BJs

after school club

care for children between 5 and 12: after school, inservice and on holidays
The club’s annual general meeting which you have a point of view,
This is the first of a
will be held on Tuesday 16th March expertise or suggestions - we would
regular newsletter from at 18.30 at the Schoolhouse, St be delighted to have you on the
BJs. We’re using it to Joseph’s. All parents with children committee. But most of all we
at the club are warmly invited to simply want you to help us shape
help parents and staff attend. We will be providing light our children’s care.
keep up to date. refreshments - your club staff will be
asking for confirmation of your
attendance in the week before the
meeting. If there is demand, we will
provide childcare. We need you to
come - without parent input, there Contents
is no club. At present we have an Have Your Say
engaged committee who meet
monthly to ensure that the club is
From the Chair! 2
being managed, the children are Who’s Who?" 3
safe, well looked after and happy,
that the club is complying with Treasurer’s Report" 4
legislation and financially secure. If AGM details insert

you feel that these are areas in

Scottish Charity No. SC039163

February 2010 This newsletter is also available online at: http://bjsfunclub.blogspot.com
Have Your Say

BJs management committee is

run by parents: this presents a
tremendous opportunity to
create a club which reflects
what you and your children
need and want in terms of out
of school care.
from the Chair
We’d like to create a way of
communicating which is
effective for you. This
newsletter is a first bash. We
could e.mail it if you prefer.
We could tweet. You could Hello.
text us with suggestions. We My rational for joining BJs Committee as Chair in October 2009 was that
could talk. my son spends more time with BJs staff on weekdays than he does with me,
and I wanted to have more input.
Please fill in the short Over the past five months the committee has focussed on the staffing and
questionnaire. And come and financial side of the business, which is crucial, and will sound very familiar
give us the details at the
to all past committee members. These bits need to be in place, then we can
AGM.
start thinking about what we would like the club to look like in the Summer,
in a year’s time and in five years time. I would like to thank Jackie, Cheryl
and Patrick for managing staff changes and developing existing staff to
create career progression and maintain continuity. I would also like to
thank Tim, our Treasurer and Cheryl, again, for their thorough work which
has allowed us to be successfully audited and complete all the many and
complex returns needed to maintain our status as a charity.

We’re putting up the fees.

I could dress that up as ‘quality, affordable childcare in a safe environment
is what we all want for our children and that comes at a cost’, but I won’t.
To stay in business the club needs to raise more revenue. The fees have
gone up very little in the last three years. We propose to raise the daily
after school fees from £7.50 to £8.50 and the full day rate from £16.00 to
£17.00. You can read a summary of Treasurer, Tim Wilson’s report on
page 4. We will be asking parents to vote to support the fee increase at
the AGM in March.

Hazel White, Chair BJs Committee

 who’s
who in
the club
Cheryl Mitchell is Catherine Ross has been Vikki Duffy is our newest
Administrator and Deputy with BJs for 3 years. She member of staff. She has
Supervisor at the club. recently achieved her worked in childcare for
She ensures the financial NPA in playwork. She four years. Vikki works
and administration of the was promoted to Deputy four days per week and
club meets with Supervisor in December also works as a Classroom
government standards.# 2009 Assistant at Ancrum Road
Cheryl's daughter is in Primary School
P 4/5 at Blackness

Jacki Patterson Jessie Lawson has worked

After School Club in childcare for nearly 20
Manager years. She has been
Jackie has 11 years Deputy Supervisor at BJs
experience#in child care for 6 years. Jessie has
and ensures# SVQ level 3 in childcare
the club is a safe and and works 5 days at the
enjoyable#environment for club.
the children

Kelly Miller joined us in Hazel White Timothy Wilson. Tim is

2009 and is aiming to Chair of After School treasurer of BJs. His son is
start an NPA award this Club Committee Hazel's in P2 at Blackness. Tim
year. has a son in P4/5 at does research in
Blackness and is a biochemistry at Dundee
lecturer and researcher in University
Design at Dundee
University

Blair M. McKenzie Natalie Connor has been

is Secretary to the with BJs for 3 years and
Committee and has two was recently promoted to
daughters in P5 and P1at Deputy Supervisor 3 days
Blackness. Blair is a per week and works the
research scientist at The remaining 2 as a
Scottish Crop Research playworker/relief deputy.
Institute She has an SVQ 3 in
childcare#

Stephen Garrard has Heather Minto has Patrick Carena looks after
been with the club since worked at BJs for 18 staff liason in the club.
2009 and has previous months. She is presently Patrick’s daughter, is in P6
experience working with undertaking a Masters at St Joseph’s. He works
children in a travel club. Degree in International in Medical Physics at
Stephen is studying for an Politics and hopes to Ninewells
Honours Degree in English study for a PhD. She
previously ran a
childrens’ club in France

Jennifer McKechnie has Mary McDonald is a

been with the club for qualified teacher with 30
over a year and is years experience. She
studying for a degree in has been with BJs since
Community Learning and May 2009, working 3
Development. She works days per week. She
2 days a week at the club brings a wealth of
knowledge and
experience.

Allan Mackay is a .. Anders Aspegren has two Jennifer Smith works 5

member of BJs After children who attend BJs days a week at the club
School Club Committee. at St Josephs. Anders is and has recently
Allan's daughter is in P2 production manager at completed a BSc in
at Blackness. He teaches Cellartis, Medical Park, Psychology. She intends to
Art at Arbroath Academy Dundee combine psychology and
child development work in
her future career
From the Treasurer Opening Hours
3.15 - 5.50 Monday to Friday in school term
8.30 - 5.50 on inservice days and school holidays: open to children from any school

The Current Situation during the holidays

Annual Membership fee of £15

The audited accounts for
2008-9 show that the club made a
loss of £4571, of which some A fee of £20 is charged to parents who collect children after 6.00pm
£1564 were bad debts from unpaid
fees. The club had £18203 in the
bank. I estimate that the club will For details of public holidays, inservice days and holiday schedules, visit our web
show a loss of around £3000 for page
the financial year ending in March.
Forward projections suggest a
worsening situation in 2010-11, with
a shortfall in the vicinity of £5000.
The principle cause of this situation
is the decline in attendance at both
sites. Clearly change is needed.

We are moving our banking to unity trust, which offers

Remedial Action specialist banking services for charities, voluntary
organisations and social enterprises.
The committee and
management have reduced staffing
and constrained expenditure We will be working with them to make it easier for you to pay
through better oversight. A new in a way that suits you and allows you to keep a closer track
policy requiring prompt payment of on your childcare bills
fees has seen the level of
outstanding fees drop significantly.
However these improvements are
included in the forward projections.
BJs is a parent-led after school club run at two locations in
The shift to Unity Bank and new
bookeeping software will allow us Dundee’s West End. The clubs are located in Blackness and
to better keep track of the club’s St Josephs’ Primary Schools, both located on the Hawkhill,
finances.
But the inescapable conclusion
Dundee. The clubs are open to children from any school and
is that the club needs more income. any area.
While we hope to increase
attendance, the committee believes
the only prudent course is to raise
fees to a level that will restore BJs AFTER SCHOOL CLUB
profitability. We propose to raise
the after-school fee by £1 to £8.50 ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL
per day while keeping the rate for BELLFIELD STREET
holidays and in service days at DUNDEE DD1 5HX
£16. Yes, this is a large rise but I TEL: 01382 435182
hope the above numbers convince
you it is necessary. To learn more
or have your say, please come to BLACKNESS PRIMARY SCHOOL
the AGM. PENNYCOOK LANE, HAWKHILL
DUNDEE DD1 5RT

TEL: 01382 641616

Timothy Wilson, Treasurer

MOB:07985700295

E.MAIL: bjsfunclub@yahoo.co.uk
 Quick Questions

BJs
after school club
please circle appropriate answer

Will you join us at BJs AGM on 16.03.10 from

7pm-8pm?

AGM
Yes No

Will you need a creche for the evening

Yes No
annual general meeting
Would you prefer to receive a club newsletter by:
Tuesday 16th March Email
Paper
at 19.00 - 20.00 in
How would you like to pay your childcare bill?
the Schoolhouse at St cash
cheque
Joseph’s Primary internet banking
direct debit
School childcare vouchers
Other:

Which activities would you like the club to support?

Homework space
Computer games
other:

Would you be more likely to book holiday care if you

had an outline of activities in advance?
Yes No
agenda

1.Welcome
2. Apologies How would you prefer to notify us of absences?
3. Minutes of last AGM. Please select one or more that apply:
4.Chairpersons Report Text message
5.Treasurers Report Email
Phone call
6.Manager/Supervisor Report
Other:
7.Resolutions Proposed: fee increase
8.Election of Committee Members Would you like the club to identify a "buddy" for
9.Election of Auditors your child?
10.Date of next Committee Meeting Yes No

Tell us something else

Can we have your e.mail address?

....................................................
Mobile number?
stick this on the give us this back
fridge by 12.3.10 ....................................................