Summer planning
A DAY (AND NIGHT) OUTDOORS
For an outdoor event with more fl exibility, combine elements of a picnic, barbecue or garden party with a campout.
FEELING CAUTIOUS? Choose a day or a weekend, and let families decide what will work best for them. Encourage supporters to post photos or videos of their picnics or barbecues on your social media, and hold online games and challenges to foster a sense of community. Add a campover element where families sleep in a different room of the house or in the garden. Help children to connect by challenging each class to learn a campfi re song and sing it together. Host an online bedtime story for pupils and their fl uffy friends.
FEELING OPTIMISTIC? A day outdoors works really well
once two households or more can mix outdoors and the warm weather arrives. Create a picnic, barbecue or campout kit containing ideas for activities. Find a local butcher who can provide barbecue packs to take away – with a kickback to the PTA – or sell picnic lunchboxes. Scale up your day by suggesting
team games and circle games for bigger groups that can be played without too much equipment (see previous page). Encourage families to be inclusive. If people are gathering in parks or the countryside, remind them to be considerate of others and take waste home. If camping out,
families could join forces in gardens or book a local campsite together.
FEELING AMBITIOUS? If guidelines allow, a bigger event
on the school fi eld may be possible. Ask families to pre-book, and hold a picnic or garden party where people bring their own food and are sat in groups of the permitted size. Use a PA for entertainment or fi nd a local band who can play at a distance. Ask an ice-cream van along or sell ice-pops, making sure people queue in a socially distanced way. Hold races and challenges for the children and their parents alike. If the school will allow camping, make sure it is booked in advance and plan for shared toilet and handwashing facilities.
RAFFLE OR SILENT AUCTION
If a day out doesn’t appeal, how about a raffl e or an auction? Once you’ve sourced the prizes, make it clear how winners can claim them. Will you deliver, or can they be collected from the school?
FEELING CAUTIOUS? Hold an online hamper raffl e. Ask each
class to donate items based on a summer theme such as picnics, gardening, games or the beach, and make up hampers based on each one. For a rainbow hamper raffl e, allocate a colour to each class and request donations in the class colour, holding a non-uniform day where classes come dressed in their colour too. Use an online site such as Raffall (
raffall.com) or People’s Fundraising (
peoplesfundraising.com) or run a text raffl e through a site such as DONATE (nationalfundingscheme. org). If you’re advertising your raffl e, you’ll probably need a licence. See our online raffl e FAQs at
pta.co.uk/ events/planning/online-raffl es-faqs Alternatively, a silent auction is
a great way for participants to get prizes they genuinely want. Ask supporters and local fi rms for prizes and hold it on a dedicated site
20 SUMMER 2021
pta.co.uk
such as Auction of Promises (
auctionofpromises.com) or Jumblebee (
jumblebee.co.uk). If you have a PTA Facebook group, hold a silent auction by posting details of each prize separately and asking for bids in the comments. DONATE also offers online and silent auctions where guests bid online or by text. For maximum variety and value, source a combination of products and services.
FEELING OPTIMISTIC? Hold an auction of promises. It’s
easier, and more fun, to come up with ideas for promises when small groups are allowed to gather. How about a sports lesson, help with IT, or a meal for two donated by a local restaurant?
FEELING AMBITIOUS? Hold a traditional auction where
people can view lots and bid in- person. It’s easier to whip up a competitive spirit when people are face-to-face, resulting in higher profi ts for the PTA. Seat groups in bubbles of the size allowed. To give everyone a chance, offer lots online prior to auction day.
Raise money!
Within a diverse group of parents there will be a diverse set of circumstances, but there’s nothing wrong with asking for donations to help the school. If you’re holding a big event, combine free activities with paid-for options so there’s something for all budgets.
● Admission or registration: Charge a small fee to participate or suggest a donation amount. Source a treat, such as an online voucher for cake or coffee from a local
company as part of the package. ● Virtual donation bucket: Ask for donations during your event and make sure everyone knows how
to give to you online. ● Non-uniform day: Hold a non- uniform day before your event based around your theme, if you
have one. ● Takeout and delivery: Ask local shops and restaurants if they can provide a picnic box, barbecue pack, craft beer selection or wine delivery. Alternatively batch-cook curries and sell with sides and cooking instructions. Offer a vegetarian option and take
payments online in advance. ● Competition: Hold challenges and competitions with a small fee to enter each one.
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