Having visited Manchester a few times, it’s not difficult to notice the amount of men (and some women) with beards. Beards in all shapes and sizes, we’re talking chin curtains, ducktails, hollywoodian and beyond. It’s no surprise that a website was set up to show this amazing spectacular off.
Beards of Manchester was started in September this year as a ‘hairy initiative all in the name of charity’. It was a simple concept all they asked was that people sent in pictures of their facial hair. Through social networking and their own website people were sending in a variety of facial fuzzy-esque photographs. Not just boys either, but women… I have to say that a lot of the women’s beards weren’t real, but good effort with woollen beards and joke shop cheapo’s.
It turned into a huge hair filled ball. Beards of Manchester were invited on to BBC Radio Manchester, appeared in local/national press as well as other local radio shows. Within 14 days 208 beard photos had been submitted including comedian Justin Moorhouse who approached the guys via Twitter.
The aim of Beards of Manchester was to put together a calendar of the cities finest facial hair in order to raise money for the charity Lifeshare, supports homeless people in Manchester and Salford. After length deliberation over the huge amount of beard, twelve were finally chosen for the Beards of Manchester 2011 calendar are Mad Dawg Pat, Wesley, tattooists Gre and Dan, Ciaran, Jay, Louis, David, Dapreet, Kev, Augustus, Marcus and Garry.
A photo shoot was set up with photographer Gill Moore featuring all 12 models at various venues in Manchester. Cumulating in one shit hot beardy delightful calendar. It has to be said as a beard lover it is pleasing to the eye, mmmbeards!
The official launch of the Beards of Manchester calendar was on the 21st of October at the NQ’s Common bar. Encompassing an exhibition as well as an array of everything beard related you name it, cupcakes, badges, fakeness and real hair leaving the bar fir to burst. Of course a few of the top models were also on hand to sign a few autographs!
The exhibition is on until December and the 2011 Beards of Manchester is available from Common as well as other outlets around the city, for more information visit the links below.
http://beardsofmanchester.com
http://gillmoorephotography.co.uk
