Agenda CHAIR Q&A
Helen Mansutti is in her third year as PTA chair at St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s Primary School in Chester (340 pupils).
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What made you decide to take on the role of chair?
The previous chair was stepping down and there was no one to take over. I was adamant that I wasn’t going to step up, and then somehow I found myself in front of our headteacher saying, ‘If you need someone to take over, I will!’
How do you recruit volunteers and boost support?
We try to be very open, laid-back and welcoming, and we aren’t afraid to laugh at ourselves. We hold the majority of meetings in a local pub, and have found that encouraging new reception parents to come along and make new friends has been really positive for them.
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What’s been your proudest achievement as chair?
I have two: one was starting our talent show night, which has
proved to be the funniest family-based event of the whole year. My second was realising how much money we had raised last year! (£13,500)
What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
Time and resources are the two biggest obstacles, and it can be
stressful in the run-up to an event. I’m a bit of a control freak, but my team around me are brilliant and they will now force me to delegate jobs to them!
How do you go about boosting morale and motivating your team?
If I’m
honest...mainly prosecco! I think if you celebrate a ‘job well done’ with
a glass of fi zz once all the tidying up has been done, a mutual ‘pat on the back’ goes a long way!
Win a mud kitchen for your school Children of all ages enjoy messy fun and one of the best ways to promote this type of sensory play is with a mud kitchen. We have three mud kitchens with cooker and sink from Fenland Leisure Products to give away, worth £834 each. To enter, visit
pta.co.uk and tap on GIVEAWAYS. Closing date is midnight on Monday 20 February. For more information, visit
fenlandleisure.co.uk/mud-kitchen-for-children
The big question: Can stalls fundraising for other causes take part in PTA events?
Having a stall fundraising for another cause, such as a local animal shelter or hospice, at your event is essentially the same as allowing an external stallholder, which means it’s down to your committee to decide what’s acceptable. You may decide to waive the pitch fee for a good cause, even though it means losing out on some money. To take the pressure off your committee, ask the good cause if they can provide an activity – for example, the local Scouts could provide a face-painting stall. If you’d rather support a charity without diverting funds from the PTA, how about inviting them to take non-monetary donations (such as collecting for the food bank)?
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pta.co.uk SPRING 2020 9
3THINGS TO DO 1
2 AFTER CHRISTMAS
Hold a gift amnesty Make use of unwanted or duplicate presents by holding a gift amnesty. Place a collection box in your reception and invite people to donate items to the PTA to be used at future events.
January sales If you’re planning to hold
a gift-room event this year, the post-Christmas sales can be a great opportunity to buy good-quality presents you couldn’t otherwise afford. Be mindful of sustainability as you shop by avoiding single-use or overly packaged items, where possible.
3
Hold a free event A lot of PTAs have a break in their fundraising in January to account for supporters’ lack of funds after Christmas, but you can still hold an event. Use it as an opportunity to raise the profi le of your PTA by doing something for the community, such as funding a disco or fi lm night for pupils, or holding a colouring competition.
Notes
IMAGES: JESS WEALLEANS; AZURE-DRAGON/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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