Movember campaign 2024 | Our Working Way Staff Hub

At GC we want to normalise the conversations around mental and physical health, and underline the importance of helping colleagues to reach out and talk about their individual needs or concerns - to seek support and treatment.

This November, our Health &Wellbeing EDI Network are marking Movember.

Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

By encouraging men (whom the charity refers to as 'Mo Bros' and 'The Order of the Mo') to get involved, Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths.

Since 2003, the charity has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research and transforming the way health services reach and support men.

Take part in our November activities

Spreading the word...

We've created a handy toolkit to help you find out more about Movember, and how you can help and support and encourage others to have conversations around men's mental and physical health.

You can view the toolkit here

You can also add this Movember signature to your email (just right-click on the image to 'save as', to them upload into your Outlook email signature):

We're also encouraging colleagues to promote the campaign by sharing any photos of you getting involved in the Movember campaign. By using the hashtag below, you can promote your commitment to improving men’s physical and mental health and supporting one another on their health journeys:

#Movember #MensHealth #GrowAMo #SuicidePrevention

#ProstateCancerAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MoBros

Support ‘Grow a Mo’ and fundraise

We're encouraging colleagues to get involved and support Movember's 'Grow a Mo' campaign.

By growing a moustache during the month of November, it's a symbol for better men’s health. It will also grab the attention of your colleagues, family and friends – and starts important conversations around men's mental and mental health.

Click here to find out more and to sign-up and 'become one with the Mo'!

You can also read their Grow Toolkit.

Move for Mental Health challenge

This challenge is how 'The Order of Mo' remembers the 60 men lost to suicide globally, every hour.

To take part, all you have to do is run or walk 60km over the month of November (that’s 2km a day over the 30 days).

Here’s the link to create a profile (you have the option to create a team with others)

You can also read their Move Toolkit.

Our colleagues' lived experiences

Bitesize session: hormones – their influence on your health and wellbeing
Tuesday 19th November: 10am-11am (Teams Session)

Following on from our annual GC virtual Menopause Café session on 9^th October, and as part of our Health & Wellbeing EDI Network activities to mark our Movember, this bitesize session will be facilitated by Lisa Wright from Menopause the Wright Way.

It’s open to anybody (of all ages and genders) to attend as it’s a topic which either affects people personally, or you might know a friend, partner or colleague going through life transitions – so it’s worthwhile understanding more about this and having the opportunity to ask questions and share recommendations.

The aim of the session is to introduce how men’s (including non-binary and trans people) hormonal health contributes to their physical health as they age, as well as their mental health. We’ll also talk about how women’s hormonal health could impact upon their mental wellbeing.

Stress can be a big influence on mental health, and it can be incredibly stressful when your partner is struggling with menopause, so by introducing the hormonal health changes women experience during this time and the possible knock-on effects for men, we can improve the understanding of menopause for all, as well as the impact of hormonal health on all genders as they age.

Join this session if you’d like to:

Understand more about the role ‘his’ and ‘her’ sex hormones play
Hear about the evolution of hormonal health
Find out what happens to sex hormones as we age
Be clear on Andropause – is it myth or reality?
Know the symptoms of decreasing levels of hormones
There’s men in menopause for a reason - learn how you can support your partner and/or co-workers
Know how you can age healthily

The session will close with a Q&A.

The session will be an open, respectful and confidential space where people can express their views safely.

We hope to see you there. A calendar invite has been published for the event.

Additional Resources and Support

Visit our Men's Mental Health page on Our Working Way.

ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, and offer free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. They recently came to our Barnsley office where Jacob, one of their facilitators, delivered an information session to our GC Employment team's participants, and colleagues who wished to stay and listen, to talk about their provision and how it came about. Read the article to find out more.

Since 2017, MEN UP NORTH have been on a mission to normalise honest conversations on male mental health and challenge unhelpful narratives around masculinity. We started with regular group coaching sessions, utilising evidenced based methodologies with the aim of creating a unique psychologically safe space for diverse men to discuss their challenges.

MENS RETREATS: Join them for 3 days of brotherhood, mature masculinity and self-exploration at a stunning venue in the Parwich, Derbyshire. Read here to find out more about the retreat 15th-17th November 2024, what this weekend will entail, and if you are ready to take the first step towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life.