Every November, the charity Movember embarks on a campaign to raise awareness and money for men’s health, including aspects such as mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. From funding medical research to peer support programmes, Movember covers an extensive range of initiatives.

Campaigning by the charity and participants has long focused on growing moustaches in order to garner attention and spark conversations surrounding men’s health. Whilst this is still a cornerstone of their campaign, physical activity and fitness challenges have also become a fashionable way to raise money and awareness. This year, Movember announced the “Move for Mental Health” campaign. Symbolising the 60 men that are lost to suicide globally every hour, participants are challenged to run or walk 60 kilometres in one go or throughout the month.

“Originating in Australia in 2003, the charity has grown exponentially, now totalling over 6,861,045 ‘Mo-Bros’ and ‘Mo-Sisters’.”

This is just one example of the many fitness challenges that fundraisers are opting to partake in to raise money for the cause. Adam Garone, CEO and cofounder of the charity, supports a greater focus on physical fundraisers, saying: “Knowing that physical inactivity contributes to many preventable causes of death, we’re committed to encouraging men to get active.” Through Movember, physical activity is used to raise money, and to promote a tool one can use to positively affect their life.

Turning locally, the Cardiff University Rugby team are no strangers to going above and beyond to raise money for Movember. Last year they raised a whopping £46,037, which contributed to the university-wide total of £102,007. Due to their efforts, they were invited to the Mo Awards in London and won the “Havin’ Fun, Doin’ Good” award in recognition of their rugby club Mo Ball, an event that is set to go ahead again this November.

With big goals to reach this year, I spoke to the club’s Welfare and Charity Secretary Alex Ray to discuss the team’s participation in Movember and some of the fitness challenges they are taking on.

He explained: “There really is a club culture around supporting Movember where everyone gets behind each other and pushes to try and raise as much money as possible. With a large club of usually around 200 members, people have experienced different things in their lives which motivates them to want to raise money for a charity like Movember.”

Some of the fitness challenges that the rugby team are taking on includes swimming the length of the English Channel, climbing the Three Peaks in twenty-four hours, and even running a half marathon entirely in Misfits. Alex commented that completing physical challenges are a good way to raise awareness as “being active in general is definitely good for your physical and mental health, which links to Movember’s goals, and the harder your physical challenge is, the more people will donate”.

Alex is completing his own fitness challenge where he is rowing 5 kilometres every day for the entire month. A big part of his fitness challenge is inviting a different person each day to complete the 5 kilometres with him, promoting being there for one another and a safe space to shares one’s thoughts.

“At the time of drafting this article, the rugby team have raised £11,518, a number that is sure to rise as the campaign continues.”

Cardiff University Rugby are just one example of the many teams and clubs around the world that are opting to complete bold fitness challenges to raise awareness for the causes that Movember supports. These challenges help to raise money for a vital charity, but also promote camaraderie and wellbeing, which are significant positive factors that can help address men’s health.