They say that you’ll never know where your beard might take you. This month Mo Bro’s had the opportunity to visit ‘Helicentre Aviation’ in Leicester and meet a bearded helicopter pilot!
Meet Barry
We were excited to meet Barry Wilmott, 40 years old and training to become a professional helicopter pilot. Barry loves flying and he travels From Kent to Leicester on a regular basis to get his training. Barry radiates a lot of positive energy and he proves that if you’re determined to put in hard work, it’s never too late to chase your dreams.
How long have you been a pilot?
Why did you decide to become a pilot?
When I was in the army. I wasn’t flying then, but we had some parachute missions. I always wanted to be the guy who’s flying. It has been a dream for a while.
What do you love the most about what you do?
Getting up in the air and have that feeling that you can go anywhere you want. No traffic jams. Just… It’s just an amazing feeling.
Barry and the Beard
How long have you had a beard?
I was a soldier for 8 years and I was not allowed to have a beard. Later, in 2005, I went to work in Irak and stayed there for 9 years. Everybody had a beard out there, so naturally I started growing one too. When I got back home, I just kept it. For me it was a good way to keep the sun off. I have been trimming it just to shape it a little bit and I always kept it at this length.
How do you take care of your beard?
I am trying to keep the natural look and I don’t use any products now. I did try beard oil for a while to stop the itchiness. It did help to moisturize my skin underneath and my beard got softer.Now I just live a healthy lifestyle and my diet contains high levels of protein. I think that it helps me to grow a thick beard and not a patchy one.
How did your partner/girls find your beard?
When I did have a girlfriend, she really liked it. The longer it was, the better. I did shave it off for my friends wedding… she didn’t like that. She really liked the beard, because she likes the masculine type of guys.
What tips would you give to other bearded guys?
Just stick with it and keep on growing, because the itchiness won’t last forever. Use beard oil, it helps to stop the itchiness.
Would you shave off your beard? And what would it take you to do that?
I did shave my beard off two years ago for a friend’s wedding. I grew it back after, and now I don’t think that I would do it again! My family complimented my beard and said that it suits me, so I am planning to keep it. If I would shave my beard off, I would do it for charity.
What are the advantages of having a beard for you?
It hides most of my face (laughs) and it gives me something to play with.
Want to share your beard with Mo Bro’s and become the next Beard Of The Month? Contact us at gabby@mobros.co.uk