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Lifestyle Shepparton’s Shave Day is reshaping men’s health
Gavan Pritchett settled into the barber chair at Lifestyle Shepparton’s Clubhouse, eager to hear the serene snip, snip, snip of scissors.
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In just two months, his five o’clock shadow quickly became a time-consuming, itchy presence.
The moustache that had inched its way back onto his lip was more nuisance than voguish.
And his wife grew increasingly irritated, having to endure the prickly brush of his whiskers during a kiss.
“I was getting a bit sick of it (the hair) this year, but what I put up with is not anything like the people in those wards,” Mr Pritchett said.
“It’s a little bit of pain for big gain.”
Mr Pritchett founded Lifestyle Shepparton’s Shave Day, an annual campaign for men’s health that raises funds and awareness for the Peter Copulos Cancer and Wellness Centre at GV Health in Shepparton.
Each year, he rallies his fellow residents to grow their hair and reach out to local organisations for donations, including cash, vouchers, and items to feature in auctions or raffle hampers.
“One fellow that shaved this year, Neil Siddell, spent hours collecting our major donations and sponsors,” Mr Pritchett said.
“The way people come together and work with us is just amazing.”
Even more amazing, this year marks the 10th anniversary of Shave Day.
To celebrate the milestone, about 140 people gathered at the Clubhouse on Monday, December 2, for the official hair-cutting ceremony.
A fitting 10 residents took turns relinquishing their locks to the barbers as guests cheered them on, before joining in the festivities by bidding on auction items and purchasing raffle tickets to support the cause.
“It’s a very generous community, it’s hard to put it into words,” Mr Pritchett said.
Last year’s fundraising efforts in particular were a cut above the rest.
In 2023, the campaign raised $18,000, which was matched by the Lifestyle Communities Foundation, bringing the total donation to $36,000.
Although the total amount raised for this year is not yet counted, Mr Pritchett said it would help them reach a “mind-blowing” milestone regardless of the final figure.
“Up to this year, we’ve raised $140,000 – that was built up pretty highly from last year’s $36,000,” he said.
“Whatever this year’s total money raised is, it’ll bump it up to $150,000.
“It’s just amazing what our little community has done.”
Mr Pritchett would like to thank all the individuals and organisations that contributed, the managers at Lifestyle Shepparton for their continued support, auctioneers Des O'Shea and Terry Sheils, and the Signature Cut Barbers team for volunteering their time to provide shaves on the day.
News photographer Megan Fisher attended the Shave Day ceremony to capture the mane attraction.