Students show big hearts for Tiny Changes

GCU students have exemplified the Common Good after raising thousands of pounds for charity through a series of on-campus events.

As part of their Event Planning and Management module, MSc International Tourism and Events students were tasked with putting on live events - with 70% of funds going to Tiny Changes, a mental health charity set up in memory of Frightened Rabbit lead singer, Scott Hutchison. The remaining 30% would be donated to The Leisure Development Fund, which was set up to allow tourism and events students at GCU to apply for courses and qualifications to benefit them professionally.

GCU Students’ Association’s Re:Union Bar played host to the five events:

EPM Gold Cup Race Night (virtual horse racing)
Big Night In (an evening of self-care and mindfulness)
Ray of Hope (various games, “a fun fundraiser”)
Quiz Around The World (a culture-themed quiz night)
A Bolly-Nolly Affair (an Indian/Nigerian themed event with dance, karaoke & comedy)

A whopping grand total of £2,604.14 was raised, with £1,822.90 going to Tiny Changes.

We caught up with two students involved in bringing some glitz and glamour to GCU:

Mariam Leramoh - A Bolly-Nolly Affair

“We drew our inspiration from the Indian and Nigerian movie industry, which is popularly referred to as Bollywood and Nollywood, respectively. This was owing to the fact that the group was comprised of Nigerians and Indians so we decided to do something to showcase a major part of our cultures. We used karaoke to showcase our music and quizzes as a form of entertainment.

"On the day of the event, we set up the hall with decorations representing both the Indian and Nigerian cultures, and the team also dressed up in traditional outfits. Our guests also came dressed representing our cultures and they were made up of students, friends and family.

"The event kicked off with a karaoke activity, which the audience connected really well with. We then engaged them in a quiz and followed it up with a grand performance by an Indian student artist,  Simranjeet Singh. We then went back to continue the karaoke activity, which continued until the end of the evening.

"When we finally brought the event to a close, we left the audience asking for even more. It was a really good evening filled with fun, laughter and loads of gifts for everyone to go home with.”

Nicole Percival - EPM Gold Cup Race Night

“We had six races, standing bingo, throwing a coin at the bottle and a 40 horse name lucky dip! The event was chaired by a professional host and we also had a fantastic raffle with some amazing prizes on offer, such as a hotel stay, tattoo vouchers and stadium tours of Celtic Park and Ibrox.

"Feedback from those that came along was that it was a fantastic fun-filled night. The best bit was definitely being able to socialise once again, while generating funds for such an amazing cause. There were 70 attendees and we managed to raise £965.73 in total.”

By Ross Clark                  
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter