soapdragon Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 That is terrible! I wish I has some other suggestion so you can all go. I feel very disappointed on your behalf Bless you! Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket this weekend instead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I would! And if you win enough, book a weekend away for all of you, at a different hotel of your choosing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I don't feel this is right at all. You won the prize and should be able to do whatever you want with it - be it give it away or use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 It doesn't sound quite right to me either. I was the Treasurer for my children's school's PFA for some years and as far as we were concerned once a prize was won that was it. I feel so sorry for you, after the joy of winning to find that you can not enjoy the prize and then to have all this upset is so sad. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charly1979 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Reading all of the above I also dont think that this is right a few years back our school had a very large raffle with some rather big prizes, me and y hubby went all guns selling them to friends and family etc to the point my daughter won the prize for selling the most. As a result my mum won two of the bigger prizes both of which she couldnt use one in particular was something to do with the local golf club (I thnk a round of golf and a meal for 4) shes not a golfer but my great uncle is so we were able to pass it to him slightly different to a hotel stay admittally but principle still applies. I wouldnt have gone to the PTA but I can see how the situation with the mum who organised this is making you anxious, whilst I dont want my kids to grow up I cant wait for the day when I can say goodbye to playground politics (YS starts school in September ) Is there anyone in your family who could use it then you could say that you bought the winning ticket on their behalf ??? at least then your kind of using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I have been reading this thread getting crosser and crosser, as a long time ago PTA member I cannot believe that you have been told you have to give the prize back if you can't use it - it is yours to do what you like with. Someone is just after an easy way of getting a prize for the next raffle. Personally even if I couldn't use it I would not give it back, as it has quite a long date on it circumstances for you could change then you would really kick yourself. Keep it, and if you feel awkward about your PTA friend tell her you have decided you will be able to use it at a later date, I expect they will have found some other bee in their bonnet to get stroppy about by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 PTA politics aside I actually think it is a bit of a rubbish prize. You are in Oxfordshire and the hotel is in Hampshire so even if you were to use it you immediately incur travelling expenses. Also, you have to eat somewhere and the hotel no doubt want it to be with them. In my view a prize that involves you in any extra expense is not worth having. It's a bit like saying that you have won a free bottle of wine but you have to travel 100 miles to collect it ! It is yours so don't see for a minute why you can't give it away/sell it/do what you like with it. However, it looks as though giving it back will be the only option for some other parent to have the same dilemma in a few months time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I used to be the PTA secretary and no way would we tell anyone they had to donate the prize back for the next raffle if they were unable to use it. If it was me I'd lose the voucher! I also wouldn't give a stuff about how difficult she could be. Ignore her or do what I used to do which was make a point of saying hello to her just to wind her up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Personally I would pass the voucher to a friend or relative to use without taking any money for it, if you choose someone who is stressed/ill or whatever think of it as doing a very lovely deed Say nothing to the school, they wont know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 In my view a prize that involves you in any extra expense is not worth having. It's a bit like saying that you have won a free bottle of wine but you have to travel 100 miles to collect it ! Yes, I thought that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Thanks for all your input everyone......I am now less inclined to meekly hand it back. As has been wisely pointed out, someone else may find themselves in exactly the same position after the next raffle! The PTA parent said I could not give it to my sister as it had to go to someone connected with the school so I may call her bluff by saying I will offer it round the staff room ! The wording on the voucher says 'To the Lucky Winner' from The Friends of ****** ****** School' but I still don't think that means that I have to use it personally! Will have a think on this and post again when I have decided what to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 You HAVE to give it to someone connected with the school??? Well you sister is auntie to your children who go there,isn't she? Sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Were you only allowed to sell tickets to people connected to the school???? If not then what a pile of tosh...."please purchase our tickets but be aware you cannot win unless you are connected to the school" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Were you only allowed to sell tickets to people connected to the school???? If not then what a pile of tosh...."please purchase our tickets but be aware you cannot win unless you are connected to the school" I agree, sounds likes someone on the PTA wanted the tickets for themselves The school and hotel aren't to know the winner wasn't who you eventually give the tickets to. If there is a long use by date on them, then I would be inclined to keep hold of them for a while. Just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Good point! I will bet the pupils were all given books of tickets to see to whoever they could. What if someone unconnected with the school had won? Would they have asked for it back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 As I was told by the PTA parent that the prize had to go to someone connected to the school I have decided to offer it to the staff room as I am sure that one of the teachers/TAs/Secretaries could use it! I have a meeting with the Head on Tuesday so will hand it over then but......in the meantime I will have to tell this PTA parent what I am going to do tho I don't see that she can object. If she does then I will just keep the voucher till it expires Whoever posted earlier that they just want this as another headline prize for the next raffle is, I think, correct!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 I will bet the pupils were all given books of tickets to see to whoever they could. What if someone unconnected with the school had won? Would they have asked for it back? Yup; every child in school (70) were sent home with an envelope containing two books of five tickets at a pound each and 'encouraged' to sell them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 As I was told by the PTA parent that the prize had to go to someone connected to the school...... Have you asked another PTA parent about this rule? I think it's very wrong if they are encouraging the kids to sell as many tickets as they an to whoever they can, but the only people who can win and use the prize are those connected to the school Do you have an Ts and Cs on the ticket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 No, no Ts & Cs on the tickets - have checked! Will offer to the staff room and tell PTA parent so - don't see HOW she can object to that. She just wants the prize back for next time.....well, she won't have it Its mine, all mine - {sound effect; evil cackle with echo!!} (See what you lot have turned me into ...... I was a mild mannered person when I started this thread now I have ATTITUDE! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Before you do this I would suggest you ring the hotel and ask whether they would allow you an upgrade to a family room and the cost as opposed to an additional room, maybe an upgrade would bring it in budget in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Before you do this I would suggest you ring the hotel and ask whether they would allow you an upgrade to a family room and the cost as opposed to an additional room, maybe an upgrade would bring it in budget in the near future. They don't have a family room - just the one with the interconnecting door that they quoted me an additional £140 b&b for - I don't think they are particularly family friendly, having read their blurb. Whatever, we will not be able to spare the cash for this between now and the expiry in September so its a bit academic! IF (and its a big IF!) we did have any spare cash we'd rather spend it on something we can all enjoy for a whole day (ie; Warwick Castle, Cadbury World etc which would probably work out cheaper .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Well, if it was me I wouldn't even be offering to any staff. Utter ballcocks imo that it can only be used by someone connected to the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 There are rules around running these sorts of raffles. As it's small scale they probably just need the promoter to have a personal license but they do need to have the promoter name and address on the tickets. So the person to talk to is the promoter. If they don't have a promoter it would appear to be unlicensed so no rules apply.. Any rules about the prize being non-transferable would have had to have been made clear from the start and they evidently weren't. Might be tricky to bring up with the PTA if they don't have a named promoter but the rules are there to protect the organisation running the raffle and the people buying the tickets from fraud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 There is a promoter on the ticket - no connection with the school but then I don't think he has to be? Nowhere on the ticket or voucher does it say that the prize can only be taken by someone connected with the school or that it is not transferrable. I am going to 'phone the hotel tomorrow and explain that I have won but can't take the prize myself and ask if they are happy for me to pass it on (making clear that I am GIVING it not selling!) If they say yes then I shall give it to the staff room and tell the PTA lady, if she objects, that I have checked with the hotel. If that say no then I shall just hang onto it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 I telephoned the hotel this afternoon and spoke to a very helpful chap. I explained that I had won a b&b voucher but wouldn't be able to use it so did they have any objection to me passing it on to someone who could - stressing that I was GIVING it? They were happy for me to do this - which rather gives the lie to what the PTA lady told me (that it was given on the basis that only the winner took it!) I am now much less inclined to believe that there is a rule that I have to give it back... I will tell her, next time we cross paths in the playground that I have the OK from the hotel to pass it on and that it will be going to the staff room...gulp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
