Movember at Cube

Things have been looking a little hairy at HQ lately…

It has nothing to do with a tricky product build or project…but actual hair and that is because a few of our “Cube Dudes” have participated in Movember this year. This means the ‘stache game has been strong at the agency for the last month!

For those that don’t know, Movember is a charity that has been changing the face of men’s health since 2003. They are doing that by bringing awareness to prostate, testicular cancer and mental health for men. They have funded over 1,250 health projects, challenged the status quo, shook up men’s health research and transformed the way health services reach and support men since their inception.

The past 20 months have taken a toll on all our mental health and this charity does wonderful work to spotlight the need for men’s health to be taken seriously. So Our Mo Men wanted to participate to raise funds and bring awareness for all the dads, brothers, sons and mates in our lives one whisker at a time.

The Cube men have taken this cause very seriously and share exactly why raising money for Movember is so important to them…

Nikos Rapousis

Android Developer

The death of my grandpa was a big hit to my family. We never until that moment experienced anything so bad, my mind was always set to the fact that my grandpa will live until 100+. He was a very strong man, and very healthy, but never really had any health check in his life, neither paid much attention to pain or any other symptoms.

My grandpa died when he was 75, my grandma, on the contrary, that did pay more (not hugely) attention to her health, lived until 85, so you do the maths. Since the death of my grandpa, I am trying to do at least ONE blood checkup per year, sometimes two. We think we are young and invincible, but with our lifestyle and all the environmental changes, things can change, unfortunately, very easy.

Simon Mitchell

Mobile Team Lead

Men’s health is an important topic that has always been close to my heart. A close family member has had life-long mental health problems – which are happily in a good place at the moment – and one of my closest friends attempted to take his own life during the Covid pandemic last year, which has made Movember this year all the more important to me.

We live in a society that is sadly not perfect in many ways, and one of those many ways is around how young men are often conditioned to deal with their emotions. I take great pride in supporting a charity that has made good strides to improve this situation, as well as many other health problems which are affecting men everywhere and hope they continue to do a fantastic job at the expense of me looking a bit strange for a month of the year!

Louis Sherman

Tester

The last 18 months have been really hard for me and so many other men and people generally. Many men struggle in silence, scared to ask for help, even to ask for a hug or cry, leading to stress, anxiety and a general strain on their mental health.

Growing a moustache isn’t going to fix the world, but hopefully, it helps support 1 or 2 other men with their mental health.

James Cowan

Designer

The last couple of years have obviously been a bit of a rough ride with the dreaded C19, but I think now more than ever we’re starting to acknowledge and stand up for mental health and support each other.

It’s a shame that such a disastrous global event has to take place for people to come together, so it’s definitely bittersweet, but I can’t deny the overwhelming sense of pride and passion I have for such a good cause, and being able to share that with my new Cube family makes it even more incredible.

Joel Hoare

Cube Academy Designer

Life’s hard, and poor mental health can hit men the hardest. I’ve been growing my top lip decoration to help raise money and awareness for all the bros that are struggling, mostly in silence. Men make up 75% of suicides in England, and I believe we can do better for them.

JR Mitchell

Android Developer

Mental health issues are becoming ever more common in our society. One in four people will struggle with mental illness at some point in their lives, and approximately 70% of these people will not receive treatment for it. This is due partly to a lack of funding and resources, and partly due to the social stigma around mental health. Whilst certainly not a struggle unique to men, many men in our society are brought up to believe that they should just “man up” in the face of emotional troubles, and this fosters an environment where they may feel afraid to seek the support they deserve.

I was fortunate that growing up in a household with a family member who struggles with depression, talking openly about mental health was normalised for me during my upbringing. I’m taking part in Movember not only with the hope of raising some financial contribution to the teams and organisations out there giving mental health support, but also to be another voice advocating for more open communication about mental health so that maybe I can contribute my small amount to building a society where people feel less afraid to seek help and talk about what they are experiencing.

Sam Kirby

Designer

Like so many others, I have seen the effects that cancer can have first-hand. Not just from the people suffering but also the mental impact that can have on their friends and family. I mo every Movember to support the cancer sufferers, survivors and their families.

Owen Evans

Frontend Developer

For someone who has suffered from depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts I know first-hand how scary life felt until I reached out to friends and family and sought professional help from a long term counsellor. I learnt to understand my emotions and accept them for what they were instead of hiding from them. With a lot of practice, things slowly got better. This is why I wanted to be part of Movember this year to raise awareness of the importance of talking openly about men’s mental health.

I encourage anyone who is suffering to reach out to someone they trust or speak anonymously using helplines like Samaritans and soon you will find yourself on the road to recovery.

You got this man!

The past 30 days have shown an enormous group effort…and loads of facial hair all in the name of supporting a great cause! The Cube Dudes have done a stand-up job and we are so proud to tell you all that they more than doubled the amount they raised last year. If you want to support this amazing charity, and our fundraising efforts, follow the link below to donate: