A reflection on Movember

Movember sees millions of men taking part each year but do we all know the reason behind it, its history and its meaning? It started in 2003 by 2 Australian friends, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery who wanted to bring back the moustache. This was done in an effort to raise money for a friend’s mother who had breast cancer. With only 30 people joining and raising nothing, the movement has continued to grow with in 2021 6,886,128 Mo Bros and Sisters in countries all over the world joining, raising up to £65.4 million.

Joining the campaign is a stacked line of celebrities such as Ashley Walters, Joe Sugg, Royal blood and Professor Green. What started out as an idea, a joke, has turned into a global effort to raise awareness and money for those who need it. There is a considerable element aimed at men’s health, both physical and mental, tackling the tradition of what it is to be a man, and one’s own mental health. Movember is also fun, allowing people to forget about the social desire to look a certain way and let it grow, especially for females. It doesn’t matter how much one raises, as the taking part raises awareness itself, which is the beauty of it. The branches that have come allow you to not only grow a moustache but run, and host a mo-ment in the name of men’s health or a given cause in need of awareness raising.

There are also rules to adhere to when attempting: first you start with a clean shave and this is done with a sharp blade. From here you cannot shave off any part of the moustache and say goodbye to the skin above the upper lip. For the first couple of weeks, you might contemplate quitting seeing the state of it but that’s part of the game. The beard, or everywhere else on the face must stay clean shaven and if you can grow it considerably long, give it a style. The style choice is yours: long, thick, thin, curled, but most importantly remember what it's for, to raise awareness.

If you would like to find out more or to register yourself and get friends and family involved next year, visit