29 October 2012
Remember Remember It's Officially Movember!
Bedfordshire Police are reassuring residents that they need not
be afraid of any officers that they see in the coming month
sporting rather fascinating facial hair.
Around 75 officers and staff members are preparing to join the
likes of Charlie Chaplin, Daley Thompson, Freddie Mercury, Hulk
Hogan and Merv Hughes as they put away their razor for the month of
Movember (previously known as November) to raise funds for a range
of prostate and testicular cancer initiatives.
The team have been spurred into action after serving police
constable Nathan Peters, 27, was diagnosed with testicular cancer
earlier this year. Nathan, who serves on A Section in Bedford, is
currently receiving treatment at Northampton General Hospital but
won’t let it get in the way of him following the progress of his
fellow Mo Bros and Sisters as they support Movember.
Nathan said: “Finding out that you have cancer is quite possibly
the scariest thing in the world but I have been completely
overwhelmed by all of the support that I have received from my
colleagues. At first I thought just one or two were taking part,
but I got a bit emotional when I was told that everyone was going
to grow a Mo.
“Movember is a great cause and it is so important that people
are educated about men’s health issues and how to identify cancer.
In my case I suffered a terrible pain while on duty back in April
and this prompted me to get it checked out. The doctor confirmed
that it was cancer and my treatment process began soon afterwards.
It sounds strange to say it but I am so thankful for that pain.
“Unfortunately I won’t be able to participate in Movember this
time around as one of the side effects of my treatment is that I
will lose my hair, but I will certainly be sporting some facial
hair next year.”
The rules of Movember are simple. Once registered each Mo Bro
must begin the 1st of Movember with a clean shaven face. For the
entire month each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache. There is
to be no joining of the Mo to the sideburns (that’s considered a
beard), there’s to be no joining of the handlebars to the chin
(that’s considered a goatee) and each Mo Bro must conduct himself
like a true gentleman.
Chief Inspector Greg Horsford, who is part of the Bedfordshire
Police Movember team, added: “As soon as the call was put out for
Movember volunteers I said I’d take part providing the team did – I
didn’t realise that they ALL would!
“It will be great to raise funds for such a fantastic charity
and supporting Nathan, but I think we are all secretly more looking
forward more to seeing who can grow the most impressive moustache
and who will be left behind.”
The aim of Movember is to raise vital funds and awareness for
men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
Last year the charity raised £79million and took the overall total
up to £184 million since it launched in 2003.
The funds raised in the UK are directed to programmes run
directly by Movember and their men’s health partners, Prostate
Cancer UK and the Institute of Cancer Research. The charity works
with these partners to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a
broad range of innovative, world-class programmes in line with
their strategic goals in the areas of awareness and education,
survivorship and research.
To donate to the Bedfordshire Police Movember team just visit
http://www.movember.com/ and search
Bedfordshire Police.
