PTA Podcast

Please note, I can't reply to texts, but I can to emails - hello@ptapodcast.com In this episode, I share my tips on how to get through the organisation of a big event like a summer or winter fête. I talk about things you could try during the planing stages to make things easier, what you can do on the day of the event and crucially, how to cope when it's all feeling too much. I hope my e...

Please note, I can't reply to texts, but I can to emails - hello@ptapodcast.com In this episode, I chat to Carol Rogerson about the PTA+ website which is a unique resource for all things related to PTAs in the UK - do go and have a browse of the website if you haven't already found it - www.pta.co.uk Carol is also the editor of School Fundraising magazine and we talk about how she finds...

Thank you for your message! Please note, if you text me I cannot reply directly to you, but I can if you use my email address below. In this episode, we have a look at the concept of marginal gains - a way of making tiny changes to various aspects of your events organisation and planning which can add up to big improvements overall. I give some suggestions from my own time as a PTA Chair on some o...

Thank you for your message! Please note, if you text me I cannot reply directly to you, but I can if you use my email address below. In this episode, I give you all the details about my proudest and biggest achievement when I was Chair of my PTA - fundraising for a new library at my school. It was a full-on year of fundraising and fun, and it changed the way my PTA approached projects and how we w...

Thank you for your message! Please note, if you text me I cannot reply directly to you, but I can if you use my email address below. In this episode, I reply to Evie who texted me and asked about Instagram. That made me think about the different ways my PTA communicates with parents and I thought I would share the different methods and my experience of them with you. Do you use similar methods - w...

In this episode, I chat to Keren Mitchell about his website called Superkind ( https://superkind.org/ ) which PTAs can use to gather sponsorship money and really put the children at the heart of fundraising. I also suggest that you add "Gift Aid reference number" to your PTA to-do list if you are a charity in the UK but haven't registered for Gift Aid yet. Do you use an online platf...

In this episode, I share my experience of doing a handover to the next PTA Chair. It was all very straightforward in the end, as most of it is electronic now! Are you doing a handover, or will you have one coming up in the future? Have you had a similar experience to me? I'd love to hear from you - contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you. Please rate and review m...

In this episode, I update you on what happened as I tried to step down as Chair of my PTA. As you know from Episode 19, I was dreading my AGM with no one wanting to step up to the role. So this is my story about what happened and how it went. I also list a few places you can go for help if you are dealing with a tricky situation in your PTA at the moment. Have you had a similar experience to me? D...

In this episode, I chat to my friend Eve about her gift-wrapping business and an idea about a festive fundraiser with a difference. Why not give a gift-wrapping evening a try to get parents together for a social occasion? We talk through how this could work and explore how you can make any gift-wrapping you do as a PTA more eco-friendly. If you don't have anyone in your area who could help wi...

In this episode, I welcome you back to my podcast after I had a break over the summer. I'm juggling a few things already, including organising the AGM in the next few weeks. I'm wanting to step down as Chair at the AGM but no one so far wants to step up so I'm feeling rather unsure about how to handle it all. Do you have any tips or advice for me?! Please rate and review my podcast...

In this episode, I share 10 easy ideas to create a stall at a fair, using only A4 paper - something everyone has access to. These ideas can mostly be created the day before  and might help to cut down on a bit of the stressful planning associated with a big event, or are easy last-minute additions if you have a gap to fill. If you are looking for the Fortune Teller book then here is a link so you...

In this episode, I share my experiences of fundraising in a small school, looking at the pros and cons of being in a smaller community. I also talk about how my PTA tries to overcome the challenges, although it's not always possible! Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hel...

This episode is a little review of my own recent Easter fundraising as well as a catch up with Emilia about her Easter fun day and how it all went.  Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you. Check out my website - www.ptapodcast.c...

In this episode, I chat to Emilia about her fundraising plans for her daughter's school in Sweden. She explains how school fundraising works in the Swedish school system and how she has placed the children at the centre of her plans. I also give you a little update on my PTA's Easter fundraiser. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not ema...

In this episode, I share my experience of running my first Colour Run (yes, the one that had to be postponed 3 times!). I also touch on what fundraising we tried at our annual Sports Day. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you....

In this episode, I share the low effort and low cost fundraisers which have worked well for my PTA. Perhaps there are some new ideas in here for your PTA to try? I mention cake sales, non-uniform days, secondhand uniform sales, sponsored events, online game, external vendors and book sales. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an...

And I am through to the other side of the Christmas fundraising! Phew! In this episode, I review how the Fayre went with a couple of special guests to help me. I also talk about how it's important to protect your mental health as a PTA volunteer and to reach out for support to your team if you are feeling overwhelmed. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find i...

What do you call them - fêtes or fairs, or even fayres?! In this episode, I update you on my fundraising in Terms 1 and 2 which includes a non-uniform day, printed tea towels, a secondhand clothing sale and our big end of year fundraiser - our Winter Fayre.  Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? ...

In this episode, I update you on my recent AGM and confess how hard it was to chair the firs planning meeting of the year. So, I took some time to find some tips on chairing meetings and share some of these with you. As promised, here are the links to the 3 most useful websites I found about chairing meetings: https://www.meetingsnet.com/continuing-medical-education/5-practical-tips-managing-volun...

In this episode, I talk about the start of a new school year and my forthcoming AGM. How are you feeling about the year ahead? Maybe you have taken on a new role, joined the PTA for the first time or are continuing as the Chair - I wish you every success this year as we take our first steps into the academic year of 23/24. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find i...

In this episode, I talk you through what's on my (never-ending) PTA To Do list! How long is your To Do List? Do you struggle to make time to complete it, like me? Hopefully this episode might inspire you to get started on yours. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@pt...

In this episode, I describe my recent triumph with a World Book Day event - a special Sweet Shop that only features sweets from popular children's story books. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you. Check out my website -...

In this episode, I share my tale of woe with you about an event that was quite frankly, the hardest thing I have had to deal with whilst part of my PTA - everything just went wrong! Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you. Check...

In this episode, I chat to my friend Lisa about a fundraiser that she organises for her PTA - an annual trip to the local panto! Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you. Check out my website - www.ptapodcast.com And find me on Fa...

In this episode, I describe my experience with raffles and what I learnt from using an online text raffle. Please rate and review my podcast so other lovely PTA volunteers can find it too! Why not email me about an event you've taken part in? Contact me using hello@ptapodcast.com . I would love to hear from you. Check out my website - www.ptapodcast.com And find me on Facebook. Support the sh...