MANAGING YOUR PTA – Better buying


and have a cut-off date so you know exactly how much you need. To prevent running out of prizes


or Pimm’s in the first hour of your summer fair, consider a back-up plan for picking up extra stock. Remember that wholesalers, and sometimes supermarkets, allow you to purchase items on sale-or-return. If you’re left with too much after


an event, there are several options. Keep non-perishable goods for your next event. If you don’t have space, sell or donate them to another PTA. For perishable goods such as


cakes, you could organise an after-school sale the next day to shift them, or take surplus goods to a local charity or homeless shelter. Using a third-party caterer cuts


price trackers like pricehistory.co.uk or camelcamelcamel.co.uk to check whether you’re getting the best deal.


Larger equipment Larger purchases may be anything


from tea urns and candyfloss makers to bingo machines and marquees. When looking into a larger


purchase, think about how often it will be used and how much it could make on each occasion. Consider the size of your school and events to establish the best item to buy, and don’t commit until you’ve worked out where it can be stored. Although it can be a large initial cost, items often pay for themselves after one use. Items such as candyfloss or


popcorn makers need to be the industrial kind rather than smaller domestic items, as they are made to withstand a continued running time. Can you club together with


another PTA to buy larger items? This means a split cost which will benefit both parties, and could make it easier to find somewhere to store it between the two organisations.


Over/under-ordering To avoid ordering the wrong amount


of something in the first place, keep a record of sales at previous events to refer back to. For big events, get people to buy tickets in advance,


If you have the storage facilities, shop all year


round for bulk bargains to maximise profits


Swap shop


‘One of the teaching assistants at our school is on the PTFA of St Pauls and St Timothy’s schools, which her children attend. St Mary’s PTFA has built up a relationship with them through this TA over the past four to five years. We loan each other equipment such as coconut shies, tombolas and spin-the- wheel for fayres, plus rails for uniform sales. We also donate leftover supplies to each other after events. This is done for free and is such a helpful resource. We also swap ideas for events.


They recently shared their success for making and selling mystery cups at the summer fayre, which we replicated, and we told them about a Smarties fundraiser.’ Dawn Grocott, PTFA treasurer, St Mary’s CofE Primary School, West Derby (214 pupils)


this risk for the PTA. It means you need fewer volunteers and don’t have to worry about cooking and food hygiene yourselves. Do bear in mind, though, that food is often one of the biggest sellers at PTA events, and a third-party supplier will only pay you a pitch fee or a percentage of sales.


Storing stock Always assess the space you have


when making purchases so you don’t buy more than you can store. When storing food with a long shelf life it’s important to make sure it’s kept safely and cleanly, which means not in a damp, drafty PTA shed! Keep food in a cool, dry place in clear, air-tight boxes so that you can see what’s in each box to prevent things being forgotten and wasted. If you don’t have space available at


school, do any committee members have spare space you could use, such as a garage or shed?


Managing stock If you have perishable goods, keep


a record for each item of how many you have, where it’s stored and its expiry date. Audit stock each year to see what you have. What do you use, and what’s sitting around gathering dust? If you have items that you don’t need, sell them on. Audits will prevent you buying more of what you already have and act as a reminder of what equipment you have available, which can help with planning future events.


pta.co.uk SPRING 2019 21


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