Three agents from Hodges Sandringham - Stephen Wigley, Director; Angus Graham, Property Consultant; and Cain Malthouse, Property Consultant - grew impressive moustaches during November to raise awareness for men's health.

They spoke to SchwartzWilliams about why they are keen to support the Movember charity, and whether - or not - their new appendages helped with sales during the month.

What was your inspiration for getting involved in Movember?

SW: I first took part in Movember in 2008 and I think it’s such a great initiative. This year my inspiration was a guy from my local football club. He was a father of three boys and at 45-years-old died of lung cancer within six months of being diagnosed. He was a non-smoker and it just shows that cancer can affect anyone, no matter your health. I’m passionate about the cause and I know people still battling their diagnosis. 

AG: For me it's such great cause to get behind, and it's not just about prostate cancer, it's also around supporting and raising awareness of men's health more broadly. Sadly, earlier this year I had a friend take his own life and my father was diagnosed, but later cleared of prostate cancer. It's a cause that's been particularly close to me this year, and to grow a mo for a month seemed like a pretty easy undertaking to raise some important funds and awareness of men's health issues. 

CM: I’ve taken part in Movember a few times now and it’s great to see the organisation branching out to raise awareness of men’s mental health issues overall, which is so important. You hear a lot of stories of men struggling so it’s a great cause for Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to get behind. 

Do you think the 'mo' improved sales results in November? 

SW: It absolutely has. As an office we have had great success and sales this month. I’ve listed five properties in November alone and I think people are warming to the fact I look like Inspector Clouseau (a younger version of course), so they trust me even more.

AG: Well, it’s hard to tell if it’s had a massive bearing on sales, but it's certainly created interest and been a talking point with clients. I had one vendor tell me I was too young to grow a mo but I've proved him wrong. My mo has started many conversations, which is the whole point of Movember - to get people talking and raise awareness. 

CM: Recently both Angus and I had a joint listing and it would have been interesting for anyone that came through, seeing two burly blokes with big moustaches on display. I’m not sure whether it helped us get the sale, but if our moustaches made us look serious then perhaps they played a role in negotiating the deal. Throughout November, whenever we’ve had an open for inspection, we’ve had plenty of people ask us about our moustaches and started a conversation about Movember which has been great.

What does it mean to you to have taken part and to raise awareness about men’s health?

SW: For me it’s about helping raise awareness about men’s health and making blokes more aware of the importance of regular check-ups. Everyone is busy and sometimes we have the attitude of ‘she’ll be right’. Movember is a reminder about the importance of seeing the doctor. 

AG: This is the third time I've take part in Movember, with a few years off in between. As there have been a few things very close to home this year, and given it will affect 99 per cent of us in some way, I've been grateful to contribute this year and help make a difference in whatever way I can. 

CM: Movember is a fun way of raising awareness of serious issues and if that awareness helps out one person it’s a great result. Whether it’s one person asking for help or one person going to the doctor, it all contributes towards Movember’s goal of changing the face of men’s health.

To find out more about the 'Hodges Mo Bros' campaign click here.

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