Movember is a charity dedicated to raising funds, awareness and vital support in the battle against Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Men’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. It’s a cause which is close to my heart and is one which needs more recognition.
To kick off our Movember challenge; we shaved off our beards and began growing our moustaches. We have seen some funny, some impressive and some… not so impressive moustaches, however it’s been amazing to see the commitment across the office.
Our first fundraising event was taking part in a ‘MoRunning’ 10km race. On Sunday the 9th November myself and my colleague and good friend, Ryan Greedy travelled up to Bristol to complete the run. The run included a gruelling hill which was not an easy challenge but we both made it around with smiles on our faces.
The next challenge was by far the toughest; I set out to run 60 kilometres in one day – one kilometre for every man we lose to suicide every hour, every day, around the world. Movember stands at the forefront of men’s mental health and this year I wanted to contribute in a way that pushed my limits while shining a light on a cause which matters deeply.
The run was both a physical and mental test, but was also an emotional reminder. Running alongside some great people offered moments of reflection for the men in our lives who often suffer in silence. The stigma surrounding men being able to talk needs to shift, and is something that Movember and many other likeminded people are trying to change.
Finally we wrapped up our efforts with a dress down day where staff swapped their usual office attire for casual clothes paired with a fake moustache. This helped to raise further funds and to spark conversations around this topic. The moustaches brought plenty of laughter and highlighted our shared commitment to raising awareness for an important cause.
Overall, I have raised over £1,000 and it’s great to see the commitment to this cause from everyone involved. A massive thank you to everyone who has kindly donated!
If anyone would like to contribute to this, there is a donation link here: https://movember.com/m/15253635?mc=60
Final “Mo” photos to follow next week!
