BrightHer
We were able to use the grant funding to cut our costs significantly, allowing our revenue to go directly to people who need it most. We have also surpassed our previous years’ candle production, hence being increasingly efficient.
Type of Grant
Club Grant
What the Grant Supported
The grant funding was used to purchase materials for a joint candle-making workshop with Fashion Revolution, providing an accessible, creative and therapeutic opportunity for social engagement. Through these activities, the society continues to operate with a triple bottom line approach, balancing social, environmental, and economic impact. The society has participated in multiple candle sales and fundraising activities to benefit students and the wider community. Candles have also been donated to support student-led initiatives and charitable causes, helping to create a positive social impact.
Long-Term Impacts
- Raised awareness of domestic abuse in Scotland, with a particular focus on Glasgow, through the society's activities.
- Engaged with multiple student societies through the candle sale, encouraging conversations about supporting domestic abuse charities.
- Directed donations and support from the University community to Hemat Gryffe Women's Aid, the society's charity partner.
- Strengthened awareness and engagement with local services supporting individuals affected by domestic abuse.
Inclusivity & Accessibility
"We include large and small versions of our candle to accommodate people’s disposable income. We also include stickers and leaflets to allow people to reach out and volunteer in an accessible way for the cause. We have also included mini messages from beads that promote mental health and self-care, such as “You Got This!” and “I Love You”. This has had overwhelmingly positive reception from students. While we include Xmas-themed candles, we offer multiple other candles so there is a wide variety of choice for people from different backgrounds. Multiple chronically ill people have further mentioned to us how the scents and warmth from the candles are beneficial for them. Additionally, as a club dealing with sensitive real-world topics, we strive to make our society a highly accessible and safe space for all survivors, UofG students or not."
Lessons Learned
"Our society is multi-faceted, and hence our teams consist of social media, social impact, product development, and the finance & sales teams. Thus, this process allowed us to improve on our cross-functional ability to acquire photos, pricing strategy, and our goals. Additionally, many of our committee members are in other societies. Therefore, by speaking to others, we could find our strategic similarities and differences. This allowed us to understand our specific strengths and weaknesses as a society and build on those."
Additional SRC Support Provided
- Used the card machine hire to facilitate payments during fundraising activities.
- Collaborated with SRC to hold an event during their 16 Days of Activism campaign that was society-led.
- Promoted event and sold tickets on the SRC website.
- Held all production sessions in the Gilchrist PG Club, reducing unnecessary venue costs.
- Stored event and fundraising materials in SRC-managed lockers, ensuring easy access and minimising additional expenses.
Would Your Society Apply for an SRC Grant Again?
“Yes. We have come to appreciate collaborating with the SRC to host unique events that we know will serve our membership and the wider UofG student community. We look forward to applying for more grants in the future. We are continuously hopeful that our events connect with the overall vision of the SRC pertaining to student growth as well as the empowerment of our members.”
