What do Hulk Hogan, Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin have in common? Apart from alliterative letters in their first and surnames? Magnum P.I? Adolf Hitler? Freddy Mercury? Burt Reynolds?

They all owned a crumble catcher. Facial fur. Grass grin. Lip foliage. Snot mop. The almighty moustache!

The oldest recorded portrait of a shaven man with a moustache is believed to be of an Iranian Horseman and is dated back to 300BC. Thankfully, we are no longer shaving with sharp stone razors and have progressed, allowing blokes to groom and trim their whiskers as they please.

In 1999 a group of young men in South Australia coined the term “Movember” with the idea of growing moustaches for charity throughout the month of November. Members of the Adelaide-based “Movember Committee” came up with the idea for Movember one night whilst at the pub. The group started with 80 men from Adelaide and soon became a nationwide phenomenon. In 2004, an unrelated group in Melbourne, Australia organised an event where 30 men would grow a moustache for 30 days in order to raise awareness for prostate cancer and depression in men. This group would later become the official Movember Foundation charity.

The Movember Foundation has since raised $174-million (R1800-million!) worldwide, after spreading to South Africa and Europe, reaching North America in 2006. In 2010, participants in the United States alone raised over $7.5 million. In 2012, 1.1 million people signed up to participate, raising upwards of $95 million.

Expand a Sign is always enthusiastic about contributing to a good cause, and a group of now-furry men have formed as part of the EAS Movember Team. Bradley, Kent, Tony, Shaun and some anonymous gal (Hey, we don’t judge) have taken on the challenge to grow their handlebars, pencils and walrus styled mo’s. Braving the itch, the rejection by their significant other, the ‘You-look-like-a-70’s-porn-star’ glances from strangers – our squad of ‘stached studs (& single saucy stukkie) are nearly mid way through their month of the flavour savour.

If you’d like to chip in, please donate to the Expand a Sign Movember Team and help us change the face of men’s health.

Cheers,

EAS Mo’s and Mo Sistas.