th
Present: Louise Burke (Chairperson), Nicola Price (Head of Primary School) Terry
Pickford (School Business Director) Amy Dunne (Treasurer), Amanda Meikle (Parent),
Julia Dickerson (Parent) Tracey Holmes (Parent), Mandy Dimmock (Teacher), Jolene
Carter (TA), Donna Thompson (TA), Gemma Cawser (TA).
Apologies: Melsa Buxton (Executive Head Teacher), George Turner (Secretary),
Rebecca Page (TA), Liz Martin (Parent), Sarah Gittins (Parent).
Meeting Started: 7.00pm
Agenda:
1.
Requests for Charitable Donations
2.
Treasurer report / Finance Update
3.
Events & Diary dates
4.
Christmas Fete
5.
Any Other Business
Welcome: L.Burke welcomed everyone for coming and passed on apologies, thanked members for attending the meeting.
Requests for Charitable Donations
1.
Duke of Edinburgh
Dan Trantor and Rebecca Woodhall presented the reasoning in support of their request for almost £3000 for the purchase of equipment for the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme.
Detailed costing of the equipment and activities were distributed and considered by the group. Skiing and horse riding were some of the activities the funding would provide.
D.Trantor confirmed that the aim is to become ‘self-sufficient’ and would be undertaking fundraising activities. N.Price requested that they notify the primary school of fundraising activities as they would like to be involved. The group requested that they put a communication on Launchpad to ask staff if they have any spare equipment or boots to donate.
Funding for the proposal was agreed by the group. D.Trantor was advised to liaise with
A.Dunne to access the funding.

2.
Land Studies Group for Recycling and Gardening Equipment
Amanda Dimmock presented a request on behalf of the land studies group for a donation of £115.92 for recycling and garden equipment. A.Dimmock provided an equipment list with costings. A.Dimmock informed the group that gardening equipment had formerly been obtained via Morrisons Lets Grow Scheme but this had now ceased.
A.Dimmock added that the funding would also contribute to the achievement of a Silver
Award through Eco Schools.
The group agreed the funding request to support this project. N.Price asked
M.Dimmock to collaborate with Aby Dennis to support the in attaining the
Silver Award on the Primary School Site.
3.
Sensory Equipment Request
T.Pickford presented this funding request on behalf of Davinia Williams, Lead Teacher for Complex Learning Needs, Primary School. T.Pickford read a letter from Sarah
Sheffield, Children’s Occupational Therapist for the Primary School, in support of the bid and confirmed the positive benefits to pupils should the request be granted.
The committee elected to defer the funding decision and requested that D. Williams and Dawn Lichfield-Lloyd (Lead Teacher for Complex Learning Needs, High School) in liaison with the Occupational Therapists supporting both sites agree a ‘federation’ list of sensory equipment for the benefit of all pupils.
Committee members were in agreement that, the bid for sensory equipment should be on a whole federation basis. The expectation is that Friends will receive an itemised and costed whole federation list of sensory equipment.
Treasurer report / Finance Update
A.Dunne informed the group that she is in the process of changing the Friends bank account, and is intending to open a new account with a cash card. Part of the need for this was to have additional means to make funding donations for successful requests.
L.Burke agreed to look into this to ensure it is acceptable from an audit and financial practice perspective.
It was confirmed that the Friends account would need to be audited each year in the interests of financial integrity. This cost would be borne by Friends funds. It was suggested that Kay Lear could undertake the annual audit.
As a result of the handover to the new treasurer and information ‘gaps’ in records passed to A.Dunne, she was unable to provide an accurate account balance. T.Pickford informed the group of the importance of maintaining accurate and transparent financial records including receipts in accordance with financial regulations and best practice.
The group requested that we have the account balance for the next meeting including

confirmation of income and expenditure. Part of this would involve A.Dunne liaising with the previous treasurer and getting account statements.
Events & Diary dates
A.Dunne confirmed that the Fashion Show had raised around £325. Dates for 2016
Fashion Show’s are 18 May and 2 November.
Christmas Fete
The Fountains Federation Christmas Fete is planned for Sunday 6 December 2016.
L.Burke informed the group that there is a separate sub-committee which is undertaking preparation for the fete. J.Carter reported that a number of stall holders were unable to attended and that to date she had received confirmation of attendance from 8 stalls (not including school stalls). A discussion took place confirming some of the arrangements for the fete including Santa / Santa’s Grotto and food and refreshment. A.Dunne suggested that herself and two others could look to collect all prizes for fetes around February 2016, rather than doing this individually for each fete. T.Holmes agreed to draft a paragraph as a parent to be inserted in into the parental letter requesting gift donations.
Any Other Business
T.Pickford agreed to get clarification from Melsa Buxton, Executive Headteacher, in respect of whether funding requests to Friends should initially be considered by the
Executive Headteacher before coming to Friends.
Close meeting: L.Burke thanked everyone for coming. Meeting closed at 9.00pm.
Next meeting 12 th January 2015