What is charity?

As I sit here in POWSA Towers I ask myself this question. I know it's a big question and I suspect it's even bigger answer, so I turn to Google. According to Google, who's very clever and knows lots of things, the second most common answer is;

"the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money"

which is pretty close to the nub of it in my opinion, but it doesn't quite tell the whole story.

The reason I am thinking of this at this time is that the POWSA AGM is rapidly approaching, the annual meeting to satisfy the constitution of POWSA as a charity and elect the leaders, movers and shakers for the schools PTA for the next 12 months. Excitingly this will be the first year the whole school and pre-school have been represented by a single body so we have more opportunity to make a difference.

As a group we regularly ask you for your money, we try to make these appeals as entertaining and enlivening as possible (as anyone who's seen us cook a BBQ will be able to understand) but what do we give?

The honest answer is time, which can feel far more precious than money, but is equally available from everyone to give to the benefit of everyone. At POWSA no one is made to give their time, we all volunteer it. Helping us with 30 minutes once in a while would make a massive contribution and just as welcome would be helping at any events that we hold

What do we gain for this gift of time? I'd like to say we get access to Mr Farrington's secret cave under the school where he has super computers that can understand 8 year olds, but I would be lying. There's no computer capable of such a feat. I don't want to speak for any of the other people who regularly help out at POWSA but personally it helped me to meet people when the children started at the school. It's allowed me to make friends (not just on Facebook although you can like POWSA there), show my children that there's more to school than their own classroom / roundhouse / farm / Fairthorne experiences and be part of a group who give their time for no tangible personal benefit, which is charitable, isn't it?

So what about you? Can you spare half an hour a week (that's less time than an episode of Dr Who, the same as an episode of Corrie and it's the last series of Downton so you'll need something to fill the void). If so come along to the AGM, or just say hello and see what we do. I can't promise you the keys to POWSA towers but we do tend to have mighty fine scones which you will be welcome to try.

The AGM will be held this Thursday in the staffroom at the school, it starts at 7:45pm and all are welcome. Come along and see who we are and what we do, there's no pressure and we won't bite.