The shave:

After more than a decade of protecting my chin from the breeze, on the 3rd of January 2021 I will be shaving my beard to raise money for Love in action... and for spinal surgery.

The reasons:

1: Love In Action are an amazing organisation who do exceptional work  in Uganda. I have been a Trustee of Love in Action since about the same time I grew my beard. It now supports the education of hundreds of children, and continues to play an important part in the community. As for many charities, 2020 and Covid19 has brought new challenges to Love in Action, and I would love to be able to raise some money for their general funds to help support the gaps being created.

2. I have to shave my beard anyway, because I am having spinal surgery. But why waste a chance to raise money (please donate despite the shameless opportunity grab it really will help!)?

The Beard:

Many of you reading this will never have seen me without it, and given that the last time I was without a beard I was 7 stone heavier, even I don't know what I look like without it!  It feels like a bit part of me and my character, it is part of why my [AMAZING] wife calls me "Bear", and I am genuinely almost as worried about shaving it, as I am about the surgery:

The Organisation: 

Love in Action is a Christian Charity working in Uganda to support children's education through running schools and providing sponsorship. It also runs a health clinic and provides social support in the local community. The team in Uganda are committed, loving, hard working and caring. They are brilliant at what they do, and they do an amazing job in very challenging circumstances. I love the organisation and it's incredible people. 

The Surgery:

...sounds worse than it is. I have had months of pain caused by a prolapsed disc. It's taken me out of work for about 6 months (which for me feels like forever) due to both the pain and the fogginess from the painkillers and I am so grateful to be getting the surgery. It involves accessing my spine via the front of my neck, removing the disk, and putting in a metal plate to help fuse the bones. I won't be in hospital for long, but I might be a little hoarse for a while as they have two push and clamp my vocal cords out of the way. This should at least provide you all with an opportunity to joke about me being quiet at last!

If you have read this far - thank you! Please do donate - every penny counts, and if you can't donate thank you for reading, and I would be really grateful if you could share my post with your friends/family/connections on FB/Linked in etc...