A group of our ‘Mo Bros’ boys helped to spread awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health, when they delivered an assembly to Bedford Girls’ School as part of their annual ‘Movember’ campaign earlier this week.
We are currently in our sixth year of fundraising for the campaign and have raised a staggering £65,000 to date and are already in second place on the Movember Schools Challenge leaderboard. This year however, the Movember boys show no signs of resting until they have hit the top spot, and are organising events throughout the month to engage boys, staff and the surrounding community in order to encourage donations. Events include an annual tug of war competition, a curry night for boys and their male relatives, an Aussie Rules Football tournament, a 60km run, row or swim, an Old Bedfordian 80 mile cycle ride and a ‘Peaky Blinders’ themed non-uniform day.
Head Master, James Hodgson, said, “It’s not just about raising money – it’s also about educating the boys on the importance of men’s health, and we make sure our boys know why this campaign is so important every year.”
Not only are the boys attempting to be the best of the best for 2019, but they are also learning about the importance of men’s health issues, through a series of workshops and keynote speeches. This week, Movember UK ambassador and cancer-survivor Bobby Bansal spoke to the boys about his experience with testicular cancer. He was joined by Loughborough University lecturer Florence Kinnafick, who discussed research into mental health issues and the links between positive mental health and sport. In the classroom, Sixth Form boys delivered a lesson to Fifth Formers to educate them on testicular cancer and mental health using a series of practical and interactive activities.
Val Pumfrey, Schools Engagement and Fundraising Lead at Movember UK, said, “The students of Bedford School are a prime example of what can be achieved for Movember.
Their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn about the importance of men’s health is inspiring, and they have been a huge part of our campaign for the past few years.”
Movember raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programmes that enable men to live happier, healthier and longer lives. Committed to disrupting the status quo, millions have joined the movement, helping fund over 1,250 projects focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide prevention.
If you would like to make a donation, you can do so here.