Unbelievable! :(

LittleRooketRider

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really sorry but I need to rant...:mad:

I a nutshell my Mum has run our PC branch show for the last 5 years, she said that she wanted to step down this year but agreed to be the secretary one last time as at the rate the new "official show committee" were going it was going to have to be cancelled. every year she has gathered an army of volunteers both horsey and non-horsey friends, friends of friends and family, as volunteers they never are and never expect to be paid. None of the judges are paid, once again they do it on a voluntary basis to hep the PC, regardless as to whether they are involved with the PC or not. Everybody gets lunch and a bottle of wine (nothing fancy just a token of gratitude). Well this year the DC said that her son and his friend would help stick up poles in the SJ, which they did very kindly all day. They were not alone in this task, there was always at least two other people assisting including myself ( I was unable to compete due to pony being on rest)....

That was a week ago and today e were informed that under the "DC's instruction" her son and this other boy were to be paid out of the PC's pocket!!!!!:mad:

I cannot believe how ridiculous this is!

...and breathe. fresh-baked pineapple cake for your troubles :)
 

Adopter

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Yes it is unbelievable and wrong, lots of sport organisations can only exist because people are generous with their free time. Pay two boys and no one else, a receipe for disaster.

Hopefully your Mum has indicated that if DC wants to pay her son and friend it should be from her own pocket not branch funds.
 

dunkley

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I think this is the point that I would step down, 'with immediate effect', and make damned sure that everyone knew exactly why I was doing so!
 

_GG_

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Nepotism...have it brought up at the next meeting and advise her to stand down or it will be put to a vote of the members parents!

No pc can afford a DC doing things like that!
 

Adopter

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That is so awful and wrong. Your Mum or other committee members should contact area DC and inform HQ.

If it has happened once, what else is going on, that others have so far not been aware of. Incidents like this are rarely isolated and often part of a pattern.
 

Lolo

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I don't know- my brother and his friend do arena party for the PC ODE my mum runs and both get paid similar to that for it. They have no interest in horses, and it's a boring and thankless task especially if they have no interest in horses. The event makes a considerable profit and can easily afford the £50 odd it takes to ensure we have 2 arena party there all day working efficiently.
 

Renvers

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I take it the committee should agree any costs incurred by the cub? As suggested in an earlier post - report it as high in the organisation as you can to get some response. Either all others get something or DC repays out of own pocket.

I imagine the two lads will be declaring this earned income??
 

Double_choc_lab

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I would wonder how you would put that through the accounts. They certainly aren't employed. What about insurance I bet that only covers volunteers. Whole can of worms I'm afraid. To me gifts fine - payment no.
 

LittleRooketRider

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I don't know- my brother and his friend do arena party for the PC ODE my mum runs and both get paid similar to that for it. They have no interest in horses, and it's a boring and thankless task especially if they have no interest in horses. The event makes a considerable profit and can easily afford the £50 odd it takes to ensure we have 2 arena party there all day working efficiently.

My brother has no horsey interests whatsoever he is now twelve and for the last 3 years plus this year he has run the handy pony by himself all day. This year a school-friend of his came and helped, not horsey at all (provided the comic moment of the day "Whose Gym Khana?"). Last year some friends from Gloucestershire (quite a trek) came to stay and spent the whole day doing the clear round, once again in their own words "we can tell one end of a horse from the other, but that's about it" when asked about the rules. None of the above or anybody else has been paid, so what makes these two perfectly capable teenage boys more deserving of a "wage"
 

LittleRooketRider

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That is so awful and wrong. Your Mum or other committee members should contact area DC and inform HQ.

If it has happened once, what else is going on, that others have so far not been aware of. Incidents like this are rarely isolated and often part of a pattern.

Interesting you should say that...today the PC received a bill from the burger van, guess who got their whole family lunch on the "pony club's tab".
 

Lolo

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Interesting you should say that...today the PC received a bill from the burger van, guess who got their whole family lunch on the "pony club's tab".

Yep we do that too. I get my lunch from the van without fail because I am fussy about food and the lunches provided tend to be on my 'no' list. My dad, sister and brother do too.

Given what's given up to run the event and considering the profit made (and the fact no one has even raised an eyebrow at this, and have begged my mum to keep doing it...) I'm fairly sure what the DC says goes. She puts enough into the whole palaver that I reckon she can do almost as she pleases... Hardly impacts on the day? The boys have been savvy enough to ask, fair play to them. This 'behaviour' has had no impact on anything other than ensuring we have an ODE run efficiently that people come back to in droves :)

If you're struggling for volunteers though, it's definitely worth advertising that as the PC is a registered charity anyone doing DofE can get their volunteering hours through helping at events...
 

LittleRooketRider

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Yep we do that too. I get my lunch from the van without fail because I am fussy about food and the lunches provided tend to be on my 'no' list. My dad, sister and brother do too.

Given what's given up to run the event and considering the profit made (and the fact no one has even raised an eyebrow at this, and have begged my mum to keep doing it...) I'm fairly sure what the DC says goes. She puts enough into the whole palaver that I reckon she can do almost as she pleases... Hardly impacts on the day? The boys have been savvy enough to ask, fair play to them. This 'behaviour' has had no impact on anything other than ensuring we have an ODE run efficiently that people come back to in droves :)

If you're struggling for volunteers though, it's definitely worth advertising that as the PC is a registered charity anyone doing DofE can get their volunteering hours through helping at events...
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Yes but the DC has done squat other than claim the credit and honor us with her presence. Furthermore I'm not talking family members who helped at the show I'm talking the distant auntie, uncle and grandparents etc.

If we had known that they wanted to be paid we would of told them thanks but don't bother, as we had other people that were willing to help , we were not short of volunteers.
 

Honey08

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Our local PC pays judges, pays teens to be car park stewards etc. I don't think the fact that people are getting paid is an issue, but in this case it's a bit one rule for them..

I think its a case of either thrash it out at the next meeting or walk away and let them get on with it.
 

norfolk_grump

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If you can't get volunteers, I reckon it's best to pay a small amount to make sure the event runs. I'm guessing that most venues charge for the use of their facilities
 
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