The PTA-UK Advice Line is particularly busy this time of the year – here’s a selection of the most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
Q: Does our event need insurance? A: In a word – yes! Schools require organisations using their site to have public liability cover of at least £5 million but as much as £10 million. PTA-UK members have £10 million public liability cover for all events wherever held(1).
Q: Can we have a bouncy castle? A: Yes again! Ensure that both the PTA and the bouncy castle provider are insured. PTA-UK’s subscription linked insurance covers bouncy castles as standard. Other insurance policies often exclude inflatables so you must check. The organisation providing the bouncy castle must have adequate public liability cover in place too – ask to see proof.
Q: Do we need a licence to serve alcohol? A: Yes you do. There is a £5,000 fine for not having the correct licence so you need to get this organised in good time. PTAs in England and Wales need a Temporary Event Notice from the local council, at a cost of £21. You must apply no later than 10 working days before the date of your event. In Northern Ireland, the premises need to be licensed to sell alcohol. See the PTA-UK Info sheet on event licences.
Q: Can we have pony rides? A: You can but again, this is an insurance issue. PTA-UK’s subscription linked insurance provides public liability cover for ponies and pony rides. If these are provided commercially, the owner will also need their own public liability cover. It is possible for your PTA-UK insurance to cover the loan of a pony owned privately by a member of your association although all responsible pony owners should have their own public liability insurance cover in place. See the PTA- UK Info sheet on insurance and pony rides for full details.
Q: What licence do we need for a raffle? A: In England and Wales, if you are holding the raffle with tickets only sold at the event then no licence is needed. However, if tickets are sold in advance of the event you will need a lottery licence from your local council. In Northern Ireland, the legislation is very similar to England and Wales. See the PTA-UK Info sheet on lottery licences.
Q: How many toilets should we have? A: There’s no specific requirement for the number of toilets you need to provide. Estimate the number of people you expect to attend, consider the number of toilets available and whether more need to be hired.
Q: We are worried about having a lot of money to look after on the day. What should we do? A: Two people should collect money throughout the event, counting it and recording which activity it came from. Secure the cash until the end of the event when monies should be totalled and recorded. Decide before the event how this money is going to be stored until it can be banked – ideally in a locked safe in an alarmed area. PTA-UK’s subscription linked insurance includes money cover. Check out the details to make sure you maximise the protection for your funds.
(1) Some hazardous activities are not automatically covered. Please contact PTA-UK’s Advice Line on 0845 850 5460 for further information. All answers are based on recommended best practice and reflect the rules and regulations for running a PTA established in the PTA-UK model constitution. All PTAs should refer to their own constitution to verify the rules and regulations by which the association should be run.
Free raffle prize for every PTA, worth £59.99 from Delta Force!
Delta Force is the UK’s largest provider of paintball games; their recently established Charity Paintball Department supports charities, schools, hospitals, sports clubs and youth groups in the areas local to their nationwide paintball centres.
As a voluntary group your PTA can apply for free fundraising paintball tickets worth £59.99 – a great prize for a PTA raffle or auction lot. Delta Force has helped many charities such as The Prince’s Trust, Help for Heroes, Macmillan Cancer Support, RSPCA and Normandy Veterans Association raise significant funds for their respective causes. If Delta Force fundraising paintball tickets would assist your PTA’s fundraising efforts then email Delta Force at ptacharity@paintballgames.co.uk, call 0844 4775020 (please quote PTA-UK) or visit www.paintballgames.co.uk/fundraising