This Decembeard, I’m (re)growing a beard to raise vital funds for the charity Beating Bowel Cancer and helping them reach their goal of raising £250,000 so they can beat bowel cancer.

I was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer in May 2016.  It had already spread to my liver and since then it has also spread to my lungs.  My chances of being cured lie somewhere between possible and unlikely so, as you can imagine, this cause is very close to my heart.  Oh, and I'm only 39, by the way.

In the last 18 months, I have had 25 rounds of radiotherapy; 17 (and counting) rounds of chemotherapy; I've spent 38 nights in hospital and had 2 major, 1 slightly less major and 1 minor operation.  Now we are waiting to see what happens next with the lungs - it's currently all in the balance and could go either way.

I grew a modest beard in May 2009, since when it has been a permanent fixture on my face so on 1st December, I shaved it off (using my wife's leg razor), and will now leave it to grow throughout December.  No trimming, no manscaping, just itching.

A selection of my amazing (male) colleagues at Batcheller Monkhouse who, as a firm, have been enormously supportive throughout my journey, have also agreed to grow beards, so please give generously either to me or to the Batcheller Monkhouse team so that we can help to make a difference to those suffering from the evil of Bowel Cancer.

Thank you so much.

PS If you would like to know more about my personal journey, visit my blog at www.thenextcorner.co.uk.  Thank you.