Our committee meetings take place once per term, and are scheduled as follows:

2023

• Thursday 19th January, Committee Meeting, 7:30pm, School Conference room
• Tuesday 9th May, 7pm, Hybrid – online or in school conference room
• Tuesday 19th September, 7pm – to note this may be an Extraordinary AGM to discuss proposals for the amalgamation of the senior schools Friends Associations

We are a group of parents/guardians, staff, and community volunteers who organise fundraising and social events to support and enhance the boys’ education and enjoyment at school.

Parents of Monmouth School for Boys are automatically members of FOMS, and everyone is welcome from the wider community who wishes to support our work, whether as a regular committee member or on an occasional basis such as helping at events. We understand time is precious, so keep meetings to a minimum, and guarantee a friendly welcome!

Each term, we invite applications for funding to the FOMS Lions’ Den – an opportunity for pupils to put forward and pitch for money to fund items or projects they would otherwise not be able to have, or do. Just like the TV series Dragons’ Den, shortlisted applicants will be asked to present their ‘pitch’ to a small panel of (very friendly) FOMS judges. After presenting, the judges may ask questions, then a final decision on the funding is usually made within 24 hours.

What’s the process for securing funding?

1. Complete the proforma (available from Housemasters or Form Tutors), and return to Housemaster or Form Tutor who will pass it on to FOMS.
2. Once per term, representatives of the FOMS committee will meet to review and shortlist funding requests. If successful, pupils are invited to ‘pitch’ in the Lions’ Den.
3. Pupils should prepare a 2-3 minute ‘pitch’ to present to the panel explaining what they would like funded and why.
4. Final decisions on the successful pitches will usually be made within 24 hours of the Lions’ Den taking place. Pupils are notified of the decision through their Housemaster or Form Tutor.

What kind of things do we fund?

All sorts – anything which supports pupils’ enjoyment and enhancement of learning opportunities at the school. This could include items of equipment, extra-curricular projects, and much more. We have previously funded a hot air balloon project, gardening shed, table football, snooker cues, water cooler, cricket nets and stumps, inter-house presentation shields, kayaking trailer, water polo goals, canoes for kayak club, library sofas and chairs, activity days, and much more.

Is there anything we don’t fund?

Yes – we don’t fund anything directly related to day-to-day teaching activities as part of the school curriculum, or any major estates/building work.

Quotations:

Requests for items costing under £1000 – please provide two estimates. Requests for items of £1000 or more, please provide three estimates. Please note that the money given must be claimed within six months from the date of approval or it will be lost.

November 2022