Mo’ve over October – November has arrived with a bang! But just before we start to feel festive and thoughts turn to all things Christmas, let’s talk about Men’s Health Month this November and what you can do to boost fundraising. 

November is notorious for growing a moustache – Affectionately re-named Movember. It’s a month dedicated to men’s health and raising awareness about some of the most common health issues that the men in our lives face. 

Did you know that the idea behind Movember is to raise awareness of:

• Men’s mental health and suicide prevention
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular 

Not only does the money raised go towards prevention, but also on research on treatments and support of those going through these issues. That’s a lot of worthy causes that could benefit from just growing a mo! 

But shaving off your beard and growing a moustache isn’t the only way you can raise money this November – There are plenty of ways to get fundraising, many from the comfort of your own home! 

Men’s Health Month Fundraising Ideas

Many of the men in our lives need a bit of encouragement to talk about their issues and go to the Dr’s with any concerns. They might also need our encouragement and motivation to drum up sponsorships and support their fundraisers! Here are a few of our favourite ways you could fundraise for men’s health this November.  

Grow a Mo

Let’s start with the obvious one – Shave off any facial hair you’ve already got and then grow only a moustache for the duration of November. Encourage your friends to sponsor you by sharing photo evidence online every couple of days to show them how your mo is getting on. Get your friends to sponsor you to shave off your facial hair (if you have any to start with) and then grow just a moustache for the duration of November. Don’t forget to share a link to your online donation page so that supporters can easily make a donation! 

Fitness Challenge

We can’t share a list of fundraising ideas without suggesting some kind of fitness challenge can we! There are so many you could choose from to suit your mood and ability –  From Couch to 5K to 20 push-ups a day. The list is endless! Make sure you choose an exercise that would give you at least a bit of a challenge so that people are more likely to sponsor you and donate. Don’t forget to share your progress! 

You could even encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same by nominating them to join in on social media! Who can say no to such a public suggestion? We all know someone who can’t resist the chance to show off their skills! 

Before you start, ensure you’ve chosen a men’s health charity to donate the money to – It’s important your sponsors know the reason behind your fitness challenge and exactly where their donations are going to go. 

It’s a great excuse to encourage the men in your lives to check their bodies regularly, or let them know it’s okay to not be okay and reach out to those close to them to talk and share the load.

Go Sober

If a fitness challenge isn’t accessible to your right now, then how about a lifestyle tweak to help you feel healthier? Whether your crux is a pint of beer at the end of a long day, a sneaky cigarette on your lunch break or greasy takeaways multiple times a week, why not challenge yourself to give it up for a month? No judgement from us if you do any of these things – We all have our ways to unwind. But we also love a challenge! And we bet your friends, family and colleagues would pay to see you challenge yourself to give up something like one of these for a month!

Sponsored Cycle

A sponsored cycle is a great way of bringing a community of friends, neighbours and co-workers together for a united cause. There are bound to be some great local routes – Many probably with a good pub at the end so you can finish off the fundraiser with a pint! Ask friends and family to support your efforts by sponsoring you and sharing your sponsorship page far and wide. Why not choose a men’s health issue close to your heart to donate the funds to? Don’t forget to share photos along the way! It’s not only about raising money, but also awareness.

Friendly Football Tournament

This is a great one to get lots of people involved – Think teams of colleagues from different departments at work, groups of friends, even team mates from other sports. Each team could pay a fee to enter, plus sponsorships for goals scored. Why not ask local businesses if they would like to sponsor your event? They could advertise the event for you or even provide the kits! 

If you end up with a good number of teams, you could make a day event of it and incorporate food, drink and family fun. The more stalls, the more opportunity to raise money. If you want to make it easy for people to pay then support your cash donations with the choice to pay by card or smartphone. An easy way to do this is with QR codes and NFC tags which take the supporter scanning straight to your online donation page. They can then pay quickly and easily with Google or Apple Pay!

Charity Car Wash

A car wash calls for a community effort. Get the lads together – Whether it’s locals from your village, housing development or colleagues at work. Find a big outdoor space – perhaps a local pub or community centre can lend you their car park for an afternoon? Charge a fee per car and the donations will be rushing in like a high pressure hose. 

The key to making this a success is great marketing material – Make sure as many people as possible know about your event both offline and online. Use the opportunity to also raise awareness for your particular men’s health cause. 

Plenty of photos and videos online will make sure that anyone not getting in on the car wash action will get serious FOMO.

Dress Like a Dad Day

Ditch the suit and dress down like a dad. Whether it’s on a certain theme or simply just a dressing gown, encourage colleagues to come to work dressed down and pay a small fee for the privilege. 

This kind of fundraiser is a great opportunity to encourage those taking part to talk about anything that might be troubling them, book an appointment for that health niggle or just be there for each other and talk about things they might not usually discuss unprompted.

Sharing an online donation page with everyone enables them to donate online if they don’t have cash – You might even get bigger donations this way. 

Remember to share a photo of your outfit online and spread the word about men’s health. That is the reason you’re doing this, after all! 

Trade Time

We know life is busy – Many of us would love to volunteer our time to a charity close to our hearts but many other responsibilities get in the way. Trading your time and expertise for a donation to a charity of your choice is a great way to fundraise fast. 

Whether you are a landscape gardener, an accountant, a children’s entertainer or a handy man – Offer a day or two where you devote your time and expertise to someone willing to make a donation in return. 

Online donation pages can be easily shared online alongside your offer – Get those friends and family sharing your fundraiser and watch the donations come flooding in. 

Throw a Mo Party

Whether it’s a huge bash or a more intimate gathering, why not gather together your nearest and dearest to share those moustaches before they get shaved off at the start of December. 

Ask your guests for a donation on the door as well as plenty of games that encourage further fundraising. Think beer pong where the forfeit is to donate, a swear jar on the table, etc etc. 

Ding ding – Speech speech! This would be a great chance to talk, talk and talk some more about how important it is for men to take care of their physical and mental health. Raise life-saving awareness whilst raising those vital funds.

Check Yourself

The great thing about these men’s health month fundraising ideas is that they act as a prompt to check in on the men in your lives as well as yourself. 

If you’ve been putting off making a doctor’s appointment then go and make it now. If you’ve been struggling a bit recently with your mental health, then go and reach out to a trusted friend. If you’ve been worried about a mate that’s gone a bit quiet, don’t just assume that life is busy, go and text them. 

Most importantly – Talk to the men in your lives about some of the common health issues they may face. Raise awareness, build connection and encourage sharing and support. 

If all of this makes you feel moved to make a donation to a chosen men’s health charity, why not inspire your friends and family to do the same?

Can We Help You Raise Money?

Here at Donater we have a suite of fundraising tools specifically designed to make giving easier. Easier for the donor to make a donation, and easier for charitable organisations to receive that all-important fundraising.

Our suite of online fundraising tools include:

• A dedicated online fundraising page, personalised to your charity or good cause. Supporters will immediately recognise your branding and thus, trust that they are in the right place to make a donation. Online fundraising pages are easy to share online via a handy link, and can be easily linked to your website with a ‘Donate Now’ button.
  
• QR codes. We’ve all become more accustomed to QR codes with the NHS Covid app, so you’ll know how quick and easy it is to scan one with your smartphone. QR codes can be just as handy for taking donations. All your supporter has to do is scan the QR code with their smartphone, and it will take them to an online donation page. Once there, they can choose to donate with a tap via Google Pay or Apple Pay, or pay with their bank details. QR codes are a great addition to any physical marketing about your event, such as posters or newsletters.
  
• NFC Tags. Our NFC tags take the above QR code concept a step further, and enable any supporter of yours with an NFC enabled smartphone to merely tap the tag or sticker. They will then be taken to an online donation page where they can make their donation quickly and simply. These work better with in-person events, but could easily be placed at the entrance to your charity or on collection boxes so visitors can donate to your cause if they wish.

You might also be interested in our previous blog – How To Make Donater Work For you. 

There are so many opportunities to raise money during Men’s Health Month. Get in touch if you think Donater could help boost your donations digitally.