An Hairy Man
In some cultures the wearing of a beard denotes a holy individual, but for one Dorset parish, they were willing to pay to get their vicar to shave.
Finding inspiration from Esau in Genesis, the vicar of St Mary’s Parish Church, West Moors became "an hairy man" and did it in order to raise money for the church’s chosen Lent Charity – the Bournemouth Hospital Charity.
The genesis of this idea came from the Revd Andy Muckle’s own family. Wife Becky and daughter Isla are never particularly keen when Andy goes hairy (stops shaving) when they go on annual leave.
So Andy, hoping his congbregation would feel the same, started ‘going hairy’ on the first Sunday of Lent and encouraged the congregation (for his family's sake) to make a donation in the ‘Beard Box’.
When a total of £50 was donated Andy promised to shave the beard off!
Andy with the 'Beardbox'
Andy takes up the story:
"As an encouragement and a petition from Becky and Isla, they said they would match the money donated by the congregation.
"Well obviously the good people of West Moors were not too keen on a bearded vicar because within two weeks they had donated £150!
"So, together £300 has made a great start to St Mary’s Lent fundraising for the Bournemouth Hospital Charity."
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