Staff at John Henry Newman school in Stevenage are channelling their inner Burt Reynolds this month, as a part of a Movember charity effort.

The Comet: (From left to right) Mr Heley, Mr Anderson, Mr Cooper and Mr Johnston. Picture: JHN School(From left to right) Mr Heley, Mr Anderson, Mr Cooper and Mr Johnston. Picture: JHN School (Image: Archant)

In total, 14 members of staff - from deputy headteachers to groundskeepers - have sworn themselves to a month of shaver neglect.

Assistant headteacher Joe Hewitson - in the preliminary stages of a ravishing handlebar moustache - said: "We all shaved our faces clean on the first of November and are now at various stages of growing slightly silly moustaches in order to change the face of mental health and men's health in our school."

But it's not just teacher taches at JHN this month - the school is laying on a host of charity talks, workshops and resources for pupils, all in a bid to get young men talking about their mental and physical health.

Testicular cancer charity It's On The Ball, will be delivering a series of talks to pupils in the upper school, while the Ollie Foundation - a suicide bereavement charity based in St. Albans - will be engaging with sixth formers on the risks of suicide among men.

The Comet: (From left to right) Mr Mayhew, Mr Pitman and Mr Medina. Picture: JHN School(From left to right) Mr Mayhew, Mr Pitman and Mr Medina. Picture: JHN School (Image: Archant)

Year 12 and 13 students have also been challenged to Grow their Mo, with the best pupil moustache receiving a voucher to Fabio's Gelato in Hitchin.

"This is the second year that we have embraced Movember as a way of raising awareness and addressing issues relating to mental health and wellbeing," Mr Hewitson said.

"All of this is being done to give the young people in our school the confidence, knowledge and networks of support to enter into their adult lives as healthy young people.

"We want our children to be in a position to respond positively to whatever life throws at them, and sadly that could include cancers and mental health challenges.

The Comet: (From left to right) Mr Hewitson, Mr Thomsom, Mr Chan and Mr Richardson. Picture: JHN School(From left to right) Mr Hewitson, Mr Thomsom, Mr Chan and Mr Richardson. Picture: JHN School (Image: Archant)

"At a time when national resources are stretched it is great to be able to rely on our staff for inspiration and other local charities for support and expert guidance."

The staff hoping to model moustaches by the end of the month are Mr Hewitson, Mr Rose, Mr Anderson, Mr Johnston, Mr Heley, Mr Mayhew, Mr Thomson, Mr Chan, Mr Medina, Mr Holt, Mr Richardson, Mr Pitman, Mr Cooper and Mr Nicholson.

Movember - founded in 2003 - is the world's leading men's health charity, and by 2030 aims to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25 per cent.