The end of the month sees DURFC end another year’s Movember charity campaign, and with the razors being employed by the whole club one last time, let’s have a look at what we’ve been doing to raise money.

Every player and multiple coaches have been growing their moustaches, proudly sporting them all over campus. However thick or thin, visible or invisible, wispy or bushy, the boys have all worn the mo for the whole of November. Along with this, many boys have completed individual challenges to help raise more money. Leading from the front, Club Captain Owen Boxall, along with Ben Roscoe are getting a DURFC tattoo as a result of the club reaching our original target of £10k.

Some members of the club have tested their endurance to raise money. Archie Wright ran the New York Marathon on 3rd November, aswell as completing a 5k running backwards; George Gibbens swam the length of the English Channel and back throughout the month; Lucas Rowell and Alfie Chapman ran up ‘cardiac hill’ on the science site 86 times; Archie Mullins completed a half marathon in the Bill Bryson Library; Sam Moore and Joe Cooke tested their mental endurance by spending 14 hours in McDonalds and eating 40 burgers; Keelan Farrell walked to Newcastle; Matthew Brookes endured a 24 hour stint in the Bill Bryson library.

Some of the boys also chose to alter their appearance to raise money, namely Joe Cooke who bleached his hair and Harry Burch who dyed his hair purple.

Charlie Coe led his pop-up cafe, with Billy Hipperson offering up some homemade sweet treats and Jonny Smith and Osian Thomas cooking bacon butties to sell for donations to their Movember page. As it was such a success, this is sure to become a DURFC Movember regular fundraiser.

A special mention should go to last year’s Club Captain and current Team Durham President, Alex Radcliffe, who topped the club, raising an incredible £1,035. Alongside this, Charlie Coe also raised an incredible amount, reaching £1,023. A truly remarkable effort from both these lads.

As a club, we reached a record amount of money raised. Setting an ambitious target of £10k, we smashed the target out of the park, with the money raised totalling £13,227. This placed us as the second highest fundraiser at Durham University as well as placing us 30th highest fundraising team for Movember. Durham University was also successful in raising the most money as a university for Movember.

What has been a brilliant month for fundraising has also raised awareness and started conversations about times when we can struggle with our mental health, a cause dear to every man’s heart. DURFC has proved that when it matters we show that we truly care for each other.


Harry Burch