Chair’s Movember mission sparks conversations on men’s health

2 December 2025

Motivated by a desire to raise awareness of men’s health and wanting to honour his dad, Darren Harris has spent the last month growing a moustache for Movember.

It is the first time the branch chair has grown a mo’ in more than a decade, and he has raised hundreds of pounds for Movember charities by doing so.

Darren, who last took part in the ‘tash growing campaign in 2011, said the decision to get involved again followed a request from his Force’s Wellbeing Team. They had asked if the department would promote Movember and provide a prize for the ‘Best Mo’’.

“Once we agreed to back it, I thought, I’ve got to take part myself,” said Darren, who admits that what began as workplace involvement soon became something more meaningful. 

 

Branch reps support chair Darren Harris' Movember mission - with the
odd fake moustache thrown in too!

 

His dad had lived with prostate cancer for more than 15 years before the disease metastasised. Despite radiotherapy to treat hotspots on his back, his condition worsened when hormone treatment stopped working, and he sadly died in June 2023.

A short time later, his mum’s brother died from an almost identical illness.

“It just felt like the right time to do this - to support it, to raise awareness, and to say to people: look after yourself. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” said Darren, who has raised more than £450 so far.

Making Movember even more significant for Darren, was news that Suffolk Acting Detective Sergeant Matt Burgess Powell had died unexpectedly from a heart attack early in the month.

Ignoring the signs

“Matt’s death brought everything back. It reminded me exactly why awareness matters,” Darren said, adding: “As blokes, we notoriously don’t prioritise our health, often ignoring the little signs.”

Darren said that Movember gave him a reason to start conversations, even if people were only talking to him because of the moustache.

He joked that anyone who teased his new facial hair had to pay a £10 donation: “Everyone who took the mick owed me a tenner. I don’t mind - that’s money going to a good cause.”

Having previously opened up about his own wellbeing, Darren said stopping the stigma around mental health was a driving force behind him getting involved in the challenge.

“Although I feel like I’ve processed much of the trauma from his dad’s death, burnout still remains,” he said.

“I still need support. There’s a lot of work, a lot of relentless pressure. My trauma is dealt with to a point where I can cope with it, but the burnout is no better.”

He described burnout as one of life’s ‘curveballs’ - the unexpected moments no one is ever prepared for.

Wellbeing lead

He continued: “No one pre-programmes a human before we’re born. Things get thrown at you, and suddenly you’re dealing with feelings you’ve never had before.”

And he warned that without open conversations, signs of burnout often go unnoticed: “If the Force, your friends or your family don’t know what it looks like, it goes unseen. If we don’t talk, the problems are just swept under the rug.”

Darren praised colleagues who routinely check in, particularly Emma, the branch’s new full-time Federation representative and wellbeing lead, who consistently asks how he’s doing.

He explained: “Emma is brilliant - she always asks me how I am. And sometimes it’s that second ‘are you OK?’ that makes you give an honest answer.”

And this year’s Movember, he said, ties directly into the Federation’s ‘Copped Enough’ campaign, which highlights the pressures officers face.

“It’s not just the pay or the conditions that put our officers under pressure - it’s the relentless work, the abuse and assaults that officers on the ground deal with,” he said.

“We need to take that seriously. We need to actually fill out the assault forms. The Force needs to treat their officers as people - as individuals.”

For Darren, Movember became more than a charity challenge - it was a catalyst for conversation.

Movember

“Movember is a fun way to get involved, but it gets people talking,” he said. “That’s what matters. It’s a conversation starter about men’s health, physical and mental.”

As the moustaches are now shaved off for another year, he hopes the conversations sparked throughout November will continue.

He ended: “Look after yourself. Listen to your body and talk. Seek help if you need it. If my attempt at a moustache helped even one person do that, then it was worth every minute.”

You can still donate to Darren by visiting his Movember fundraising page.

Mental health and wellbeing support

If you feel you need support with your wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact your local Federation or visit the Federation office.

Alternatively, there are a number of support services available, including:

• Mental Health Crisis Line (24/7) designed for police officers and staff: 0300 131 2789

• Samaritans (24/7): 116 123

• National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK (available 6pm to midnight every day): 0800 689 5652

• Mind’s Blue Light Infoline: 0300 303 5999

• Samaritans: 116 123 

What is a PSA test?

A PSA test checks the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a person’s blood. High levels may be a sign of a prostate condition.  

Testing may be recommended if a person is experiencing the following symptoms:

• Peeing more than usual (or having a sudden urge to pee or get up often in the night to pee)

• Blood in pee

• Problems getting or keeping an erection

How to get a PSA test?
While routine PSA testing is not offered on the NHS, a person may be offered a PSA test if their doctor thinks they have symptoms that could be prostate cancer.

Men aged 50 or over can ask their GP for a PSA test, even if they do not have symptoms. 

Anyone aged 50 or over with a prostate can ask for a PSA test.