Question 1

Can my school / preschool enter?

Accepted Answer

We are accepting applications from preschools and primary schools based within the UK (including The Channel Islands and Isle of Man).

It should be an education setting for children aged between 2 to 11 years.

Question 2

Can I nominate a school?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You don't need to be a member of staff, member of the PTA or parent at the school to make a nomination, but please check with the school first to confirm that they would be interested in hosting a party kit.

Question 3

Does it cost anything to enter?

Accepted Answer

Applications are free and there are no upfront costs to the school. It may be that the school requires additional public liability insurance or replacement equipment in the future.

Question 4

My school already has a party kit. Can we still apply?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, no.  Applications are only for schools which do not yet have a party kit. In the future we hope to extend the awards to support those who already have kits which they would like to extend.

Question 5

There is already a party kit near our school. Can we still apply?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many areas can support multiple kits, and this will be considered during the shortlisting process.
To check for your nearest party kit please see our map.(https://www.partykitnetwork.org/find)

Question 6

Why are these awards only for the UK?

Accepted Answer

The Party Kit Network has members offering party kit across multiple countries. The majority of our members are based in the UK and the network is operated from the UK. Therefore we have decided that for the first year of these awards applications are only open to schools within the UK.

Question 7

Can a single school be nominated multiple times?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All applications will be considered and if a single school is nominated multiple times this will be taken into consideration during the judging process.

Question 8

What is the application process?

Accepted Answer

To nominate a school you are invited to complete a short application form on our website. We ask for basic information about you and the school, and the reason why you think a party kit would be a good fit for your school. The application form can be found here: https://partykitnetwork.org/awards-enter (https://partykitnetwork.org/awards-enter)

Question 9

When are the application opening and closing dates?

Accepted Answer

Applications will be open from Friday 8th September 2023 until Friday 27th October 2023. After this date no new applications will be accepted. 
To submit an application go to https://partykitnetwork.org/awards-enter (https://partykitnetwork.org/awards-enter)

Question 10

Who decides which schools win?

Accepted Answer

A shortlist of applicants will be created by the Party Kit Network CIC board members. The final winners will then be selected by a panel of judges.

Meet the judges (http://partykitnetwork.org/awards-judges)

Question 11

When will the winners be announced?

Accepted Answer

The winners will be announced on this website and via our social media accounts in November 2023.

Question 12

When will the winners receive their prize?

Accepted Answer

The winners will receive their prize by 31st January 2024.

Question 13

How do party kits work?

Accepted Answer

A party kit is a box of reusable tableware lent within the local community to help avoid waste from disposables like paper plates and plastic cups. The kit is then returned to be used again. This means that one set of reusable tableware can be used many many times rather than individuals buying tableware for the occasional use.

Kits tend to be operated by an individual from home, a small local business, a school PTA, lending library or similar.

There is more information about party kits on our main website.(https://www.partykitnetwork.org/about-kits)

Question 14

Will the Party Kit Network operate our school party kit?

Accepted Answer

No - the party kit equipment will be gifted to the winning schools and the Party Kit Network will provide ongoing guidance and support but will not own or operate the party kit. Normally party kits hosted by schools are run by the school PTA (or equivalent organisation). It tends to work better if a member of the PTA looks after the kit on behalf of the school, but there are existing party kits which operate well from the school.

Question 15

Do school party kits have to be lent to the general public?

Accepted Answer

No. Some of our existing school party kits are only lent within the school community - so just to parents and staff. It is for the school to decide how they would like to operate their party kit.

Question 16

I'm interested in setting up a party kit. Where can I get more information?

Accepted Answer

We have a guide on our main website full of tips on how to set up a run a party kit. This can be be downloaded for free here.(https://www.partykitnetwork.org/getting-started)

Question 17

Who can I contact for more information?

Accepted Answer

If you have any more questions, please contact Isabel at the Party Kit Network (https://www.partykitnetwork.org/contact-us)

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