The Tache is Back!

Chiswick resident Gervase Newrick has a novel way for men to raise money for charity

Finally men (and maybe some women) can rejoice as the Tache is back in fashion and, to celebrate the hairy revival, the male cancer campaign Everyman is calling on all men to take the ‘tacheback challenge’.

Sponsored by Braun and Gillette, the aim is to grow a tache during September and raise money for the charity by getting friends and family to sponsor the growth.

Celebrities across the country have taken the facial hair plunge already – why not bare one like Beckham or sport one in Ashley Cole’s own cool style – the range of taches is limitless.

Fashion bible GQ is also backing the return of the tache and has helped to launch the Tacheback Campaign in their September issue. Celebrities sporting their taches in the magazine include Dermot O’Leary, Ralf Little, Nick Moran, Sean Hughes & Ross Kemp.

GQ’s editor Dylan Jones said, “We’re simply making the declaration: for one month – and for one month only – moustaches are totally, completely and undeniably cool.”

In addition BBC’s Football Focus presenters, Ray Stubbs, Garth Crooks and Mark Lawrenson are encouraging all men to take the ‘tacheback challenge’.

Chiswick based Practitioner, Gervase Newrick, has taken up the challenge explaining “My best friend died in July having been diagnosed with cancer in April of this year. I thought about skydiving or running a marathon to raise money for cancer research but decided that these options were just too easy. I heard about tacheback on Radio 4 and thought ‘Now there's a challenge that befits someone whose talents know no beginning’. It’s been nearly two weeks now and I have possibly the worst tache I have ever seen!”.

This stylish charity challenge is easy to do although there are a few rules. Growth should happen during September and beards are not allowed. However, there’s no hard training, no blisters and surprisingly little itching. Whichever style of tache you go for, whether the strong and manly Tom Selleck tache or the trimmer style of Chiswick's own Des Lynam, you can guarantee that your efforts won’t go un-noticed – in fact you should be warned that you will inevitably become the centre of considerable attention.

Everyman was set up by The Institute of Cancer Research in 1997 specifically to raise awareness of and funds for prostate and testicular cancers. All the money raised by this campaign will go directly towards supporting research at the only dedicated male cancer research centre that was set up by The Institute.

For more information about joining in with the challenge call 0800 7319468 or visit www.tacheback.com

September 18, 2003