Movember 16
2016 marked my 6th official campaign working with Movember. The charity has evolved considerably since I first got involved by growing a moustache in 2008: from humble beginnings as a group of 30 mates in a Melbourne Pub in 2003, the foundation has grown into a global household name. Movember was originally set up to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer. Over the years, combatting testicular cancer and mental health issues were also added to its goals. 2016 is the now the second year that Movember has focused on men's general health issues, trying to get men moving and "living happier, healthier, longer lives", with more emphasis on MOVEmber than just MOvember. Here are some of highlights from the past month...
Project Awesome on the Southbank
On the 2nd November, a group of crazy Londoners met up for a dawn work-out by Tower Bridge. Project Awesome is the brainchild of adventurer/philanthropist/entrepreneur (I'm not sure how to describe him), Danny Bent, and if you haven't heard of it, you can find out more here: http://www.projectawesomehq.com/
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'Rowvember' in Richmond
A great idea from Olympic medal-winning rower, Cameron Nichol, who wanted to accumulate 1 million metres on a rowing machine over the course of the month. He did, however, enlist the help of a few friends... including more medal winners in the form of Jessica Eddie and Melanie Wilson. The event was hosted by Lululemon Athletica in Richmond and encouraged members of the public to get active and blast out a minute on the rower.
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'Map a Mo' with Ben Miller
As you may know, I'm a fan of weird fitness challenges so when I found out what Ben Miller was doing for Movember, I was keen to get involved. The comedic actor is a household name in the UK and has been mucking in with the Mo crew for a few years now. Ben's mission was to cycle 100km in the shape of moustache through the Surrey Hills, dressed in tweed, riding solo on a tandem. The empty saddle represented the men that we lose every year to cancer and mental health issues and the tweed was because... errmmm, it was tweed. It was a 6am start and the sun had set by the time he finished (after having been knocked off his bike by a white van man) but a great day and a lot of amusement. I just hope Ben's chafing has healed!
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The Long Lunch at Bronte, Charing Cross
The long lunch is a tradition that dates back almost as long as the Movember Foundation itself. Although it may not represent the epitome of the healthy lifestyle Movember promotes, the atmosphere is always vibrant, open conversations about important issues flow freely and a huge amount of cash is raised for the cause through ticket sales and an auction. There were a few famous faces - see if you recognise any in the photos. Ollie Ollerton and Jason Fox from Channel 4's 'Who Dares Wins' spoke from the heart about mental health issues that had affected them and why they set up Break Point (see below) which is partnering with Movember this year.
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Break Point, Vanessa White and Elle Magazine
In a corner of St. James Park on a wintry afternoon, the team from Elle Magazine were put through their paces in an SAS style workout blast by Break Point. They were joined by singer and ex-Saturday, Vanessa White, and a couple of the die-hard Mo crew. I felt tired just watching! My main focus for this event was a video which will be released early in 2017 as part of Movember's new year-round MOVE initiative. If you want to find out more about Break Point, the courses they run and the remarkable background of their founders, check out the website: www.break-point.com
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There you have it, a glimpse into some of my activity last month. My 2016 diary has been packed to the rafters so I hope to fit in a couple more blogs before the end of the year. Can I have an extra month please! As always, for more frequent updates, you can follow me on instagram or facebook.
RB
