I need to lose the beard. 

Why? Well, it's not an entirely selfless decision. I have been chosen by the National Trust for Scotland to be the face of one of their 3D characters in the interpretation at the new Bannockburn Visitor Centre which will open in 2014. I'm going to be the face of a Welsh Archer who'll be used to help tell the story of the battle and its significance in Scottish history. On 14th December some very clever people from the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation in Glasgow are going to scan my features by firing a laser at my head (!) to create an accurate 3D model and immortalise my phizog for posterity. To do this properly I need to be clean shaven.

So it's time to say goodbye to the face fungus. I've had these whiskers for the last 10 years - my kids have never seen me without it; and I'm not even sure I'll like what I see when it comes off. To mark its passing I thought I'd try to raise a bit of money for my favourite development charity, Practical Action. 

Practical Action was founded by radical economist and philosopher Fritz Schumacher, most famous for his 1973 book 'Small is Beautiful', who argued that there should be a shift in emphasis towards 'intermediate technologies' based on the needs and skills possessed by the people of developing countries.

Practical Action works in partnership with poor people and their communities, building on their own traditional knowledge and skills to come up with innovative, sustainable and practical solutions to poverty. They do a lot of great work with poor farmers which appeals to me as an archaeologist with a interest in the rural past. You can find out more about them at practicalaction.org.

If you think shaving a beard is just a bit too easy (and frankly I'd agree), then I'm also going to be running a 14km handicap trail race around the woods and hills of Beecraigs Country Park on Boxing Day 2012. I'm a glutton for punishment. 

Thankyou for your support.

Bri