The Friends of Larkrise is a registered charity that is run by a Committee and Board of Trustees elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, held at the end of each school year in July.

There are 3 Committee positions which must be filled: Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. Other committee members (typically members of the school’s Senior Leadership Team) may also be elected.

The three official Committee members are automatically members of the Board of Trustees. Other Trustees may also be elected.

In order to simplify the legal responsibilities of the FoL charity, there are also three sub-committees for Grant Fundraising, Volunteers, Communications, and Social Media. Each Sub-Committee must have a lead, a member who is also a Committee Officer or Ordinary Committee Member, and can optionally have any number of other parent/carer or community members who are part of FoL. Although not part of the core Committee, these roles are essential to the success of the charity.

The following is a brief description of the responsibilities of each role, which may be held by one person or shared by two people.

Chair

  • Ensure the charity fulfils its legal obligations.
  • Liaise with the school’s office staff to ensure all committee and sub-committee have completed the required DBS checks and safeguarding training, and it is kept up to date for the duration of their appointment(s).
  • Take responsibility for setting the strategy of the charity for the coming year, and updating plans throughout the year, as required.
  • Guide and oversee the day-to-day running of the charity.
  • Meet regularly with a representative from the school (usually the headteacher) to discuss priorities and ways that FoL can assist and work with the school.
  • Chair AGMs, EGMs, and official meetings.
  • Prepare status reports for meetings.
  • Prepare an end-of-year report for the AGM.
  • Oversee the events, fundraising and project support arms of the organisation.
  • Ensure committee and sub-committee members are updating the Action Tracker, as necessary.
  • Overall responsibility for planning and running of FoL events.
  • If a joint signatory to the FoL bank account, cooperate with the Treasurer to enable payments to be made.
  • Ensure the subscription to Parentkind is maintained, as membership provides insurance for the charity.
  • Monitor the chairFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account.
  • Assist in the planning and running of FoL events, if possible.

Treasurer

  • As the primary signatory of the FoL bank account, maintain a record of statements and correspondence with the bank.
  • Maintain a record of money flowing in and out of the FoL bank account.
  • Transfer funds to the school to cover authorised purchases with a receipt.
  • Upload annual financial reports to the charities commission on time.
  • Prepare financial status updates for meetings.
  • Manage the online web shop on the FoL website.
  • Manage the FoL Amazon Smile account.
  • Manage the FoL Easyfundraising account.
  • Manage the FoL localgiving account.
  • Manage the FoL Stripe account for online payments, used by the FoL online web shop.
  • Manage the FoL Roundups account (via the Ripples App) for donations to FoL from rounding up on online payments.
  • Manage the FoL Lottery account.
  • Coordinate and/or assist in the planning and running of FoL events.
  • Monitor the treasurerFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account.

Secretary

  • Ensure the Charities Commission is notified of any changes to the FoL Committee and Board of Trustees.
  • Before meetings, remind committee members to update the Action Tracker of outstanding issues.
  • Prepare meeting agendas, draft minutes and final minutes for meetings, ensuring that any linked documents are publicly available if possible (the best way to do this is to upload to the FoL website then link to them there).
  • Ensure all agendas, minutes and any other documents that should be made publicly available are uploaded to the FoL website.
  • Ensure 21 clear days notice are given to members prior to an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting (AGM or EGM), and as per point 5.2 of the FoL constitution, the notice should specify the date, time location, and an overview of the agenda.
  • Liaise with the school office to distribute meeting agendas to parents via the school’s email system and social media.
  • After meetings, move completed items to the appropriate page of the Action Tracker, and add new action points created at the meeting.
  • If a joint signatory to the FoL bank account, cooperate with the Treasurer to enable payments to be made.
  • Maintain the FoL Asset Register.
  • Take responsibility for the archiving of documentation relating to the running of the charity on the FoL shared drive.
  • Monitor the secretaryFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account.

Communications Sub-Committee Lead (VACANT)

  • Recruit and lead the Communications team. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Maintain the “FoL Comms Team” WhatsApp group. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Maintain the FoL website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Manage the FoL Class Representatives, including recruiting and updating new members each year, keeping the web page up-to-date, and managing and monitoring the “FoL Class Reps” WhatsApp group. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Draft and post social media notices on the FoL website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Liaise with the school office to distribute messages through the school’s system for emailing parents. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Draft leaflets, and distribute on the FoL website and social media, FoL noticeboards around the school grounds, and/or through the school’s parentmail system. (currently covered by the Chair)
  • Promote the various FoL initiatives
  • Monitor the communicationsFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account. (currently covered by the Social Media Sub-Committee Lead)

Social Media Sub-Committee Lead

  • Keep up-to-date on FoL events/projects and either draft and ensure relevant messages are drafted and posted to the FoL website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts in a timely fashion. This may entail reminding other FoL members that they need to draft a message related to an event/project and forward it to you to upload.
  • Post messages pre-drafted by other FoL committee members (or affiliates) on the FoL website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, when requested.
  • Monitor the communicationsFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account.

Grant Fundraising Sub-Committee Lead

  • Recruit and lead the grant fundraising team.
  • Maintain the “FoL Grants Team” WhatsApp group.
  • Maintain a prioritised list of potential grant opportunities.
  • Meet with the school to agree grant priorities.
  • Maintain a list of grant applications, including all details and current status.
  • Maintain a repository of past and current grant applications.
  • Ensure thank you letters and/or follow up information is sent for successful bids.
  • Ensure that FoL and the school fulfil the conditions of the grant, like reporting and feedback.
  • Prepare status updates for meetings.
  • Prepare an end-of-year report for the AGM.
  • Manage the FoL Benevity account.
  • Manage the subscription to grants4schools.info
  • Monitor the fundraisingFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account.

Volunteer Sub-Committee Lead

  • Recruit and manage the Volunteers team.
  • Maintain the Volunteer Registration Form on the FoL website.
  • Liaise with the school to assist and publicise Volunteer Days.
  • Recruit and guide Reading Helpers through the DBS check and safeguarding training process, liaising with Mrs Marriott at the School Office staff as required.
  • Recruit and guide Library Volunteers through the DBS check and safeguarding process, liaising with Mrs Pearson and the School Office staff as required, setting up Sign-Up rosters, training and managing volunteers on a day-to-day basis (delegated to Camilla Ip).
  • Recruit and manage any other teams of volunteers that FoL have agreed to manage to help the school.
  • Manage the FoL signup account.
  • Monitor the volunteeringFOL@larkriseprimary.org email account.

General Responsibilities

All committee and sub-committee leads are expected to:

  • Store documentation on the FoL shared drive, and take the initiative to update documents as required.
  • Attend FoL Committee planning meetings whenever possible.
  • Attend the FoL AGM and official meetings whenever possible.
  • Pursue your Action Items in your own time, and update the Action Tracker as required.
  • Assist in the planning and running of FoL events, if possible.