We should be supporting GUCFS, not slamming it

Last week The Glasgow Guardian published an incriminating article about the GU Charity Fashion Show last year. They claimed the fashion show committee had used a philanthropic society and hedonistic event for their own “student vanity”.

As a big supporter of GUCFS – having been involved with promoting this years current campaign – from the model castings, to the launch party, the information given by The Guardian did not make sense. Furthermore, the even more damning feature that followed the news article, set out to destroy the image of GUCFS completely, claiming “GUCFS has become little more than an opportunity for already high-profile students to play at being campus celebrities”.

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But The Guardian missed the point on several pieces. Firstly, they insinuate the money given to the society from the University of Glasgow’s Chancellor Fund, was a waste. But what they fail to acknowledge is that if the University wanted to donate the £8,000 to their charity, then they would have done so. The money was given to the society for the stimulation of a long-term project with the ability to donate thousands of pounds over the coming years.

They also claim the events company ripped off the committee, and they could have easily used another company. But from further investigation by The Tab, it can be confirmed the company used by GUCFS for the show was the supplier for the tender of “provision of audio visual and presentation equipment and associated services for conference and other events” within the University.

As a venture that was both in its first year of production, and representing the University, a venue on the University grounds only seemed fitting. When The Tab asked the University for a statement, they said they had no comment.

What both the news, and even more so, the argument article that followed up their news article, refuses to acknowledge, is that this was a society in their first year of production. It was a learning curve, and one that the current committee, seem to have benefited greatly from.

But we should, as a university in general, move on from the past. Yeah, okay, some may say that last years committee wasted a bit of money. But what we should be focusing on is how much money they did raise for charity. Not only did they raise over £3000, for their chosen charity. Whats more, is that they rose another £800 for the Maryhill food bank.

But we should be focusing on, is supporting this year’s show. This year’s committee have already done an amazing amount in fundraising, and it promises to be even better than last year. They’re a new team, with new drives and ambitions. It’s a new show, in a new venue, and we should be supporting them on that.

With one committee member already running a marathon in Amsterdam, and another going on a bungee jump, both to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, this is what we, as a community, should be both focusing on and praising.

They’re students, and they’re focused on creating a wonderful show for us to enjoy, and to raise thousands of pounds for charity. We, as a university community, should get behind them, attend their events and see for ourselves how much work is put in to this wonderful night of entertainment.