A TAVISTOCK couple has won a successful bid to host the British Beard and Moustache Championships 2024 and will be kickstarting proceedings with a warm up event at the Stannary Bewery today (August 19).

Clair and Mike Wellsbury-Nye put themselves forward to host the national competition after creating the Devon and Cornwall Beard and Moustache Championships in 2015 in response to the lack of facial hair-themed events in the South West, having enjoyed them in other areas of the country since the previous year.

The British Championships will take place at The Duke of Cornwall Hotel in Plymouth on 12 October 2024, where participants from all around the country will compete to win first, second, third and fourth equal positions in a range of categories such as partial and full beard, moustaches, creative and handmade (the latter for both adults and children).

Typically, entrants in each category take to the stage, introduce themselves to the crowd, regaling them with both unique and background information and then proceed to scored by a judging panel.

Mike said: “When the call came for bids to host the British Championships, we were excited to put our ideas forward and even more excited that we won! People have travelled from across the UK for our previous events, but for the British Championships they will come from much further — we’ve already had messages from Americans planning to come over!”

Representatives from the event sponsor, Honest Amish, based in the USA, will also be coming over for the event.

With over a year to go before the big day, Clair and Mike are hosting an array of smaller competition-style events every two months across Devon and Cornwall to allow potential entrants to prepare and become accustomed to the format. The first is taking place at the Stannary Brewery in Tavistock today (Saturday, August 19), which is suited to everyone, including families, opening at 12pm for a 2pm start

All events, including the British Championships, are voluntarily led, with all proceeds made going to charity.

Clair said: “We promote charity fundraising and positive male role models. Whether competing in a suit, costume or neither, we just want everyone to have a good time and help us raise plenty of money for our chosen charities: the Devon and the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trusts. We also raise awareness for non-profit organisations such as those tied with men’s mental health, which we can signpost onto as well.”

For more information on the events, visit https://rb.gy/7pm5z or email [email protected]