Remember, remember the hair of Movember!

IPSWICH: Remember, remember the hair of Movember!

Men across Ipswich are today donning masses of facial hair as part of a worldwide campaign to raise money for Prostate Cancer.

The phenomenon of the mo - as it's called in Australia where the event originally began - has spread across the world, with thousands of men competing for the best preened facial hair.

Staff at one Ipswich firm have certainly backed the appeal with 27 male workers abandoning their razors to take part.

The group from the Suffolk Life offices in Princes Stree are currently donning a variety of moustaches in aid of the charity.

Henry Catchpole, chief executive of Suffolk Life, said: “There are some very handsome moustaches around the office.

“Men are terrible at talking about health issues and moustaches seem to attract a lot of comments so it's just great to get people talking about the issue and to raise money along the way is fantastic.

“I was a bit worried when my wife said that she had actually started to quite like my moustache.”

Proud tash grower, Joe Fairs, senior administrator at Suffolk Life, added: “We've raised around �2,100 so far and whatever the final figure is - my employer has said they will match it.”

Nationally, more than 44,000 people are taking part in Movember, raising a mammoth �2,469,127 with donations continuing to flood in daily.

Chris McDermott, of Westland Road, has been donning a fetching handlebar styled mo' after deciding to take part in Movember with his father, Rob.

The 21-year-old, who studies civil engineering at Surrey University and expects to raise more than �300, said: “We decided to do it because it's for such a good cause and it's been great fun.

“I forget that I have all this hair on my face and I've been going to presentations and meetings with this massive moustache which has been weird - it's taken a lot of work but I'm proud to have done it.”

Are you taking part in Movember? Send us pictures of your moustache to Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or by e-mail to starnews@eveningstar.co.uk

The history of Movember

Movember events began in Australia in 2003, when 30 friends decided to raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity.

By 2008, Movember had gone global and was officially held in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia

To date, Movember has raised more than �30 million globally for the fight against prostate cancer and depression in men.

Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer diagnosed in men, with 35,000 cases every year in the UK and at least one man dying from the disease every hour.

For more information on Movember visit www.movember.com

The rules of Movember

Tash growers must all start the month clean shaven and are allowed to shave it all off on December 1

No joining of the mo to side burns - no beards allowed

No joining of the handlebars - no goatees allowed

A small complimentary growth under the bottom lip is allowed - this can be referred to as a tickler