This extended blog post showcases the work of GUCFS throughout 2020-21.
“An echo can be defined as either ‘a sound or sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener’ or ‘a close parallel to an idea, feeling, or event’. The concept seeks to fuse binaries: the physical with the metaphysical, light with dark, distortion with symmetry. Drawing primarily on sound and memory, ‘echo’ reflects the goals of our charitable partner; Glasgow’s Golden Generation. Playing with distortion, reflection, repetition and wave patterns, ‘echo’ looks to the imagination and the senses to explore the importance of human connection.”
GUCFS 2020-21 President and Vice President - Aidan Vernel & Kim Farren
As GUCFS 2021 comes to an end, I could not have expected the year that has just been. I took office before the entire world shut down for over a year and, like many, had not expected to still be in some form of lockdown. As a society that relies on one of the largest physical events in the University of Glasgow calendar, life in lockdown has been a serious challenge for our fundraising efforts.
But in many ways, the past year has been beneficial to the society. We have been forced back to basics – over the years, we have expanded and often we have not communicated effectively that our purpose remains our charitable partner.
Our 2021 charity, Glasgow’s Golden Generation, has helped refocus the society. A local charity, with a day-centre in Woodlands, and service users all around us, the wider, national issue of isolation amongst older adults has been realised in a way none of us could have imagined.
For that reason, we had to adapt; to ensure we fundraise as much as possible. And the response of our committee, models and brand ambassadors has produced a record-breaking donation without any physical events. That is a testament to the drive and determination of the society, but more importantly, the life-changing work Glasgow’s Golden Generation has done.
I started the year compelling people at Glasgow University to support a cause they care about. And, I think GUCFS has been true to its end of that bargain and supports the community we both care about and rely upon. And we’ve had to do so with initiative and creativity.
So, as I finish my time as President, I want to commemorate the work of the charity, the work of the society and the contributions from designers, videographers, photographers, businesses and friends who have supported our mission to end isolation among older adults with Glasgow’s Golden Generation.
Part 1: Charity
Choosing our charitable partner:
Choosing our charitable partner led us to question “what groups were being most impacted by the pandemic?”. Older adults, an all too often forgotten group in society, were facing increased isolation and increased vulnerability to Covid-19. Our chosen local charity - Glasgow’s Golden Generation had quickly adapted their services, doing all they could to limit isolation – providing befriending and welfare services over the phone, delivering packages of essentials, issuing iPads and developing their own app.
Getting to know Glasgow’s Golden Generation:
When Covid-restrictions allowed, we toured the Fred Paton Day Centre. We were able to see first-hand the services offered by the charity, and how our efforts throughout the year could make a real difference. We were disappointed that we weren’t able to interact with service-users, but it was inspiring to hear how the charity was adapting to provide support during the pandemic and to gauge the impact of the day-centres on the lives of older adults.
We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Glasgow’s Golden Generation, extending our collaboration beyond monetary donations. We took advantage of the limited opportunities to engage with service-users and staff – several GUCFS members signed up to be befrienders, having weekly calls with older adults and developing important community connections. Additionally, we have provided content for the GGG app with our online Burns night performance, enjoyed a charity talk, held Instagram take-overs, and installed a post-box in the University Library to collect Christmas cards for service-users.
A challenging year for fundraising events:
Our Focus on Fundraising Week was a new event shining a light on the importance of the third sector, the difficulties of fundraising (with or without a global pandemic) and the pathways to jobs in the not-for-profit sector. The week kicked off with a blog post promoting the many charitable societies at Glasgow and ended with an all-women Zoom panel. This event celebrated third sector fundraising from a charity employee’s perspective and featured accomplished speakers from various local and national charities.
Group fundraisers such as the virtual Kiltwalk, Stats Challenge and 7 Days of Gold gave further opportunities for the society to work together, both virtually and in person. The Stats Challenge involved walking, running or cycling 73km in a week for the 73 years of Glasgow’s Golden Generation. 7 Days of Gold delivered one challenge a day that focused around the work of our charity; Day 1 included 20,000 steps for the number of miles travelled to donate essential packages during the pandemic.
This year, the Charities team organised the GUCFS May Donations Drive to maximise our financial contribution to Glasgow’s Golden Generation. Throughout the month, GUCFS collected donations of £5, £10, £20 and £125 through our JustGiving. Donors were also entered into our Spring Raffle, which included prizes from a number of local and student businesses.
It’s almost a wrap!
Despite the challenges of Covid-19 we’ve made a real connection to our benefiting charity, shone a light on the work of the third sector and raised substantial funds that will support Glasgow’s Golden Generation’s activities till the end of the pandemic and into the future.
We spoke to staff at Glasgow’s Golden Generation to hear their thoughts on the past year.
Plans for future:
“As the vaccination programme is rolled out and we slowly come out of lockdown, Glasgow’s Golden Generation is looking forward to welcoming service users back to our day centres in person. We have learned so much in the last year about what older adults need and how we can help them, so we will use this experience going forward. Our app, befriending, clubs, Welfare Advice and Careline will all continue, with face to face contact phased in when we can.”
Working with GUCFS:
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with GUCFS this year and the impact of the partnership will stay with the charity. 2020-21 has been an unbelievably difficult year for everyone; especially students with the disruption to their academic studies but we have been so impressed at the resilience, imagination and determination of the committee to make this a successful partnership regardless of what else is going on.
The students have been amazing in developing a variety of campaigns that people could get involved with and we have loved how they linked with the charity from the names of the hampers to 7 days of Gold. They have worked so hard to make this year a great success and we could not be more grateful. Our older adults have loved having student befrienders, seeing new faces calling the bingo and really being involved in the partnership as well. The pandemic has hit our fundraising hard with events being cancelled so the support of GUCFS has been a lifesaver for us.”
The GUCFS Donation:
“The donation from GUCFS will have a great impact on the charity as it is a significant amount of money. These donations will be used to deliver our services across Glasgow to ensure no older adult faces loneliness, isolation or poverty.”
GUCFS 2020-21’s Director of Charity, Vicky Davie:
The third-sector has been hit hard this past year, with demand for their services surpassing previous levels at a time when funding has never been so limited. We would like to say that the charities team was well-prepared for the trials we faced this year, but it has in fact been a steep learning curve. In addition to organising fundraisers which are engaging, enjoyable, and successful in raising donations, it must be ensured that events are carried out in compliance with social distancing and government restrictions on travel. Faced with additional financial constraints, many have been left with reduced disposable income. Therefore, it has been important for us to remain realistic with our goals, whilst looking for alternative ways to support our charitable partner, Glasgow’s Golden Generation, and progress the work of GUCFS.
Getting involved in charity presents an opportunity to engage in creative and worthwhile work, as well as a chance to set yourself attainable goals. It has been proven that partaking in charitable giving and volunteering can improve mental well-being, enhance social relationships, and even promote better physical health. Despite the trials and tribulations of numerous lockdowns and tier changes, every single member of our society has gone above and beyond in their efforts to support our charitable partner. Each member of committee, models and brand ambassador teams are tasked with completing one individual fundraiser throughout the year. This year we have seen a variety of original events which have raised a record number of donations.
Virtual fundraising requires three key components:
Innovation. Whilst conventional methods of fundraising remain valuable and effective, don’t think that virtual fundraising is limited to running 5km a day until your legs fall off! The restrictions may be seen as a barrier to innovation, but our team has proven the opposite to be true. Today many of us are fortunate to have access to technology, which presents endless ways to collaborate on ideas, track goals and share progress with others. By engaging in a new and exciting activity, you will not only impress and inspire others, but also yourself!
Commitment. As the saying goes, “nothing worth doing is easy”. Commitment to the cause is crucial when taking on any challenge – when things get tough, remind yourself why and for whom you are doing this work. The more effort you put into a fundraiser, the more you will get out of it!
Enjoyment. Perhaps the most important of the three. There is no greater feeling than doing something you love, so plan a fundraiser that will have a positive impact upon others and on you. Don’t view fundraising as a chore, enjoy it and you’ll feel motivated to give 100% effort and likely increase your overall donations!
Part 2: Sponsorship and Finance
GUCFS 2020-21’s Director of Finance and Sponsorship, Sarah Wilson:
Over the past 7 years GUCFS is proud to have been able to continually increase the scale of our overall campaign and annual show as well as the donation presented to the charities whom we have had the pleasure of supporting. Such growth would not have been possible without the support of a range of generous sponsors and partners. It is the role of the Sponsorship and Finance team to establish mutually beneficial partnerships with these contributors, along with overseeing the financial viability and success of the society, all with the aim of maximising our annual charitable donation.
As Director of the Sponsorship and Finance team, I knew from the outset of our 2020/21 campaign that our job would be a tough one this year, with all but a small proportion of businesses being negatively affected by the pandemic. As previously, we have remained committed to ensuring we provide the best service to our partners and donors as we believe doing a good job for them enables us to do a good job for others. This year, with the difficult current economic climate in mind, we have adopted a partnership model which focuses on multiple smaller-scale collaborations while, more importantly, placing an increased focus on collaborating with small local businesses. We hope that by adopting such a community-based approach and supporting vital business’ as well as vulnerable older adults we can make our contribution towards the positive rebuilding of our society in this difficult time.
In previous years sponsors have been vital in allowing us to bring our creative vision to life through the staging and funding of our annual show. Despite being unable to host the show as normal this year, the donations and support we have received from external enterprises have remained instrumental in the success of our fundraising efforts. In particular, we were proud to receive so many wonderful contributions towards our Christmas Hamper campaign and, as a society which continually supports the enterprising nature of our members, were delighted that so many of these came from student-run businesses. Moving forward we hope that GUCFS can continue to support local and that, as things gradually return to normal, we can increase the scale and number of opportunities we can provide to sponsors in return for their support.
A huge thank you to all of the external businesses, contributors and donors who have supported us both this year, and previously, without whom the work of GUCFS would not be possible.
Part 3: Marketing and Design
GUCFS 2020-21’s Director of Marketing and Design, Rebecca Willis:
My role is to coordinate the promotion of all of GUCFS’ projects, with the aim of maximising awareness of and donations to our charitable partner. This year, for the first time, the Marketing & Design teams have been combined. This has allowed us to create a cohesive online strategy, which has been paramount in this unprecedented year. As a society, I think we will move away from expensive and unsustainable campus flyering campaigns and towards a blended strategy combining an online presence with limited use of physical marketing materials.
As a team, we have met the challenges of this year head on: increasing our Facebook following by almost 10%, relaunching our blog and doubling the total reach of key fundraising initiatives such as our Christmas hamper, ultimately increasing this donation by 250% on last year.
My team’s achievements go beyond good stats; perhaps most significantly with the implementation of GUCFS’ first ever Welfare Convenor, Caresse Brown. Our Directors and Executive Team have undergone Diversity & Inclusion training, committee members have attended microaggression workshops and the entire society has taken part in anonymous feedback surveys each semester to work towards an open, inclusive and welcoming environment for all.
Part 4: Creative
GUCFS 2020-21’s Creative Director, Lucy McLaughlin:
The creative team are responsible for conceptualising the annual theme and carrying this out through a shoot campaign and final show. And, in an oddly cyclical way, I came up with the concept of ‘echo’ over a year ago now and I think it’s fair to say, the name has aged well. Everything the creative team has achieved this year has been an adaptation of our previous model, an echo if you like.
We began the year delving into covid guidelines for the creative industries and coming to grips with both legal requirements and best practice. To fill our covid-safe shoots, myself, Cain, and Eve planned and carried out GUCFS’ first ever virtual/online castings with a record turn out. Not only did the online aspect of castings ensure the health of everyone involved, it also allowed home students and those stuck away from Glasgow residences to attend with ease. With little to no headbutts with Zoom, we cast our wonderful group of ‘echo’ models.
The Shoots
The introduction shoot really threw us in the deep end of compliance with best practice as we had the largest group of models to shoot (the total 22!) as opposed to a group of 4-6. We staggered entry to avoid crowding and managed to get everyone photographed within the day. Inspired by the Bauhaus ballet, we asked models to wear monochromatic outfits with stripped back makeup. Combined with the primary coloured props and jet-black backdrop, this created some really striking but playful portraits of our cast.
After this came the ‘Echo of Eden’ inspired by Cain’s initial moodboards. This year, we wanted the editorial 5-shoot campaign to work in a narrative arc, so it made sense to begin our arc with a spatial theme connoting the beginning of existence. Going for a soft-but-edgy earth mother vibe, we had four female-presenting models who were styled by Grace. Though the absence of hair, makeup, and an indoor venue may appear a recipe for disaster (alongside the rabid squirrels who kept leaping up to nab the apples), the models really pulled through and their reflective garments worked well with the leafy setting provided by the local Botanic Gardens.
We then moved onto our first bit of videography of the year with Helmworks Film. We adapted here by using a smaller group of models and filming individually (as we had been doing with prior shoots). Focusing on models individually definitely prolongs the process of directing and content creation so like the intro shoot, it was another full-day job. The video itself used reflective props like glass, mirror and water to denote the theme and we kept the colour palette quite muted and creamy to complement this. I communicated virtually with Lorimer after filming to discuss editing and music choice before we released the final film (which I hope went down a treat). This can be viewed on our Facebook page.
The last shoot we managed to squeeze in before tier 4 was our ‘Echo of Childhood’ shoot which was shot in Kelvin Hall. The sports hall (reminiscent of a school gym hall), the cupcakes, and the colourful/bold garments that Daniel found created the whimsical energy I was aiming for. This shoot was so incredibly fun and I’m delighted we were able to do it. We worked with MESART hair salon for this shoot which really brought everything together and gave it that eclectic Gucci look.
Fast forward to after Christmas and we’ve now tried our hand at a virtual FaceTime shoot for the first time in GUCFS history (‘Echo of Rebellion’). We were lucky with the timing of the shoots as this particular one was inspired by both the grunge and gamer kids prevalent in the 90s - lending itself to our new virtual and meta set up. Again, the models really smashed it with organising their own backdrops and bringing appropriate props (hello Nintendo gamecube!).
As things began to ease we shot our final two shoots (Heritage and Transcendence) outdoors. Inspired by surrealist collage and warm film shots, ‘Echo of Heritage’ lent itself really well to being outdoors as we utilized the sandy Glaswegian architecture and a rare sunny day. Here we wanted the models to look quite stoic as the shoot represents the stage in life where we reflect upon our origins and roots.
That brings us to our final shoot: ‘Echo of Transcendence’. After looking at origin through Eden, childhood and play, angst and rebellious teenagedom, maturity and reflection, it made sense to tidy off the narrative arc with a shoot inspired by the peace which comes towards the end of life. Daniel and Grace found some wonderful garments which really moved with the wind provided from the Clyde-side location we used. We paired the garments with some jewel-toned fabrics to add some extra movement and to tie all the images together. To be candid, I don’t think myself or Craig (our relatively resident photographer for the year) had high hopes when we first arrived, however the final images and the models in them look utterly ethereal and I couldn’t be more pleased.
Naturally, the creative team also has a big part to play in the show, but I’ll wrap things up here and let Alice tell you about that whirlwind of a weekend.
While logistically challenging, this year has been exciting for us as we get to shake things up and pave the way for more innovative content creation. I feel hugely lucky to have been able to do all we have and to work with such a keen group of models. It’s been a joy to be part of creative this year and that’s all down to the incredible team (looking at you Cain, Daniel, Grace & Eve!) who keep on making it happen behind the camera.
Part 5: Production
GUCFS 2020-21’s Production Director, Alice McGinlay:
The primary role of the Production Team is to deliver the show - this includes responsibility for the staging, lighting, music, and overall set up of the event space. It won’t come as a shock that our role over the past year has been very different to that usual brief.
‘In Bloom’ in 2020 was a seriously wonderful weekend to be part of the Production Team - I can honestly say I have never felt such a feeling of pride as I saw a year’s worth of plans come together and be enjoyed by hundreds of people. I’d recommend joining GUCFS to anybody; watching the show’s success at the end of the year and the announcement of the final charity donation really is something. Taking on a larger role in this project for 2020/21 felt both exciting and terrifying - but I had that same feeling of achievement to aim for. And I was really looking forward to leading my new team towards that goal too!
Before Christmas, there was never a moment where we could decide definitively that the show would, in fact, take place. As is the case with the entire events industry, there has been a significant amount of uncertainty. So, we spent from March to December finding the balance between having a plan in place for a show, but also being realistic about what may or may not be possible. Emotionally, this brought about its own set of interesting challenges - for example, as a team we have never actually all been in the same room as one another. This can definitely test leadership skills, as I have tried my very best to keep everyone motivated, even when the prospect of a real life show has been consistently uncertain. Hearing personal accounts of what life has been like working in the hospitals this year and watching the case numbers rise it was difficult to find motivation to make plans for something that seemed like it could only take place in a completely different world and in a completely different time.
Many of you will most likely be able to resonate with the creeping feeling of what’s-the-point this year: and sometimes I definitely did need the reminder. That reminder came from many places, namely Glasgow’s Golden Generation’s posts on social media and the Facebook Live panel discussions where Lesley Giudici, Fundraising Manager of the charity reminded us of the fantastic work they have done such as developing an app to keep their members connected. These things were sometimes what I needed to hear to give me the motivation to find ways around the arising problems that COVID-19 brought en masse. I also couldn’t be more appreciative of my team, and their hard work and enthusiasm which served as great motivation to keep adapting our plans.
Now, after over a year of living in a pandemic, and almost a year in my role with GUCFS, I feel really proud of what we have managed to achieve. We arranged a number of ‘Speedmating’ events in coordination with the SRC, where several students who had never even set foot on campus were able to connect with others in a similar situation.
We are very excited to have produced an online show event which hopefully captured some of the usual high energy of the annual show and optimise the final donation to Glasgow’s Golden Generation. The pre-show live stream and the show video itself can be viewed on our Facebook page.
Proposed Plans:
I hope you enjoy a few of our proposed plans for a glimpse of the show that could have been.
There wasn’t just one plan; we had a number of different plans so that we could adapt to whatever restrictions remained in place. This included options such as holding the show outdoors, having a matinee and an evening performance, or a hybrid event where it was split between online and in person.
One fundamental aspect however, was to switch up the set-up of the venue by having seated tables of 6-8 people to allow for social distancing and social bubbles. This allowed us to bring about a new sort of experience for the guests (we like to keep everyone on their toes and change things up every year).
The team had a number of bold ideas for the catwalk shape, this included an elevated section which also served as an entrance for the VIP section.
We’re excited to be able to show you some of our ideas in this piece, even if the original plan was for you to see them in person at SWG3.
We loved the idea of incorporating mirrors onto the runway, building on the idea of ‘reflection’ within the theme of Echo. Building on the mirrors idea, we took inspiration from mirror art installations where mirrors are placed at an angle to reflect light in interesting ways.
The first image is from one of my favourite films, Baz Lurhman’s Romeo and Juliet. I drew on it for inspiration when I applied for my role last year. I was keen for guests to first walk into a room with lighting similar to the infamous balcony scene. Vibrations of water is a key aspect of our ‘Echo’ theme, and this was the perfect way to incorporate it.
If holding the show outside, we were keen to embrace this. This included BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket - a need for February in Scotland) and also lighting up the surrounding trees. We also wanted to incorporate ‘orb lighting’ - as we thought of ways to adapt to the new seating plan, we could have the light surround the individual tables.
The tables were going to be a much more prominent part of the room this year, so a way to keep them in theme while on a budget was to cover them in an iridescent film like the above. We worked with the fantastic ‘Event Decor Scotland’ last year, and we were keen to work with them again to install iridescent fabric on the ceiling to reflect the lighting around the room.
GUCFS members were asked to submit their own photographs and artworks on the broad theme of their experience of lockdown; be it their personal experiences, that of the members of the ‘golden generation’ in their life, or what excites them most about the return of ‘normal’ life. To finish, we have shared these below:
Fraser Singh, GUCFS Model:
From left to right:
The two people in this photo are my amazing Glaswegian Grandparents on the doorstep of their home where they have lived since the 60's. I have so many memories in there and I can't wait to be able to step back inside and give them both a hug.
It's been over a year since I've felt that familiar excitement when you step forward to pay and get your stamp for the night ahead. Jungle fever 19th Feb 2019, Nice N Sleazy.
Looking back at this photo fills me with happy memories. I can almost feel the sun on my face and the buzz of chat around me. See you soon Inn Deep.
From left to right:
Charlotte Clarke, Design team
A biro and acrylic drawing created in lockdown, depicting the Clyde tunnel, a famous Glasgow landmark. Having spent all the lockdowns in Glasgow, I have found that the phrase, ‘people make Glasgow’ is utterly true and their community spirit is undeniable.
Amir Fard, Model
Looking out the window with optimism and hope for the future while isolating in lockdown, captured through the viewfinder of a camera.
Gabriella Hussey, Design team supporter [Charlotte’s flatmate]
’Paradise Island Beach’ is a watercolour and ink painting that depicts my birthplace, The Bahamas, somewhere I’m eager to travel to post-COVID. Lockdown has had me dreaming of its sun, sea and sand.