I thought that now we’re three quarters of the way through the month it would be the ideal time to update you on our ‘mogress’. The team’s moustaches have all started to take shape, with more visible styling and a fuller, hairier texture, especially now that some of the questionable early styles have been adjusted so they fully comply with the Movember rulebook.

Without doubt the handlebar is the mo’ of choice this time around, with 60% of the Gocompare Mo’s opting for this classic, rugged style. There are a few different interpretations on the theme which you can see for yourself in photos below. The rest of the lads have opted to go with a straightforward lip slug, which means there is always a question from the average passer-by on the street as to whether it’s a mo’ for life or just for Movember. In many ways this is the braver option than the obvious comedy mo’, so all power to them.

The most important thing to note is that our fundraising efforts have been going great guns! We’re currently on £523, and tantalisingly close to beating last year’s total of £568. So if you would like to get behind the team or just like the look of one of our mo’s, then please click here to make a donation as no matter the value it will be much appreciated by everyone involved.

Enjoy the photos, and I’m sure you’ll agree they contain a cracking array of mo’s that cater for all tastes. I look forward to providing a further update next week when hopefully the fund total will be growing as healthily as the mo’s.

Over and out

Steve ‘Mo’ Daddy’ Williams

This year I have pulled together a disparate team of men from within the Gocompare.com ranks with a single unifying aim: to beat last year’s fund raising figure of £568! Once again these brave and plucky souls have agreed to face public ridicule and risk the possibility of a lonely month whilst receiving the cold shoulder from their other halves. After all, some modern ladies just don’t see the moustache as the rugged face-enhancing delight it once was. This will  undoubtedly be a new experience for many brave mo’ bros, while for others it’ll be no different to any other clean shaven day.

The aim of this blog is to keep everyone fully briefed on the team’s collective hirsuteness as well as how much money we have raised, which is the key to everything we’re doing this month. If you want to get behind us and help us beat the £600 barrier this year, then you can help by donating to your favourite Gocompare.com mo’ grower, or to our overall team, by clicking on the links below:

Gocompare Mo’s – nine brothers united in a common goal of achieving hirsute nirvana

Rod Jones – Rod is a newcomer this year who made a rookie error false start which means he starts a day behind as he looks to grow a classic handlebar in just 29 days

Andy Gray - You may not have noticed Andy taking part last year as he has limited and transparent facial hair so he will again be sporting a classic ‘teenage fluff’ mo’

John Stayt – Another newcomer who is adopting a ‘see what grows’ approach, so who knows what will happen here?

Matt Prosser – A stalwart of the event and historically a strong mo’ grower who last year sported an excellent handlebar mo’, so expect similar hirsuteness this time around

Paul McMillian – A relative newcomer to Goco so once again we’ll have to wait and see what this lad can produce

Leon  Thomas – Another newcomer this year but an experienced head who will no doubt bring some old school mo’-styling to this year’s team

Ben Wilson – Another returnee who once again is already displaying the start of a fine bandito handlebar mo’

Adair Cameron – Adair’s no stranger to facial hair, having sported a goatee for many years. But he’s started Movember clean-shaven and ready to grow a stupendous mo’.

Me (Steve Williams) – Finally it’s me with my 5^th successive year of mo’ growth, which will start with the usual dreams of a handlebar but end up with a modest attempt at the ‘Selleck’

That’s it for now but keep your eye out for my weekly updates. Feel free to submit any tips on mo’ growth and your mo’ style preferences, you never know, maybe one of the team will adopt your style of choice.

Over and out.

Steve ‘Mo Daddy’ Williams

Have you missed me? Probably not, really, seeing as I’m on your telly and radio every single day.

Well, I’ve just got back from a nice, long round-the-world trip. It was supposed to be one of those soul-searching, ‘finding yourself’ journeys that you go on by yourself, a voyage of discovery, if you will. But Giuseppe kept scuppering my plans by turning up in all the same places as me. He said it was just a coincidence but I’m not so sure…

To be fair, he didn’t annoy me as much as I thought he might. After all, I needed someone to take photos of me, didn’t I?

Anyway, here are some of my favourite snaps. Come back soon to check out what else I’ve been up to.

You can also follow me on Twitter or join my Facebook page.

Ciao for now,

Gio

America: I think I’d make a good cowboy. I look very good in chaps.

Africa: Hakuna matata?? There definitely was matata when the hyena, just out of shot, started running towards me!

Egypt: Camels are quite grumpy.

France: Paris was pretty boring. They didn’t seem to like my beret either.

Machu Picchu: Very cool place. Llamas everywhere. They’re cute, but a bit too ‘spitty’ for my liking.

Bognor Regis: I liked it here; very good fish and chips. Aggressive gulls, though.

Even though the weather forecast doesn’t look too promising, I intend to spend the whole weekend in shorts and flip-flops, and I’ll cook every meal of every day on my barbecue. Even breakfast. If you act like it’s summer the weather has to play ball, right?

I’ll also be singing at a swanky do on Sunday night, entertaining the glitterati of Wales. I’ve been told it’s a strictly black-tie event, but if I stick a dinner jacket on that should smarten up my shorts and flip-flops combo enough to satisfy the organisers.

Anyway, what are you lovely lot up to this weekend?

Ciao for now,

Gio

So, as you can imagine, I was thrilled to bits when my employer, Gocompare.com, pitched the idea of my latest ad, in which I team up with Robin and his posse of merry men to stick it to the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham. Personally, I think it’s a belter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did filming it!

There’s going to be a big street party in my home town, Abergwilli. Doris and the girls from the Women’s Institute have made some of their trademark cakes, and I’ll be doing an exclusive set featuring Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely?, Barry White’s ‘Just The Way You Are’, and my personal favourite, Colour Me Badd’s ‘I Wanna Sex You Up.’

What are you doing to celebrate?

All you dog lovers out there, don your flat caps and get ready for Crufts!

In anticipation of next week’s festivities at the Birmingham NEC, I’ve prepared my own marking criteria. So if your four legged friend isn’t competing in Crufts this year, why not compare your dog with my marking criteria?!

Coat
For me, it’s all about the curly coat, the curlier the better. Dainty curls or wild windswept waves, the golden doodle and bijon frise are top scorers but of course there’s always room for the well groomed too. The Afgan hound and Yorkshire terrier and their straight hair are certain contenders for the poker straight award.

Bark
Oh I do like a hearty bark. And if they can warble, they’re a winner! If your pooch has a tuneful yap or a baratone bark, it’s a ten from me!

Temperament
The caring, affectionate and the fun loving and friendly dogs are high scorers on my clip board.

Skill
At Crufts we’ll surely see some clever working dogs as well as a few agile and athletic hounds. But I think the more unusual skills are those worth scoring. What about the rare talents? Can your dog sing, dance, give a high five or clap its paws? These are the skills that should be scored!

Look-a-like
Take a moment to dog watch. You’ll be surprised how often a dog and their owner will share physical features. From dreadlocks to puppy dog eyes, what do you share with your dog?!

I’m thinking of getting a stocks and shares ISA. I expect it will be far safer an investment than my hopes for Italia winning rugby’s Six Nations tournament. I’d like to see them do well, but I’ll also be cheering for Wales of course!

Aside from watching the action unfold on the pitch, I enjoy admiring the displays of manly hirsuteness, too. So much so, I’ve compiled a top five of rugby facial hair. Here goes…

5. Bill Beaumont
Bill Beaumont, England international lock captained his country to a Grand Slam in 1980. His sideburns clearly earned him the respect of his teammates and struck fear into the hearts of his opponents.

4. Jason Eaton
Jason Eaton might have the look of a hermit, but don’t let that fool you: he’s a formidable lock. Good job he’s built for power rather than speed, as I don’t see those facial adornments aiding his aerodynamics whatsoever.

3. Martin Castrogiovanni
Italian international Martin’s talents go far beyond sprouting top-notch facial fuzz. He was Italy’s top try scorer for the team in 2008. He also owns an Italian restaurant in Leicester, where he plies his trade with the Tigers.

2. Duncan & Adam Jones
The king-sized Welsh forwards are nicknamed the Hair Bear Bunch, and while they might seem cuddly, I certainly wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of them. Who needs a scrum cap when you’re modelling tight ringlets and winter warming whiskers?

1. Sebastien Chabal
‘The Caveman’ is one of the hard men of contemporary rugby. A fine display of facial hair coverage, by anyone’s reckoning.

Those are my favourites, but what are yours?

Gio
;-})

I’ve been on the road these last few weeks visiting the taverns of South Wales on my latest tour, and I’m looking for a trusty new van to carry my speakers. To help me choose the best van I’ve been seeking inspiration from the big and small screen.

The Mystery Machine has got to be one of the most well-loved vans, but I like to keep my van clean and tidy and I’m sure I’d be forever finding crumbs everywhere from all the Scooby Snacks eaten in there.

Del Boy and Rodders’ van is another of my faves. It’s cheap as chips and with only three wheels it’s a cushty motor. It looks like it’s in need of some TLC though, and I’m not sure it would be reliable enough for me.

My favourite van has got to be the one used by Hannibal, Face, Murdoch and B.A. Baracus in the A-Team. When I “ain’t getting on no plane” I’d love to ride in their van, moonlighting as a ‘soldier of fortune’. It’s also the only van that made it into the ‘top five favourite cars from film and TV’, as voted for by you.

Think I’ll head to the GMC garage on the weekend and get myself a black Vandura!

Gio x

Oooh Mama mia! With the pizza stove on full burn and the fire blazing it’s getting really hot in here! Winter is slowly turning into spring and there’s cheer in the air.

As the heat turns up, we’ll all be turning our thoughts to warmer climes, and I’m even keeping my fingers crossed for some hot weather in Abergwili this year. Amidst my optimism I’ve got some great tips for minimising the cost of your utilities over the warmer months:

If you’re out in the garden planting flowers or enjoying the longer evenings with some of Mamma’s sun blushed tomatoes, make sure your electric items are switched off fully and not left on standby.

Keep your blinds and curtains closed during the sunniest and hottest hours of the day. This will keep your rooms cooler so you won’t have to use your handheld fan or air-con as much.

Unplug the tumble dryer. Mama would shake her head in distaste at those of us who use heat dryers on sunny and windy days. The tumble dryer uses lots of electricity so the less you use this, the lower your energy bill could be.

If you use a lot of electricity in the late evenings, consider an economy 7 plan. This works on the bases that energy used in at night is cheaper than that used at peak times.

But whatever the weather, stay cool!

Ciao,

Gio x