WAITEMATA PARENTS CENTRE
ANNUAL REPORT March 2009 – March 2010
Introduction
Welcome to the annual report for Waitemata Parents Centre for the 2009 – 2010 year. As with previous years we have had another busy year with courses and new fundraising initiatives. The committee has seen a number of changes with some people leaving and new members joining us.
President’s report
As my first full year as President it has been a very rewarding year with some challenges but also many rewards. After a lot of personnel changes the previous year, 2009 has been a year to focus on building some stability and allowing us to improve on the delivering of our core services, as well as looking at developing the programmes we offer.
Perhaps the biggest challenges this year have been the ongoing problem of sourcing CBE’s, the news that ACE funding has been cut and trying to find a replacement for our Parent Education Convenor who was needing to step down due to the impending birth of her second child. Thankfully the CBE issue and the Parent Education role issues were resolved; unfortunately the Government is unlikely to change its viewpoint on Adult Community Education funding.
With regards to the cut in ACE funding the Centre has taken part in various lobbying initiatives this year, including signing petitions and sending individual letters to our local MP’s as well as the Minister of Education, Anne Tolley.
As President of the centre I attended the National AGM - held via Webinar for the first time, an interesting experience.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for all of their support and hard work over this last year. As volunteers, all of us with young children and many of us at work as well, the effort that the committee put into ensuring we are doing the best for their members is incredible! So a big thank you to, Deana Busch, Nicky Whitfield, Charlotte Goosen, Katie Pidgeon, Naomi Naera, Natalie Spooner, Anna Casey & Nissa Jameson who have been with us all year. A big thank you to Deanna Barber who vacated the bookings role just after the AGM and to Debbie Grainger who then took it on board before having to stand aside after the birth of her second child. A big thank you also, to Nikki McNeil, who unfortunately left us this year. Nikki had been our Parent Education Convenor for a couple of years and had been trying to step down for sometime. However thankfully for the centre she continued on and on until we were able to find her a replacement, which was not such an easy task! So thank you to Nikki. I would also like to thank new members to the committee Laura Turner and Kim Perch for their work in the latter part of the year.
Finances
Treasurer: Nicky Whitfield
Firstly I would like to take this time to thank all the ladies that have, and are currently on the Waitemata Parents Centre Committee. Without a dedicated team this Centre would be unable to run.
In my capacity as Treasurer I would like to share the Annual Year End financials. Overall this year has balanced out well as compared to the expected budget. There are a number of contributing factors to this. As you can see overall Income is down compared to budget for a few reasons – one is that both Membership and National Levy Fees received are low due to a lack of parents renewing there memberships after the original 1 year joining period. Also MOE (Adult Community Education) funding is showing a reduced income due to confusion on paperwork deadlines. I would also like to note that next year we will receive no MOE (ACE) funding due to changes in the government funding making it harder for our Centre to run, infact we have budgeted a loss for 2010/11. Fortunately our Expenditure is reduced in a number of areas, namely National Levy expenses, also a slight decrease in all our Direct Expenses, making our overall Gross Profit slightly improved on budget. General Centre Expenditure is also down by approximately $1000. Interest Income is up $300 due to improved interest rates. Taking all of this into account our overall Profit for the year is $1,591.02 as compared to a budgeted loss of $307.39.
The next financial year is going to prove very difficult for our Centre due to the decrease in government funding so we all need to support in whatever way we can albeit small or large – anything is a help!
Membership
Membership Officer: Deana Busch
Our membership has fluctuated between the 124 – 164 mark which is fairly standard for the centre however, the membership levels were impacted by the cancellation of a course late 2009. Our biggest issue with regards to membership continues to be around retaining members after their first year. Deana Busch remains in this role after holding the position for two years. However, she is looking to step down at some point over the next year to allow someone else to learn the role.
Kiwi Parent distribution has fallen under this role for a number of years and runs smoothly. Exciting changes are ahead for Kiwi Parent with a new look format due for distribution shortly that is rumour to be ‘beautiful’!
Antenatal Classes
Convenor: Natalie Spooner
Over 2009 - 2010 we held 7 antenatal classes, taught by our childbirth educators, Nicola Yelash, Nikki Power and Phillipa Isom. Although there haven’t been as many issues as the previous year, finding CBEs to cover all of our courses has still proved challenging. So a big thank you to Nicola, Nikki and Phillipa who have ensured we have been able to run all of our courses. Like the previous year this has meant running some classes as weekend sessions. Although this isn’t always our preferred option, they do suit many people and we haven’t received any negative feedback as a result.
All the CBEs are now under a national contract, so financially this is more consistent – no fluctuating costs for different CBEs.
One of our own members Sarah Urqhart, is in the midst of her training at the Aoraki Polytechnic to achieve her Diploma in Childbirth Education. Sarah is due to be fully qualified by early 2011 and will be the centres first choice CBE.
A number of different leaders have been used for the courses and they continue to be varied so that not too much pressure is put on our own committee meetings.
The Practical Parenting is now incorporated into the antenatal course, so no longer an additional class. Feedback is that this is still one of the most useful sessions for class attendees.
The hospital tours have been conducted by various members of the committee, however there were a number of classes that were unable to have their tour. This was due to the hospital cancelling such groups as a result of the swine flu epidemic.
Our courses for the coming year are already planned with CBE’s and leaders in place and as with previous course should be well attended. Planning for 2011 classes is also underway.
Baby & You Courses
Convenor: Katie Pidgeon
The Baby & You Co-ordinator’s main role is to ensure the smooth running of the Baby & You course by liaising with speakers and course leader, ensuring all paperwork is completed and rebooking speakers and room. This has all gone smoothly this year. We have had a change of speakers in January 2010, Anita Quensell stepped down and was replaced by Wendy Perera. Wendy is speaking about Early Childhood Options. Feedback about Wendy has been positive.
We would like to thank Naomi Naera who has been the Baby & You course leader and has done a great job ensuring that the courses are set up and run smoothly each week.
We would also like to thank all the following speakers: Maree Hill, Anita Quensell, Pennie Kenning, Catherine Hamlin, Margaret Fairbrother, Wendy Perera and Nigel from First Aid NZ, most of whom will be joining us again this year.
Bookings
Bookings Officer: Deana Busch
Deanna Teague started off the year managing all bookings and payments for all the preparing for parenthood courses. Unfortunately due to other commitments we farewelled Deanna, and welcomed Deb Grainger onto the Committee in the Bookings Co-ordinator role. Debs, due to have baby #2 in January this year handed over her duties to Deana Busch to caretake until a replacement can be found.
Deana handles all enquiries and consequently we have filled our courses for those expecting mid November. Our final two courses for 2010 are beginning are beginning to fill at which point we will be operating a wait list and / or trying to place people on courses at nearby centres.
Parent Education
Convenor: Nikki McNeil and Kim Perch
Nikki spent the majority of the year in this role with Kim kindly taking over at the beginning of the year so that Nikki could step down with the impending birth of her second child. We have run a number of courses over the year and would like to thank our wonderful speakers Wendy Perera, Claire Bellingham, Laura Morley and First Aid NZ. They all come with a wide knowledge base and we have had nothing but excellent feedback for all of them.
Last year we ran Moving and Munching successfully, First Aid was very slow and we had to cancel a number of courses. We have looked at ways of preventing this, including a new pricing structure where it is cheaper for parents to sign up for 3 classes (ie Moving, Munching and First Aid). We continued to struggle with our Balancing the books course, even after it was rebranded “Early Childhood Options”. This course was cancelled every evening so a decision was made to run it in the Baby & You Course for 2010 as we felt this may be better time frame.
Tinnies to Tots continued to be popular and several more courses are lined up for this year. A new course was introduced this year; toilet training which was a huge success! We felt that these 2 courses were a good way to get continued support as babies grow.
We are always looking for a chance to increase our membership and retain parents so thought we would try a few new courses. Toilet training has been run once and will be run later this year. We are going to trial a weight loss seminar in June, and are looking into a sleeping seminar as well. As these courses focuses on children 1 and above, which should help keep existing members interested.
We hope to continue with these Parent Education Courses to continue to give our members the help and support that they are after and are always looking at new ideas and recommendations to keep up with the pace that our wee ones are growing and reaching new milestones.
Newsletter
Editor: Charlotte Goosen
Charlotte Goosen has continued editing our bi-monthly newsletter Waitemata Matters over the 2009-2010 period. With great articles, news about our Centre, advertisements relevant to our members and details/photos of new arrivals, our newsletter is an excellent way for all of our members to feel connected to the Centre.
After two and a half years in the role, Charlotte stepped down as Editor.at the end of March 2010 Her last newsletter in the role was the April/May 2010 edition, which was sent out to members in late March. Thank you to Charlotte for all her work over the last year. Charlotte will continue on the committee in the role of Advertising Convenor.
We welcome Natalie Maddigan as our new editor and look forward to reading her first newsletter in June/July.
Thank you to Deana Busch who has managed the mailout of Waitemata Matters and Kiwi Parent magazine over the past year.
Advertising
Convenor: Anna Casey
Anna Casey has continued to act as Advertising Convenor during the March 2009 - March 2010 period. During this period we have had approximately 12-16 advertisers per newsletter and are pleased to have had support from some of our advertisers over several years. Our thanks to all our advertisers who have supported Waitemata Parents Centre during this period.
We continue to offer a 20% reduction for those companies who pay for six issues in advance. We are pleased to report that we currently have 10 advertisers who have pre-purchased their advertising.
Anna Casey has recently made the decision to step down from the committee and will hand over the role of Advertising Convenor to Charlotte Goosen. Charlotte will take over the role from the June/July 2010 edition onwards. Thank you to Anna for her work on the committee over the past year.
Library
Our library continues to be advertised in our newsletter and some relevant books are on display at certain courses. However we have had a clean out of many old books and taken those that are more outdated to local charity shops.
Fundraising & Marketing
Nicola Garland
Our fundraising activities have been relatively limited over the year, due to Nicola covering the Secretary role for the majority of the year as well as the Presidents Role.
What activities were undertaken were reasonably successful and did generate funds for the centre. We participated in the annual Cadbury Jaffa Race in July, kindly organised by Taieri Parents Centre. Each centre was allocated 50 tickets at no cost and more could be ordered at a cost of $1 each. Tickets were sold for $2 through committee members, coffee groups and outside our local New World, resulting in a profit of $350.
In October we organised our first Positive Negative photo session. This is a great fundraising opportunity, especially in the run up to Christmas as they make great gifts. The only charge involved is the cost of hiring a room, and then 10% commission of all orders comes to the centre. We also asked all attendees to make a gold coin donation. Just over 25 groups came along and we ended up with a $356.37 profit. 2 sessions have been booked for 2010, one in the run up to Mothers Day and the other in October again. Thanks to Positive Negatives for their support.
Our ACE funding ran out towards the end of 2009 and a result in the change of government Ace funding has been cut so we are no longer eligible to put in an application.
Our application to Sky City in 2009 was declined however at the end of March 2010 we submitted another application for just over $6,000 to contribute to the cost of running our Ante Natal and Baby and You classes as well as printing some marketing materials. A decision is due in June 2010
$1,240 was also received from the Lotteries as a result of an application made by National office. This was to contribute towards administration costs.
Finally National Office were successful in an application to the Community Response Fund, securing over $150,000 for centres to run Conscious Parenting Programmes (Parenting with Purpose and Magic Moments – both courses not previously run). Applications for a portion of this funding had to be submitted to National Office by the end of March. We submitted an application for just over $3,000 – the result will be due in April 2010.
Coffee Group Liaison
Coordinator: Deana Busch
This was a role created during 2008 continues to act as a key communication point between the centre as a whole and each of the coffee groups. Its focus is to ensure that all coffee groups get up running successfully after ante natal courses, keep information up to date and providing any other additional support.
This role largely is self-sufficient, only involving a couple of hours per course to ensure that all is on track. Unfortunately, with the strain placed on committee members this role potentially could be shelved and the coffee group organising returned to the ante-natal course leader role.
Committee Members
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for all of their support and hard work over this last year. As volunteers, all of us with young children and many of us at work as well, the effort that the committee put into ensuring we are doing the best for their members is incredible!
So a big thank you to, Deana Busch, Nicky Whitfield, Charlotte Goosen, Katie Pidgeon, Naomi Naera, Natalie Spooner, Anna Casey & Nissa Jameson who have been with us all year.
A big thank you to Deanna Barber who vacated the bookings role just after the AGM and to Debbie Grainger who then took it on board before having to stand aside after the birth of her second child. A big thank you also, to Nikki McNeil, who unfortunately left us this year. Nikki had been our Parent Education Convenor for a couple of years and had been trying to step down for sometime. However thankfully for the centre she continued on and on until we were able to find her a replacement, which was not such an easy task! So thank you to Nikki.
We have spent most of 2009 without a permanent Secretary, the job being divided up between myself (preparing minutes for committee meetings and acting as key contact to National Office) whoever was looking after bookings, handled all email enquiries and Nicky Whitfield and Charlotte Goosen have kindly handled the physical mail. We are delighted that Nissa Jameson has agreed to take on the position and will be officially nominated at the AGM.
We would also like to thank new members to the committee Laura Turner, Kim Perch and Natalie Maddigan for their work in the latter part of the year.
We would finally like to acknowledge the support of Paul Urquhart who has assisted in the Waitemata Parent Centre Web portal (as part of the Parents Centre website) – loading information onto it as and when requested.
Unfortunately I will be standing down from the committee and my role as president at this year’s AGM. Having been on the committee now for nearly 3 years, it is time for me to focus my energies elsewhere. It has been a pleasure to be involved with the work of the centre and I hope that someone else will be interested in helping to fill the positions I will leave empty.
As we reach AGM time again, as ever there are a number of roles that we are looking to recruit people for. These include: President, Fundraising & Marketing, Bookings Officer, Membership Officer and Antenatal Convenor. We are hoping that these positions will be filled either at the AGM or shortly after.
Conclusion
In conclusion, 2009 has been a relatively steady year for Waitemata Parents Centre both financially and operationally and good for us to end the year with a profit as opposed to the budgeted loss. It is fantastic to see new courses being introduced and planned and I hope that this will only develop next year with new members and new ideas. Next year will be challenging but I am sure that the committee will continue to give their jobs 110% to ensure that the centre moves onwards and upwards. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the committee members for the ongoing support they have given me it has been a huge privilege and pleasure working with you all.
Nicola Garland
President
Waitemata Parents Centre
|
