If it seems that every man you walk past is sporting a moustache, then a lightbulb should’ve gone off in your head telling you that the hairiest month of the year is back again – and yes we’re talking about Movember!
Movember, also known as No-Shave November, is an annual event, which aims to raise awareness on men’s health issues, such as depression, prostate and testicular cancer to name a few. It was launched in 2003 and it was the brainchild of two Australian men, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, while they were having a few pints at a pub in Adelaide.
Fast-forward to 2015, and Movember attracts over five million people worldwide to participate in the event. At the end of the month, a Mo party is held to celebrate the efforts of all those who joined the event.
University of Lincoln student, Pat Richardson is participating in Movember for the second year in a row. He said: “I think [Movember] is a great way to raise awareness for prostate cancer. I did it last year and although the facial hair did get quite annoying after 30 days, the sense of achievement was satisfying.”
He added: “Me and the rest of the University Men’s Football team are doing it this year, so bring on the next few weeks!”
So what are the rules? Well, according to Movember Foundation the rules are as follows:
- Once you have registered, you must start with a clean-shaven face on the 1st of November.
- For the entire month, you must grow and groom your moustache. It cannot be a goatee or a beard!
- One must act like a “true country gentleman” throughout the month.
Women, or Mo Sistas, as they are aptly called by the Movember Foundation, can get involved by encouraging other men to grow moustaches and getting other Mo Sistas to sign up. Instead of growing a mo, they can hold fundraisers to ask for donations, which will go towards men’s health programmes and charities.
If you’d like to get involved, visit Movember Foundation’s website here and Happy Movember!