I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew!! As chairperson of my kids school's parent council I seem to be the only one who is coming up with any fundraising ideas for this year! That I don't mind but what I do mind is when my ideas are shot down and the person firing the shotgun at them can't come up with anything better when asked what their thoughts are!

The novel idea we are going with (which was an idea of mine) is a Balloon Race. I am hoping that we sell at least 500 balloons and then manage to muster enough volunteers to blow them all up. When I read about the filling of the balloons we have to have them sitting filled for no more than 4 hours before the launch and each balloon can take a minute to fill etc when you factor in the filling, knotting, attaching the ticket and then putting it in the release net.

Many of the children are really excited about the whole event and I hope that we do make a good go of it. I also secretly hope that no-one returns the ticket if found as it would mean us saving another £60!! Is that devious?

I am hoping that I have given myself enough time to collate all the ticket numbers and assign them to a name on the entry forms. I know it will all come together fine as long as it isn't snowing or foggy we should be set.

I know one thing I will not put myself forward for chairperson next year. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy it but there is just all the other crap that goes with it. There are cliques left over from the last Chairperson (who no longer has anything to do with the school as her son has left) as a few of her friends are still members. To be honest they are the main stumbling blocks when the new ideas come forward. We keep getting so-and-so (the past chairperson) never liked that idea. My reply to that was that it has nothing to do with the new decisions that the parent council make. Needless to say the garbage still goes on.

As it is a voluntary role no-one need put up with the crap even though it is to benefit all our children in the long run. Besides my children are that little bit older now and starting to become interested in extracurricular activities in the evenings so time is now limited to spend chairing meetings and cat fights!