Movember to open Institute of Men's Health in UK

The co-founder of Movember has revealed plans to base their Institute for Men's Health at the University of York.

Travis Garone made the announcement during a visit to York Men's Shed, a community workshop set up to combat loneliness by encouraging men to get together and share practical skills.

Garone said the institute had started out as "more of a virtual space" but through the partnership with the university would now have a physical home to "house all our findings, all our data and all our information".

He said: "The need is huge. This is groundbreaking from a men's health perspective, definitely groundbreaking from Movember's perspective."

"Year-on-year, while we're getting men to talk about their health, unfortunately the numbers still aren't great," he added.

"We still need to continue bring awareness and funds, and the University of York is a great partner to help us do that."

Movember started in Australia in 2003 when Garone and his friend Luke Slattery gathered together 30 men to grow a moustache in order to raise funds for men's health and prostate cancer.

Since then it has grown into a worldwide movement, which each November sees thousands of people leave their facial hair unchecked, and has gone on to support more than 1,320 men's health projects around the world.

Paul Galdas, professor of Men's Health at the University of York, said Movember's decision to invest in York was "a major vote of confidence in both the University and the importance of men's health".

He added: "This places York at the centre of a global effort to improve men's health.

"It will help us generate the evidence, partnerships, and practical action needed to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing men, from mental health and suicide prevention through to cancer and the wider factors that shape how long and how well men live."

Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith, who has put improving people's physical and mental health at the heart of his mayoralty, described the announcement "a game-changer".

In October, he launched a £715,000 campaign called Shift Your Focus, which encourages men to take simple everyday steps, like going for a walk, to support their mental and physical health.

Skaith said: "This is absolutely huge. It is building on the work that Professor Paul Galdas has been doing at the University of York for some years now, and also building on the work we've been doing through the combined authority and what I've been prioritising as mayor.

"Movember are where it's at. They are the biggest charitable organisation behind supporting men's mental health.

"To have them based here, working at the university, in the heart of York, is incredible for our place."

Alan Powell, a regular at York Men's Shed, said: "I think there is a real need for a place like this institute at the university.

"It will support the work we do here at the Shed - which I have seen makes a real difference to so many peoples' lives."

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