TWO weeks after Oxfordshire’s men downed their razors in support of Movember, moustaches have been sprouting above upper lips up and down the county.

Today marks the half-way point in the month-long event to raise awareness of men’s health issues – including prostate and testicular cancer – and fundraise for charities that support them.

London Welsh’s Movember team captained by prop Ricky Reeves, has already raised more than £1,300 and a number of the rugby club’s players are sporting artistic moustaches.

Mr Reeves said: “Some of the boys are doing well, others not so well.

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“Some of the younger lads are struggling but there are some awesome ’taches. although mine is the best, of course!

“I have gone for a Sergeant Major-style ’tache and I am able to twist it at the ends.

“Matt Dobson [who plays hooker] has gone for the Redneck trucker look and it is probably the second best.”

However, as Mr Reeves points out, there is extremely serious reason behind the initiative: “I am doing it because a couple of people very close to me have been diagnosed with cancer and it is something I like to raise awareness of.

“If you catch it in the early stages you can often beat it.

“If I can get young lads to drop their ‘lads’ mentality’ and go to the doctor that is a good thing.”

Bicester Advertiser:

  • County councillor Arash Fatemian

Oxfordshire county councillor for Deddington Arash Fatemian took on the challenge two years ago when his boss described him as the “Iranian Ian Rush” by the time he had finished.

This year he is hoping to raise £500 for charity, but the councillor has not started fundraising in earnest yet.

He said: “Fundraising is going well but I have not spread it too far yet because I wanted to have something to show.

“The moustache is coming along well. I think the past couple of days have seen a lot of growth, for the first couple of days people thought I just had not shaved.

“One person came up to me and said thanks for doing it because he had treatment on his prostate earlier this year. That was a nice touch.”

Oxford United club secretary Mick Brown, another of those taking part in Movember, said: “It is going well really, I am doing okay.

“I am captain of the Oxford United Movember team and on the sponsorship front things are going well; we have raised more than £500 so far.”

Bicester Advertiser:

  • Mick Brown, Oxford United club secretary

Mr Brown said sponsorship was not the only aim of the ‘Mo Bros’ at the Kassam Stadium.

He said: “Part of it is raising awareness, it is not just about raising funds.

“When you are out and about you can see lots of other people doing it.

“Unfortunately both my parents died from different cancers so it has a relevance to me.

“The more we can do to try to minimise the effect it has on families the better.”

RAISING AWARENESS

  • Movember, which has taken place since 2004, is an annual event that encourages men to grow moustaches during November. 
  • It is intended to raise awareness of male health problems such as prostate and testicular cancer, heart disease and depression.
  • Many men also ask people to sponsor them while they grow a moustache to raise money for charities which help people suffering from these health problems.
  • It is estimated to have raised £110m worldwide since it started.
     

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