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Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Part of UK in Ukraine

25th November 2011

Looking even dafter for men’s health

A guest blog by Miles Martin, UkrTashBud, Mo-Team, British Embassy Kyiv

On 1 November I wrote a guest blog, Movember: looking daft for men’s healthThe month of Movember is in full swing with Mo’Bros and Mo’Sistas around the world doing their bit to raise money and promote awareness of men’s health issues.  Here in Kyiv, with the month swiftly drawing to a close, our intrepid Mo’skateers (yes we have a Frenchman in our team) from UkrTashBud find themselves one week from clean-shaven liberty. It has been a long, occasionally frustrating and sometimes itchy journey for most of us, especially those new to the fine art of growing a moustache.

Our efforts so far have raised an impressive £2,400, with the total rising every day.  A pair of extremely generous corporate donations, as well as the tenacity of one or two team members has ensured a good return.  Globally, the total raised for cancer related charities already stands at around £40m – a quite remarkable sum.

That said, with one week to go, there is still time to contribute.  If you haven’t already done so, please visit our team site at UkrTashBud and, in between laughing at our progress and Mo’growing efforts, click to donate.  It doesn’t take long and every little bit helps.  Any donation, however large or small, would be most welcome.  We need your help to reach our ambitious and challenging revised target of £3,000.

UkrTashBud

About Leigh Turner

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of…

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of the UN and other organisations; stories here will reflect that.

About me: I arrived in Vienna in August 2016 for my second posting in this wonderful city, having first served here in the mid-1980s. My previous job was as HM Consul-General and Director-General for Trade and Investment for Turkey, Central Asia and South Caucasus based in Istanbul.

Further back: I grew up in Nigeria, Exeter, Lesotho, Swaziland and Manchester before attending Cambridge University 1976-79. I worked in several government departments before joining the Foreign Office in 1983.

Keen to go to Africa and South America, I’ve had postings in Vienna (twice), Moscow, Bonn, Berlin, Kyiv and Istanbul, plus jobs in London ranging from the EU Budget to the British Overseas Territories.

2002-6 I was lucky enough to spend four years in Berlin running the house, looking after the children (born 1992 and 1994) and doing some writing and journalism.

To return to Vienna as ambassador is a privilege and a pleasure. I hope this blog reflects that.