Well, the year has flown by once again, and already it’s November. Or should we say “MOVEMBER”?

Each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

A number of us at Satomi Kai Aikido are taking part this year (mainly the men), and for most of us, it will be a nervous first time. With the month only partly underway, the results are already pretty funny/embarrassing.

The world of Martial Arts has a splendid history of facial hair. From the wispy beard of the wise old master, right up to the testosterone fueled power-tache from Enter The Ninja.

Aikido’s own founder, Morihei Ueshiba once sported a fine specimen, which will be serving as an example to us all.

If anyone would like to support this fantastic cause, either by growing a splendid moustache, or by donating to the team, every penny will make a difference. You can donate at http://uk.movember.com/team/656933. If we raise enough, we’ll even submit a photo of the final results!

In other news, we’d like to extend a huge congratulations to all those students that took part in their 5th Kyu grading exams earlier this month. Everyone worked extremely hard during testing that spanned several weeks, and put in an excellent performance. Many of these students joined us at last February’s beginners course, and it’s a real thrill to see the group progress after the hard work they’ve put in during the year.