As those of you who know me well will be aware, whilst I have been involved in a lot of charitable activity in the past, I have never actually undertaken a sponsored event to raise funds.

 

I have resisted the urge to sit in baths of cold baked beans and I have steered well clear of three legged pub crawls.  I have never been tempted to bungee-jump or free-fall, although I did come close to abseiling.

 

Well all that is changing from Monday 1 July.  As part of "The Chairman's Challenge" at Monarch, groups of senior managers have been set the task of turning £500 into £5000 for a nominated charity.  With a bunch of my closest and most competent colleagues (you should see them!) I am raising funds for HomeStart UK.

 

So from Monday my normally clean shaven face will become the target of fund-raising activity in...a sponsored beard growing.   We have a month to grow a smart but full set beard!  I have reserved the right to keep it tidy (in the desperate hope that my mother will continue to talk to me during the ordeal!). And, depending on the degree of greyness that sprouts, I may resort to dyeing it...but that can be the subject of supplementary fund-raising.

 

If any of my nearest or dearest want to match fund the total sponsorship to stop me growing a beard, I am open to negotiation.

 

Weekly photographs will be posted on my Facebook newsfeed and through various channels of Monarch Airlines social media.

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