The moustache, or, as the founders of Movember like to look at it, the home-grown version of a ribbon, is back in focus this month as men around the world grow theirs in a show of support for the eponymous foundation.
The campaign has come a long way since 2003, when a bunch of male friends in Melbourne, Australia, roped in 30 men and challenged them to not shave for the month of November in a bid to “change the face of men’s health”.
The next year, the 30 original “Mo Bros” reached out to 450 friends and colleagues to join them, and managed to raise about Dh130,00 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia through the newly formed Movember Foundation. In 2006, the campaign opened up to men in New Zealand, followed by those from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Spain in 2007.
While the movement started out focusing on raising funds for prostate cancer research, it has since incorporated issues such as testicular cancer and the oft-ignored arena of men’s mental health.
Currently, five million men from 20 countries have officially registered with the foundation, which has raised about Dh2.3 billion and funded 1,200 men’s health projects.
The “rules” are simple: you start clean-shaven and then grow your moustache (but not your beard) for the rest of the month. Choose to stick with your natural ‘stache or refer to the goofy Movember style guide, which includes such specimens as the trucker’s handlebar, the connoisseur’s curled whiskers, and the ever-so-slender wisp, among others.
This year, the foundation has also introduced Move, a fitness programme that involves volunteers signing up on the website, setting a distance goal and then walking, running, cycling, swimming or rowing their way to achieving it, raising funds – through the foundation or by themselves via social media – along the way.
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Read more:
Deconstructing: Lace
Deconstructing: Flip Flops
Deconstructing: Eyebrows
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Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
