CHIGWELL: Father's handlebar moustache challenge (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

CHIGWELL: Father's handlebar moustache challenge

11:20am Thursday 31st March 2011 in News By Tom Porter

A FATHER is attracting curious glances from strangers after starting to grow a six inch handlebar moustache to raise money for his disabled son.

Brian Jennings moustache has already prompted his colleagues in the Buckhurst Hill clinic he works in have been forced to put up a sign warning customers not to be scared away by the hirstute osteopath.

But 41-year-old Brian, of Oak Lane Avenue in Chigwell, will be resisting the razor until he has raised enough funds for his disabled son, Raphael, 4, to receive treatment at a clinic in the United States.

Growing a handlebar moustache is the first in a number of challenges by which Brian hopes to raise £10,000 by December.

“People do not really know what to make of it. Many think I must be some kind of Victorian enthusiast. People have stopped me on the street and said 'what a moustache.' I have a colleague who cannot look at me without laughing,” said Brian.

“I wanted to do something different to raise money and thought 'why not grow a moustache', then I thought ' 'why not go for it and grow a six inch handlebar moustache.' ”

Brian and his partner, Ruth, want to raise money for Raphael to receive treatment at the Autism Treatment centre of America in Massachusetts which offers a course of treatment in which autistic children are given intensive one-to-one tuition to build their social skills.

Brian said: “We are already seen a difference with Raphael after starting this course of treatment with him. Before he was having four or five tantrums a day and his speech was clear but not relevant. Now there are fewer tantrums. He is quieter and happier and we want to send him there for a four week course.”