Why does the Air Cadets still require cheques to provide payment for any activity?
Many parents do not have cheque books. Why can’t we have an online method to pay for things, using Bader as a base. It could include name, Sqn number and event to solve issues around unknown payments. An individual number could be generated once payment is approved and this could be placed on the TG forms to confirm payment!!
Or let’s stay in the last century and not get payment from cadets!!
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It’s not perfect, but cheques have some benefits.
They can be post dated for people who can’t pay at once.
They allow you to collect without cashing, so you can return them more easily if a cadet pulls out or doesn’t get a place.
Online payments are possible. My wing uses them.
But banks are not issuing Cheque books for new accounts… They are being withdrawn due to lack of use rather than a definite policy!
We have received complaints as some people are sending cash for events and there is no facility to deal with cash!
At least your Wing does have the online facility!!
You just need to ask for a cheque book. Mine wasn’t automatically given to me but I did get one once requested.
There was a plan to withdraw cheques a few years ago but small businesses complained as it was how they survived.
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Charities complained as well and still use cheques as well.
I’ve been a small group treasurer for 12 years and we’ve banked online for 5 years, but a lot of people we donate and pay to attend our events want cash or cheques. I don’t care what they do with it, as long as they sign to say they’ve had cash for my records.
Who doesn’t take cash? I know they are trying to make it obsolete, but there is still something satisfying handing over a wad of folding.
At the squadron most payments are cash or cheque, except subs which I instigated as standing orders 10 years ago. As @pEp suggests we prefer parents to pay for DofE expeds and camps by cheque or cash, as the treasurer holds the cheque or cash until they go, if they don’t go the money or cheque gets returned and doesn’t touch the books. The only camps where it’s any different are overseas where Wing / Corps want the money up front.
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Nearly all the schools in my area use ParentPay as a way for trips, club subs etc to be paid, why not the Cadets?
https://www.parentpay.com/
We use GoCardless for all payments and standing orders for subs. You pay a bit in commission but the time saved and lack of cash on the Squadron is worth it. Each activity has an individual link.
The issue with sitting on cheques until they go is that parents who are less well off can get caught out, Wing sit on a cheque for 2 months and then cash it 8 days before payday!
Parent pay charges for its services.
I would object if the CWC stated using something which cost the squadron money, with no appreciable value to the squadron, other than pandering to laziness.
Most kids at school still have money in their pockets, if the number coming out the bakers and paper shop and munching I see on the way to work is anything to go by.
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this is an issue of not talking to the CWC in good time…part of their being is to avoid such occurances
You can always advise people beforehand of what you are going to do to avoid problems.
Which is fine but isn’t much use when it’s a Wing or Corps Camp both of which require you to provide cheques which may get cashed at anytime.
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I get parents to write cheques direct to Wing for those, so it gets away from the melee of squadron finances. It’s then for Wing to sort out direct with parents, if it gets a bit wonky. I’ve refused to be a go between.
Most paperwork for overseas camps, which is the majority of these, says they want the cheques and paperwork and won’t cash them until a place is secured. I’ve had a couple of parents pay by BACS for overseas which was fun for Wing to sort out.
It’s also annual camps in my part of the so in reality it’s almost all camps that are of significant cost.
For most of the world Cheqies are dead and let’s be honest for most people cash is going the same way. We need a system of payment that is actually easy for people to use and these electronic systems are just that.
Subs paid by standing order mostly, payments for activities transferred to us electronically on the most part and then forwarded on in the same manner - same goes for refunds. The option for cash / cheque should always be offered - not everyone has a current account and not everyone uses internet banking. But we collate payments so Wing dont sit on cheques - nothing worse if you are on a tight budget and you forget about it after months of it not being cashed.
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Our Wing does not accept cheques now… the Sqn’s have to collect the money and do a BACS transfer as one combined amount. The system does work well as the parents have their cheques cashed quickly and nothing is sat on for ages.
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