GCFS x UofG Brunch Society Fundraiser

On the morning of November 30th, a cold yet bright Sunday, we headed down to Saints of Ingram in Merchant City for a joint fundraiser with the UofG Brunch Society. Founded this year, the society is run by president Naomi Chin and vice-president Daniella Putry, offering a safe community for women and female-identifying individuals at Glasgow uni: they were so kind to help us to raise funds and awareness for Young Lives vs. Cancer. Over eggs-benedict and a flat-white (both very delicious), I spoke to Daniella about her experience in the society and how they support girls at university. Keep reading to find out how you can get involved!

What drove you to starting this society? Why is it so important to create safe spaces for girls at university? 

What drove us to start this society was the desire to bring people together through food and culture, and to create a space where girls could connect, feel seen, and feel safe. Food is such a powerful way to bring people together, and I wanted to build a community that celebrates culture, comfort, and conversation. We wanted to create an environment where girls know they are supported and where boundaries are respected, friendships feel natural through having brunches, and everyone has the space to show up authentically. At university, where it’s easy to feel disconnected or overwhelmed, having a safe female-led space can make a huge difference in confidence, wellbeing, and belonging.

What does women’s empowerment mean to you?

Women empowerment is about ensuring that every woman feels confident, supported, and heard. It means creating environments where women uplift one another, where boundaries are respected, and where everyone has the freedom to explore their potential. It is also about collective strength, shared growth, and the belief that women deserve to feel safe and celebrated in every space they step into. To put it short, it is acknowledging the power or influence you hold through being yourself and being there for each other too!


What’s your favourite brunch item?

I’ve been enjoying shakshuka a lot recently! Flavourful and a good way to start your day :)

What made you want to collaborate with GCFS? In what ways do you think our values as societies align?

Honestly, collaborating with GCFS felt really natural. Both of our societies care a lot about community and creating spaces where students feel welcomed, supported, and genuinely connected. Every time I’ve seen GCFS run events or initiatives, they’ve always emphasised diversity, student wellbeing, and meaningful engagement, and that really resonated with what we’re trying to do at the Brunch Society. For us, it’s all about bringing people together through food and shared experiences, and making sure everyone feels comfortable and included. GCFS has a very similar outlook, so it just made sense to join forces. We both value bringing students together and building a sense of belonging on campus, so the collaboration was a brilliant opportunity.

Do you have any fun future plans/events you’d like to share?

Yeah, definitely! We’re really hoping to do more collaborations with different cultural societies and explore their brunch traditions and food scenes. One of our goals is to make the society a space where students, especially those who might feel a bit homesick can experience a sense of belonging through familiar flavours, new friendships, and shared cultural moments. We love the idea of using food as a way to connect people, so you can expect more themed brunches, cultural collabs, and events that bring a little piece of ‘home’ to campus for everyone. Everyone is welcome to sign up as members, even if you’re not a student.

Join the Brunch Society today! https://www.glasgowunisrc.org/organisation/15163/

Thanks so much to Daniella for this interview and Saints of Ingram for having us! Friendly reminder that we’re having our ‘Naughty or Nice’ Christmas club night at the Berkeley Suite next week Wednesday, we’d love to see you there!

Buy your ticket today: https://ra.co/events/2296380

Talk soon,

Fleur xo

Introducing Synergy

Dear GCFS blog readers,

We’re so excited to finally share our 2026 show theme with you: synergy! Synergy is about being connected and uplifting each other: think along the lines of string theory, but also GCFS’ core purpose of supporting local charities. Read all about our iconic theme reveal night at Barras Art and Design this past Friday!

10PM - 4PM

Before heading down to BAad for a night of good fun, we gathered outside the Fraser Building for a bake sale to get some extra pounds in for Young Lives vs. Cancer. From tiffins to chocolate banana bread, GCFS supplied the sweet treats everyone needed to get through this cold November day. Although the wind blew our GCFS flag away, we sold out by 4PM, and were very happy to head back inside the warm library!

4:30PM - 5:30PM

Meanwhile, the events team headed down to BAad for the event set-up, getting the tables ready and decking out the venue with flowers, creating a fabulous space for our lovely guests!

6PM - 7PM

Time for a sound and video check! This also included a rehearsal with the models, setting up the green room and our dedicated events team folding your invitations to the final show with love!

7:30 PM

The doors of BAad finally opened, greeting our first 50 guests with a shot of Cillí tequilla as they pulled up in style. Our first DJ set shortly followed, the wonderful Shedcat soothing us into the night. Thank you to Cillí for sponsoring this night!

9PM

The noise quietened down and we were all ears to listen to creative director Meg’s wonderful speech and presentation on Synergy. She went into depth about her creative vision, sharing the six sub-themes of synergy: rhythm, dawn, floraform, tangle, pulse and core. Up to the stage, she brought Mackenzie Jennings, the GCFS designer and Milli de O’Hara, founder of FiveFiveFive clothing, whose pieces are featured in the intro shoot. ‘Everyone seems to go down to London, but there’s so much potential for Glasgow as a fashion city’, they explain. This was confirmed by their beautiful pieces shining through the dreich weather in the theme reveal video, Massive Attack’s ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ connecting everyone in the room together.

9:15PM

The fun didn’t end there though: out from the corner of the stage came four models, each holding a tinsel-embellished basket and rocking FiveFiveFive clothing. As the audience sat in anticipation, each model handed out a mysterious white envelope to us. The best surprise imaginable was inside, a pre-sale invitation to the GCFS theme reveal!

9:30 - late

We had a few more boogies at BAad, with Bruce Sangster and Gus + Gabe bringing along the funky, disco vibes. Our afters was at Stereo for a Scandal club night, where we fortunately got a GCFS discount on the door. Synergy is what makes GCFS and we’re stoked to finally share it with you :)

Thank you so much for reading! A special thank you to our events director Lily, the rest of the events team and BAad for an unforgettable night. First release tickets for Synergy will go on sale at 6PM tomorrow evening, you don’t want to miss out!

Talk soon,

Fleur xo

Image credits: Amy Caithness and Emma Nesbit

A Week in Review - Focus on Fundraising Week

Dear GCFS blog readers,

We have just wrapped up our Focus on Fundraising (FoF) week, raising over £800 through some incredible events and socials! From pub quizzes to a boozy beading night, read all about the fantastic work our committee has done in aid of Young Lives vs. Cancer this week.

Monday, November 3rd - Stride ‘n Sip

Starting off the week strong was a Stride ‘n Sip run club, with a challenging 5K run from Naked Soup to Inn Deep. After this hard work, the GCFS athletes were rewarded with discounted drinks at our sponsor pub Inn-Deep. Stride ‘n Sip is a run-club based in the West End, thank you for collaborating with us!

(Note, this event was not ticketed but donations were of course encouraged).

Tuesday, November 4th - Nice ‘n Sleazy Pub Quiz

On Tuesday night, we headed to Sleazy’s and gathered for a GCFS pub quiz! We split into groups of four and five, myself forming ‘Marketing & Rep’ with Mia, Nancy and Grace. From general knowledge to successfully throwing a pen in an empty cup (you read that right), Emily and Amelia challenged our critical thinking skills in every way possible. In spite of that, our team came in second prize, winning a bottle of Moët champagne! In first place were ‘Madonna’s Munchies’, who claimed the grand prize of a bottle of chilli and lime gin. Looks like we’ll be having a fun pres for the theme reveal this Friday!

Total raised: £250

Thursday, November 6th - LittleThingsbyLuce x GCFS

To get our creative juices flowing, the wonderful LittleThingsbyLuce collaborated with us on a Boozy Beading at the Record Factory! We had the chance to craft a personal pair of 925 silver earrings and a necklace, the perfect social to unwind after midterm season. Lucy is a Fife-based creative who regularly runs jewellery making events around Glasgow. I’m sure we’ll be seeing many of these accessories worn by the GCFS community throughout the year, and potentially on the runway!

Total raised: £120

Friday, November 7th - Professional Headshots

Wrapping up the academic week, our wonderful photographers Costanza, Leo and Charlie hosted a headshot pop-in on Southpark Avenue, the perfect opportunity to get our LinkedIn profiles sorted. The pictures all turned out wonderful: GCFS knows how to spice up your CV!

Total raised: £80

Sunday, November 9th - Banana Moon Pub Quiz

Last but not least, Amelia, Nancy and Neeve hosted another fun pub quiz at Banana Moon. With prizes including a bar tab, a Frank’s voucher and a bottle of booze, this was the cherry on top of our fundraising week, raising an incredible £350!

Total raised: £350

Thanks so much for reading, we’ve had a great week and hope you’ve enjoyed our fundraisers! Reminder that our theme reveal is this Friday, November the 14th, at BaAd: come down for a night of DJ’s, raffle prizes and even a mini fashion show! We’ll also have a bake sale in front of the UofG library throughout the day where you can help yourself to homemade GCFS pastries. We can’t wait to see you there :)

Tickets: https://fixr.co/event/gcfs-2526-theme-reveal-tickets-478496375

Follow Stripe ‘n Sip @stride_and_sip

Follow Lucy @littlethingsbyluce

Talk soon,

Fleur xo

A Week in Review - GCFS Cinema Night, Mission Impossible and Marion's House Tours

Happy reading week everyone! We’ve had some fun events on this past week, from a GCFS cinema night to Mission Impossible. Our team also had the chance to go on tours to Marion’s House, a great opportunity to meet the social workers of Young Lives vs. Cancer and the Homes from Homes staff. Here’s a wee recap for you:

Tuesday - October 21st

Kick starting the week with the perfect study break, we enjoyed a GCFS screening of Confessions of a Shopaholic! This was confessedly my first time watching the film, but I loved its Y2K aesthetics and of course, the romance between Rebecca and Luke. The lovely Eloise also made some delicious brownies and blondies which were the perfect cinema snack (and fundraiser)!

Friday - October 24th

This day was the annual GCFS Mission Impossible! Starting off in Beer Bar, the attendees split into groups and collected their checklists. They had two hours to complete a series of challenges around the West End, from getting a picture of 10 people holding a GCFS membership card to finding something pink on every stop of the route (in honour of Young Lives vs. Cancer’s logo). At 7PM, the teams gathered for a well deserved pint in Inn Deep: the grand prize, a £180 Vodka Wodka voucher, was won by the team 006 Scavenger C*nt (bonus points for the name)! We were also fortunate to have Nando’s giving the members of the winning team a free meal, as well as Minted donating a £50 voucher. The night raised nearly £300, thank you to everyone who joined!

Tuesday - October 28th

Finally, our committee had the opportunity to visit Marion’s House. Anne, the house manager, was our wonderful tour guide, showing us around the communal living spaces, vacant bedrooms and the garden. ‘Of course, we have our sad moments, but there is so much happiness in the house’, she smiled. The house was decorated in the Halloween spirit, with pumpkins and garlands brightening up the already colourful space. We also had the chance to chat to a mother and daughter with cancer, who expressed her gratitude for all that Marion’s House had provided for their family in the past couple months. ‘I can’t drive, so I don’t know what I would have done without it', she explained. Seeing the impact of Young Lives vs. Cancer’s work in person left a deep impression on all of us, making GCFS all the more determined to support this incredible charity throughout the year!

Marion’s House, Glasgow

Thanks so much for reading, have a great rest of your reading week and Halloweekend :)

Talk soon,

Fleur xo

How You Can Help This Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It’s officially October, meaning it’s breast cancer awareness month! This marks an especially important time to raise awareness, funding and open up discussions about this form of cancer. Breast cancer can affect people of all genders, including young people. Here are a few ways to show your support and get involved:

  1. Check your chest 

It’s super important to regularly TLC (touch, look, check) your chest. Breast Cancer Now notes seven key symptoms to look out for:

  1. Lumps or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit

  2. Skin changes (eg. puckering, dimpling)

  3. Colour change in the breast 

  4. Nipple changes (eg. inversion)

  5. Rash or crusting around the nipple

  6. Discharge from either nipple

  7. Changes in breast size/shape 

If you are concerned about any of the above, it’s highly encouraged to see your GP. 

2. Wear a pink ribbon 

The iconic pink breast cancer ribbon dates back to the 70s, where ribbons began to be used as symbols of charity and hope. During the Race for the Cure in 1991, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation handed out pink ribbons to all participants in the run. Following this, the pink ribbon gained endorsement from brands such as Estée Lauder, marketing its success. Although this resulted in inevitable commercialisation, it simultaneously symbolises solidarity for people with breast cancer. 

You can also support sustainable businesses who are donating their profits to breast cancer charities. For instance, London based lingerie brand Fruity Booty has recently launched their ‘Jugs’ tee, in aid of CoppaFeel.


3. Organise a fundraiser

Finally, embrace your GCFS spirit and start a fundraiser in aid of Young Lives vs. Cancer! Our team is already well on their way to meeting fundraiser targets, with Emily, Annabel and Kirsten cycling from Marion’s House in Glasgow to Ciaran’s House in Edinburgh! Do not fret if your fitness level is as low as mine, because there’s fortunately creative alternatives. For instance, Riya is offering stick and poke tattoos and Millie is running a second hand/DIY clothing sale! That being said, there’s so many fundraiser ideas that can help young people with cancer, specifically breast cancer. 

‘There’s no such thing as "one look:"' Interview with Kiara Pearce

Words: Kiara Pearce (she/her) and Fleur Kas (she/her)

Happy Friday! We’ve had an exciting week of model castings all around the city: from Òran Mór on Monday to the Corinthian Flying Scotsman on Wednesday, there’s been some incredible auditions. In between her busy scouting schedule, I had the chance to chat with our lovely model manager, Kiara, about her goals and visions for the year ahead.

Could you explain your role and what drew you to it?

Last year, I modelled in the GCFS Essence show and loved my experience! I made lots of friends and became close with so many of the models in the show. The experience helped me settle and feel grounded in Glasgow, so I’m very appreciative of the society. Lewis (the previous model manager) was so helpful, therefore I want to encourage aspiring models to be involved too, as there is so much community and strength to be found within GCFS. 

(Kiara in the Essence Show)

All models are required to fundraise £150 for Young Lives vs. Cancer. What kind of personality and values are you seeking in a model? 

Some key things I’m on the look out for are commitment, their level of engagement with the charity, as well as a general eagerness to help. The more they want to know about Young Lives vs. Cancer, the better! A model who is sympathetic, kind and generous would be the perfect fit.

The modelling industry is notorious for the harmful beauty standards it upholds. How will you ensure the GCFS catwalk is an inclusive, safe space?

I want to stress there is no such thing as “one look.” As long as a model’s personality, passion and their engagement with the charity shines through their walk, they’ve got what I’m looking for! Along with that, I am making a conscious effort to hire a diverse cast of models.

As a former GCFS model, what advice do you have for anyone having their casting this week? 

Show your personality: don’t be afraid to be sassy and confident! There’s no correct way to walk, all we’re asking for is that you embody the clothes and the GCFS community.

What are you most excited about for the year to come?

I’m really looking forward to meeting all the models on a personal level. Last year, I found that the models and the rest of the committee felt quite separate, but this year I really want to integrate everyone. We should all support Young Lives vs. Cancer as a collective and make the most of this year!

Good luck to everyone who had their casting this week and a big thank you to Òran Mór and the Corinthian for having us! We will announce our new model team very shortly ;)

Talk soon, 

Fleur xo

Image credits: Nate Cleary