, should have said, I am a member of staff but I also happen to do the book keeping for the treasurer so you're right, it's not my decision how money is spent. The committee usually ask for my opinion but all financial decisions are theirs. I suppose the main issue is that staff are wondering why they have enough money to pay themselves back for things like wine when as staff we contribute so much that we can't claim for because there is not enough money available to do so. Anyway, AGM is on Monday so it's done now and I think that next year we may look into a room in the pub, sounds like a good idea. Thanks Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Hi karen do you and the staff not attend your AGM as well, we do at ours to show support and comittment to the provision. We obviously don't vote or anything like that and of course they can have a drink if they want one. Would that be an option so no one feels left out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Well we can't have or sell wine at our church hall so that solves that problem. We had tea, coffee provided from normal stocks (which is paid for from petty cash) one parent made a chocolate cake and another supplied biscuits. We went to the local pub after the meeting. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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