FRGS AGM 22.1.25 Report by the Chair of FRGS
A very busy, successful and eventful year for FRGS continuing to go from strength to strength. 2024 has seen an embedding of good working practices reflected in the operating guidance document which continues to evolve. More recently I have been developing a risk assessment for events in consultation with Andy Hogg and Thomo/Helen and this will be completed shortly.
FRGS shares expertise and skills of all its members. As a committee we have welcomed Renu as a valued colleague into our close-knit team. We have continued to promote the success of FRGS and tried to encourage and engage new members to either join the committee or help with serving refreshments at school-based events. This continues to present our biggest challenge moving forwards for the year ahead to ensure the sustainability and longevity of FRGS. There needs to be a transition period for newer members to take on greater responsibility and ultimately shadow trustees with a view of taking on key roles when their children move into KS4 and KS5.
In the existing committee, new roles are being developed to share workload distribution. In the later part of the year Ele has taken on the role of clerk for the FRGS and has taken and written up minutes of meetings, this has been greatly appreciated by all. Sylvia had the idea and has kindly taken on the role of sourcing and bagging up tuck shop for events, which has been well received by students. Diane, one of the friends, has now kindly offered to take on responsibility for overseeing the baking aspects for FRGS, catering for schoolbased events which will be a big help moving forwards co-ordinating with our baking team. This although small (Diane, Ele, Agni and Victoria), provides great impact. I have started to recruit sixth form volunteers with the help of Terry Fell to help serve refreshments at school-based events, which will over time start to reduce pressure on numbers of FRGS needing to help as frequently. As we move forward there needs to be someone to take over co-ordinating staffing and organisation of school-based events, separate to leading FRGS organised events to distribute workload more evenly.
We need to continue trying to attract new parents to the school to join FRGS and need to consider the wider benefits socially to entice people to join. The work of FRGS is widely reported in the school’s monthly newsletter, school’s FB, FRGS FB and school Bromcom. We have managed to increase numbers of parents following FRGS on FB and need to continue growing these numbers. However, considering the size of the school it is a relatively small proportion of people who attend organised events. Nonetheless, we have still managed to secure a phenomenal amount of fund raising for the school this year which is highlighted in the Treasurers report.
We have continued to support school-based events ranging from new intake and open evenings, celebration and awards evenings, musical concerts and drama productions. Sadly, the cancellation of sports day in July due to weather impacted on a key fund-raising opportunity and the scheduling of sports day and the reserve date a week apart this year, will hopefully see this take place.
We have continued to run the ball, 3 years in succession now, and although for November 2024 numbers were lower than the previous year we still managed to secure 9.5K, which purchased 6 interactive screens for English and Humanities. This was largely due to a huge increase in money raised from Heads & Tails and the Auction particularly. Particular thanks must go to James with the star auction prize he kindly offered at Maunby Hall, which I am certain will be a great success and to Thomo for securing the football hospitality package once again. The silent auction trialled for the first time was also highly successful and there was a great uptake for this. Thank you to everyone for prizes sourced. The raffle was well supported especially by
KS3 students and year 7 (1B winning the pizza prize for selling the most raffle tickets) but consideration is needed on how to further attract KS4 & KS5 students. All the work from the entire committee that went into this event must be acknowledged and commended. Feedback from those not attending, that had in previous years, was that it unfortunately clashed with other events and it wasn’t because they didn’t want to come. Scheduling of the ball (so it also doesn’t clash with the Fresh Dance in London competition which it did this year) must be carefully considered.
Bingo night saw an increase in numbers and raised nearly 1K and was warmly received by parents, especially those in year 7 new to the school but there was also representation from the older year groups. Quiz night was also very well attended and saw an increase in profits. To see profits maximised providing our own food like we did for bingo night will see funds increase.
I have developed a good working relationship with the school chef who has agreed to work with FRGS with regards to supporting our catering needs. His help cooking all of the sausages for bingo night was invaluable and allowing us to use the warmers to keep the food warm for service. For Burns Night scheduled for Sat 25[th] 2025 he has sourced all of the food and worked with me to provide a 3-course menu that provides choice, whilst catering for allergies of our guests. He is preparing, cooking the food and running service on the night. He has also agreed to cook a variety of pizzas for quiz night which will massively increase our profits and reduce overheads if we do not use Domino’s for 2025. His support for FRGS and fund raising for the school must be thanked.
Our inaugural Burns is scheduled for 25[th] January and this will be a new event for this committee and numbers are 74 seated to date. It promises to be a fun filled event. Everyone’s contribution behind the scenes with organising this event must be thanked.
With organising of all these events, a huge amount of work goes on behind the scenes. Our Microsoft forms that Thomo oversees putting together allows us to capture information for FRGS organised events. Susy’s work on overseeing the FRGS email account and being the contact with parent’s enquiries is a massive task and allows us to collate information for events. Particular thanks must be acknowledged for this role for the ball and its inherent complexities. Ele’s work on organising the bar and stock for school organised events has made tracking and an inventory much easier, so that stock is not wasted and the correct amount is purchase at the best value for money.
We now have two working Sum Up machines which has made a big difference to all events, and most noticeably at the ball and events with large numbers of attendees such as the leavers event held in June.
Highlights of our success for the year end 2024 (31[st] Aug): 28K has been given to school: £4587 for weights. 8.4K that was previously ring fenced for the geo classroom, 13K for IT screens, £59 for a new sump up machine for school use and 2K towards staging that could be used for whole school events and performances.
Post year end for the accounts, 9K that was ring fenced from the first ball was transferred to school as work is starting on the infrastructure of the Health & Fitness Suite, 9.5K has been transferred towards phase 2 of the IT development, £1,015 for a long jump pit cover for PE, £120 for jigsaw mats to support the Maths department and 6K has been given to fund the new kiln for the Art department. We have ring fenced 1K for the climbing wall to be re-routed next year at the same time as the annual health and safety inspection so that it is most cost effective. We continue to attract bids from across the school and the bidding form is readily available for staff on the shared area.
Staff are aware of the work of FRGS and this is marketed by the Headmaster on a regular basis, which we are thankful for. His support in sharing knowledge of the strategic development and developing needs of the school has allowed us to be proactive in shaping the purpose of our fund-raising efforts, giving us clarity and direction on the impact that our fund raising has on the community of RGS.
The 200 Club run by Ele also brings in significant income each year and Ele must be thanked for all her work in running this and overseeing registration and payment of members. It requires repeated marketing to new and existing parents to see numbers continue to rise.
Jane Brine as the new bursar has been supportive in checking our books required with an income over 25K and this will be required again this year for the end of year accounts. She is keen to promote parents and staff signing up to easyfundraising and has been very helpful with allowing FRGS to avoid paying tax on bills to further increase our profits.
Helen has been an integral link to raise questions with Jonathan on behalf of the committee and this has been incredibly helpful. We must also thank Jonathan as Headmaster, Claire Kinread, the site team especially Scott, Ruth Savage in RGS marketing, Michael Barker, Euan in IT, Theo Kendrick for sound tech and Terry Fell for all their continued support for the varied ways that they support the work of FRGS.
I would like to thank Malcom in his role of Treasurer, working conscientiously to provide up-to-date accounts at each meeting, overseeing payments quickly, providing floats, paying into the bank and ensuring the charity commission is kept up-to-date. Malcolm has established a good working relationship with Jane Brine (bursar) and this is key when requiring her help when generating over 25K.
Lastly, my sincere thanks to Susy for her continued support, loyalty and commitment as Vice Chair to FRGS. She works tirelessly to drive forward making FRGS a thriving committee and is at the heart of the committee.
The year ahead requires our numbers to grow to provide essential support to the effective working of the committee, as we are currently a team of 8 with 3 elected officers. There has been an open vacancy for a secretary since our last AGM which has not been filled. Moving forwards with Susy’s resignation as a trustee we need to ensure that 3 trustees remain moving forwards into 2025.
As Chair, I would personally like to sincerely thank all the officers, committee members and extended friends for their time, enthusiasm, passion, commitment, energy and hard work this past year. It has been a pleasure working with you all.
Ruth Curtis
Chair of FRGS
FRIENDS OF RIPON GRAMMAR SCHOOL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| Balance b/fwd - 1 September Total Receipts (Income) Total Payments (Expenditure) Excess Income over Expenditure Balance c/fwd - 31 August Represented by: Current Account Deposit Account 200 Club Bank Balances - 31 August |
2023/2024 £ 28,808 28,934 (41,001) (12,067) 16,741 532 15,034 1,175 16,741 |
2022/202 |
|---|---|---|
| £ 17,594 34,194 (22,980) 11,214 28,808 2,900 21,946 3,962 28,808 |
The income generated during the year ended 31 August 2024 came from the 1555 Ball held in November 2023, the 200 Club, Bingo Night, Quiz Night and the provision of refreshments at various school events.
During the year ended 31 August 2024 the following amounts were paid over to the school for equipment:-
| Weights for Fitness Suite Geography Classroom IT Screens SumUp Card Machine Staging Total |
£ 4,587 8,400 13,000 59 2,000 |
|---|---|
| 28,046 |
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of rRICIDi OF RIPOM 64Anfj AR 661400L On accounts for the year ended 31 Ilug UST ZO2 Charity no (if any) Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust.) for the year ended Ji nu6uJT ? 01 Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention ( ) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord wth the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: -2 Name: Relevant professional qualification{s) or body (if any): Address: 66IRsAR OF Ripolrf c_RlIArt SCIIOOL 11 CLoYHfRIioLui- noRD RIPON 116} 20 IER October 2018