RCVS staff embark on fan-tash-tic mission for cancer charity

Eleven male members of staff at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have today embarked on the Movember challenge - to donate their faces to charity by growing a moustache throughout November and raising funds to help combat prostate cancer.

"Visitors to the College over the next few weeks shouldn't be alarmed if some members of staff begin to resemble a Village People tribute band," said Simon Wiklund, Advisory Manager and instigator of the College's participation in Movember 2010. "I suggested this to the chaps last week, and was delighted so many were willing to look daft for such a good cause."

According to the Movember website, the aim is simple: "One man dies from prostate cancer every day in the UK. Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men's health by growing a moustache.

"All MoBros should be clean shaven on 1 Movember and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men's health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men," it says.

We're a mixed-ability team, so it will be interesting to see who sports the best tache at the end of Movember. This is no trivial hirsute.

The RCVS team - 'All 'Taches Great and Small' - comprises at least one member of every department in the College, so whilst the team as a whole will be raising as much money as it can, interdepartmental competition is likely to get quite hairy.

"In spite of ourselves, reputations are at stake here," admits Simon. "We're a mixed-ability team, so it will be interesting to see who sports the best tache at the end of Movember. This is no trivial hirsute."

Lending his support to the team's efforts is RCVS President and Whisker-in-Chief Peter Jinman. "I'm impressed that so many of the gents on the staff have taken it upon themselves to support The Prostate Cancer Charity in this way," he said. "If it's true that eight out ten chaps really do prefer whiskers, they should raise a decent amount of money."

Anyone wishing to support the All Taches Great & Small team in their bristling endeavours should please visit their fundraising pages.

Donations can be made to individual MoBros, or to the team as a whole.