It's hard to believe that this week we held our 12th #PTAhour session! Our social media followers gathered on Facebook and Twitter once again to talk about their plans for the Spring term, and with World Book Day, Mother's Day and Easter fundraising events all on the horizon, there was plenty to discuss!
World Book Day
Thursday 7th March is the date for 2019's World Book Day celebrations, and lots of schools are organising special events throughout the school day. But has your PTA thought of turning this popular day into a fundraiser?
"School hold their own World Book Day dress up event, but we hold a children’s book sale the day after. Currently asking for book donations to be sent into school and we sell at £1 each. The kids love a book sale!" Louise H
"Fabulous idea! #bookcafe Maybe a book swap? Good for the environment too!" Valewood PTA
"We’ve got a second hand World Book Day costume sale on Friday, and a second hand book sale on World Book Day." Sarah via Twitter
We're loving the sound of these ideas! If you're in need of some last-minute dress up inspiration for World Book Day, don't panic - you've got this! Our Pinterest board is full of quick and easy costumes for busy mums and dads :)
Easter Fundraising Events
Many of you tell us that you hold Easter fundraising events, like Easter Egg hunts or chocolate bingo. But Sarah on Twitter needed some ideas for an alternative event!
"We're organising an Easter Fun afternoon, we are going to run an Easter egg hunt but we need some other things too to fill the time! We’ve never done an Easter event before so would love some tips."
"We have an Easter pop up market with cakes, drinks and toys from previous fetes!! Plus a raffle with Easter eggs and hampers as prizes - our local supermarket have been brilliant with donations." Lorraine L
"We’ve done a colouring in competition and had a raffle for a Easter hamper." LuttyRR via Twitter
"We usually host a non uniform day where the children bring an Easter Egg in exchange for not wearing uniform. We then have our Easter Bingo & tombola prizes." Meadow PTA via Twitter
"We want to try an Easter raffle with an Easter hamper! Anybody know of any chocolate companies that may donate eggs or anything to help bulk out our hamper?" Friends of Meath Green Juniors via Twitter
"Could you ask children to donate chocolate and make one up with all the donations?" Laura G
"Supermarkets, and also check your local church especially if one of your members is a member of the church." Lyndsey G
"Lindt donated to us last year." Natalie S-N
"I would ask local supermarkets and shops." Louiza M
"We hold a non uniform day the week before our Bingo night and the children donate eggs, we make up 10 big hampers and the smaller line prizes with the donations. It works really well and has amazing support on the night." Andrea P
“We are organising Chocolate Bingo as an Easter fundraiser! Can anyone recommend a free bingo calling app or software we can use on the night?” Katy P
Lyndsey G, Laura G and Tracy O all suggested apps for Bingo, some paid and some free.
Mother's Day
Celebrate the special ladies in your life and raise a few pounds at the same time! Here are a few ideas for Mother's Day fundraisers. Some schools are extra careful to broaden the scope of the event, so it can be a chance to celebrate somebody special, no matter who they are.
"We have an afternoon tea leading into a whole school assembly, Mums, nannies, main carers have their tea and cake free, everyone else welcome, but we ask for donations. School does their normal assembly and usually a little bit of talent show bits. Low cost, not much income but enough to acknowledge Mother's Day." Caroline F
"We have a Someone Special secrets room, kids can buy gifts for mums, nans, aunties, whoever they want. We sell gifts for £2.50." Caron J
"We run a secret shop, to be honest we barely make £30 but the children love it." LuttyRR via Twitter
"We are thinking of doing ‘breakfast in a bag’ that can be pre-ordered and kids can then give it to their mum as a sort of breakfast in bed (croissant, cereal box, coffee sachet, poem on bag etc) 💕 just costing it up." St. Vincent's PTA via Twitter
"We have had children design coasters and they are ordered in a card. They cost £4, and for every one sold the school gets money. " Debbi E
And our award for Fabulous Idea of the Night goes to......
....Laura G, who told us that her PTA's next event is a "Ladies Fizz night! We had our first in 2017. One of the mums came up with it and she formed a mini committee to organise. We had it at the local tennis club which they gave us for free, and we also get £5 back for every bottle of Prosecco sold so we really are drinking for the children!
We have a hot buffet and when ordering tickets we ask people for their favourite song and the DJ tries to play as many as he can.
We are having it in March this year and we are now sold out. We have a raffle on the night with some fantastic prizes donated by local companies and businesses. It should be a nice chance for mums to have a nice time, dress up and chill for an evening."
Now that sounds like our kind of event!
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PlanSocial curates resources and educational materials for school parents and their families, focusing on everything from educational support for your children, self-development and career re-entry, to home improvement, family well-being and even where to find the best family holidays.
