‘Movember’ moustaches to last a few more days yet!

Representatives of Scotland’s farming union have left their shavers in the bathroom cupboard this month and the resulting facial hair has already raised more than £10,000 for The Prostate Cancer Charity.

Now in its seventh year, the Movember campaign challenges men to grow a moustache or ‘mo’ in support of male health charities. Supporters started the month of November clean-shaven and are growing a moustache for the entire month. 

No fewer than 16 of the Union’s farmer directors and staff have got involved in moustache-growing part of the campaign and many NFUS representatives around the country have been encouraging and collecting the donations.  With only a few days of Movember to go, the money has been flooding in from farmers and the wider farming industry.

Captain of ‘Team Mogriculture’ and NFUS Chief Executive is James Withers, who said:

"What an astonishing response from the Scottish farming industry to help support the 36,000 men in the UK who are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK. I may owe some of my staff and Board of Directors an apology for dragging them into this hair-growing spectacle, but it has been truly worth it for the reaction shown by the industry.

“Our combined efforts have seen thousands of pounds donated by supporters – either individually, on line or during the current round of farming roadshows, dinner dances and branch AGMs taking place across the Scotland.  The money raised to date puts us within the top fifteen fundraising organisations in the UK and that is a fantastic effort.

“The whole essence and importance of the campaign has been captured by team member and NFUS Milk Committee chairman Jimmy Mitchell, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.  Proudly sporting his 'tache, Jimmy’s personal charity effort stands at more that £2600 pounds, making him one of the top individual fundraisers in the whole of the UK. 

“The most pleasing aspect has been the willingness of farmers and staff to get involved and for people to put their hands in their pockets to help out.  And the ways in which cash is being raised shows bravery and imagination in equal measure.  These range from muffins to tablet, head-shaving to haircuts, even guess the weight of the baby!

“With four days to go before we can dig the razors out of the cupboard again, those in the team who have donated our faces to charity, sacrificing some dignity has been price a price worth paying!  And many others have helped share the mickey-taking and join the fund-raising effort.  As we start our last push for the charity, every pound of support will continue to be very gratefully received."    

Notes to editors

• A photograph of NFU Scotland Chief Executive James Withers, Finance Director Colin Gordon and Communications Director Bob Carruth – and their moustaches - is available on request.
• If you would like to support Team Mogriculture’s moustache growing efforts and make a donation on line, go to    http://uk.movember.com/mospace/629320/
• If you would like to send a donation, cheques made out to NFU Scotland and sent to Colin Gordon, NFU Scotland, Rural Centre, West Mains, Ingliston, EH28 8LT.  If you provide your name, address, postcode and confirm that you are a UK taxpayer, then it will ensure your donation qualifies for Gift Aid.
• You can follow the progress of Team Mogriculture on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/pages/NFU-Scotland/129023127119672
• You can follow the Team Mogriculture Captain, James Withers on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFUStweets

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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006