Sam & his team from the Southeast Coast Ambulance Service rowed 3000 miles in November on rowing machines, the equivalent of rowing across the Atlantic. Epic.
I first took part in Movember four years ago. Oliver Razzell and myself both decided it would be a fun thing to do and maybe we could raise a little money along the way as the charity supports a number of projects which sit close to my heart.
When I was a child, I lost my uncle to cancer and sadly since leaving school I have lost two close school friends to suicide. I also came very close to losing another friend to his poor mental health.
In the ambulance service, we are at higher risk of developing PTSD and it's something which isn't talked about enough.
Me and the team feel that growing a Mo is a great conversation starter. People ask why you're doing it and the conversation naturally leads into raising awareness. It's certainly something which is discussed much more openly now at our station.
Last year we raised £4800 following our rowing challenge. I certainly felt that this was a good way to recruit people to the team. Men love a challenge and the idea of being able to physically represent the distance certainly drew people in.
It also helped with donations. It's one thing to ask for donations but when you are putting your body through something physical, people recognise the sacrifice you are making.
I felt it easiest to recruit a team in person. Once they have shown interest, you can always follow up by text or WhatsApp.
It’s important to share the message and the work that Movember do, but also that it will be a lot of fun along the way and the sense of team spirit they will feel.