What is Movember and how can I get involved?

MOVEMBER is a yearly event aimed at raising awareness of men’s health and raising funds.

Here’s our guide to what it’s all about and how you can get involved.

What is Movember?

It started in 2003 with a group of 30 lads in Melbourne who decided to grow moustaches for a bit of a giggle.

The next year 450 men took part in Movember and they raised around £25,000 for prostate cancer research.

The trend quickly grew into a global phenomenon and is now a major annual event.

Now around five million people – dubbed Mo Bros and Mo Sistas – take part in at least 21 countries.

The Movember Foundation charity raises awareness and vital funds for the biggest issues in men’s health: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide prevention.

Every year 10,000 men die of prostate cancer – one an hour – and suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under 50.

The charity says men are facing a health crisis that isn’t talked about, and by 2030 aims to cut the number of men dying prematurely by a quarter.

How do I get involved with Movember?

The first thing you need to do is .

Once signed up, you can decide whether you’re working alone, or whether you want to team up or join another “pack”.

There are also such as fun runs, quizzes, and dodgeball tournaments.

You can even host your own party for you and your mates to compare facial growth.

“Create your own challenge – it can be anything. A gruelling test of physical endurance or something else entirely. Your epic efforts will help change the face of men’s health,” reads the .

What are the rules for Movember?

Every participant starts with a clean shave on October 31 – with a “before” photo to prove it.

Mo Bros then spend the next 30 days growing and grooming their upper lip hair.

You get extra kudos for unusual styles or recreating the look of a famous tache wearer.

If you’re being strict, no beards are allowed. That means you cannot join your moustache to sideburns, or join chin hair to handlebars.

However, the organisers want as many people as possible to get involved, so people who already have a beard are encouraged to sacrifice it to make way for a Mo at the start of the month.

On November 30, take a photo of your effort and share it with friends, colleagues and anyone you begged to sponsor you.

One of the great things about Movember is the sense of community.

Even if you don’t know anyone who is doing it, you can join in the events and parties and connect with tache growers across the world through the Movember app.

Girls can get involved too by donning false moustaches at the parties and fun runs.

You don’t have to grow a tache either.

The charity is also asking people to run or walk over 60km in November to also raise funds.

“Run or walk 60 miles over the month. That’s 60 miles for the 60 men we lose to suicide each hour, every hour across the world.”

The distance is significant as the charity says 60 men take their own lives every hour somewhere around the world.

People can also host a “Mo-ment” where people are encouraged to meet up and do something fun in an effort to raise funds.