SCHOOL’S OUT
After the event
The families have gone home and you’ve taken down the tables and gazebos – finish these last few jobs and you’re done!
Accomplish
your admin Count and bank all the cash, then tally up all the earnings with digital takings. Tell everyone how much you’ve made and what it will be spent on. Thank your volunteers. Long-
standing committee members know what they’re signing up for but ad-hoc volunteers – especially parents who have become involved with the school more recently – will benefit from some motivational praise. Events wouldn’t happen without them. All that micro- volunteering adds up. Get in touch with any businesses
who provided sponsorship, services or prizes and express your gratitude and that of the community. Keeping the relationships sweet means those businesses are more likely to get involved in subsequent events. Request feedback from those
who helped with the event: either in person, via your WhatsApp groups or by using a form – paper or Google. Ask what worked well, what wasn’t so successful and what could be done differently or better at subsequent events. Use the information to streamline processes and increase revenue. Collate all the information. In a
year’s time, you won’t remember everything that seems so critical now. It’s especially important if the committee is changing. New committee members need comprehensive handover notes, not just about the role, but about how to run your PTA’s events.
50 AUTUMN 2023
pta.co.uk
Sort your stock After setting down the event, you
should have a good sense of stock levels of items such as toys, books and bric-a-brac. Decide what to put back in storage for future events and donate any good quality surplus to local charity shops. If there’s any leftover food, such as
cakes and ice creams, hold a pop-up sale at the school gate as soon as you can. Look at use-by dates and sell any sweets that won’t last much longer. It’s good to keep stock rotating. If you can’t hold a pop-up, or you still don’t sell everything, donate perishables to a local food bank – with the cost of living crisis, it’s vital food doesn’t get thrown away.
Evaluate your
equipment As you break down the event, clean folding tables and other equipment. Keep gazebo components together – poles, ropes and canvases can easily get mixed up, creating a frustrating
Thank your volunteers. Events wouldn’t happen without them
extra job when they’re brought out next time. Put everything back in storage, keeping things as organised as possible. We all know how messy PTA sheds can get! If any items were broken, assess
whether you can repair them or ask a local repair café for help. If anything needs replacing now or is looking tired, create a shopping list for subsequent events. Return any equipment you’ve
borrowed or hired. The supplier may need to collect larger items, such as inflatables. Make sure it’s all in good order first. Did anything prove particularly useful? If so, investigate prices and decide if it’s worth a PTA investment for longer-term use. And relax…
WORDS: DAN ETHERNGTON; ILYALIREN/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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