An award-winning hat designer is urging people to put on hats of all colours, shapes and sizes to raise funds for a charity working to find a cure for brain tumours.

The aptly named, Lucy Bowler, who launched her business Lucy Bowler Couture Millinery and Hilary’s Hat Hire near Bicester, last September, is urging people to get involved in Wear A Hat Day which, this year, takes place on Thursday 29^th March across the UK.

Lucy, who has previously worked in healthcare and charity roles, has always had a passion for design, and studied design craft as a mature student, while working and being a mum to her three young children. After gaining a first-class honours degree, Lucy chose to move into millinery, which she describes as wearable art. She has since gone on to win a prize at the prestigious International 2018 HATalk Hat Making Competition, and her work will be shown at The Great Hat Exhibition in London in March.

Lucy is opening up her studio and boutique in Fritwell on Thursday 29^th March for anyone to go along and try on any hat of their choice, enjoy a cuppa and a slice of cake, and make a donation to Brain Tumour Research.

Lucy said: “I’ve always had a strong connection with healthcare through my previous roles and it’s so shocking that more than 16,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours every year in the UK, but so little is known about what causes them. More research is vital if we are to learn more and ultimately find a cure for this dreadful disease.

“Wear A Hat Day is a great way to raise awareness and I want to encourage people to come along and have some fun, particularly those who perhaps feel that hats aren’t for them, or aren’t sure what suits them. Hats are for everyone!”

Lucy’s studio will be open from 10.30am to 7pm on 29^th March, and further information can be found on her website: www.lucybowlermillinery.co.uk.

Wear A Hat Day has raised over a million pounds since it was launched by the charity Brain Tumour Research nine years ago and is the culmination of Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March. The big day will see schools, workplaces, families and individuals across the UK fundraising and taking part in fun events to raise awareness of brain tumours and help fund life-saving research.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. Funds raised through Wear A Hat Day 2018 will develop the charity’s network of world-class brain tumour research centres in the UK.

Paula Rastrick, Community Fundraising Manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone, at any age. We are extremely grateful to Lucy for getting involved and hope people will support her and be inspired to hold their own events. It’s as easy as wearing a hat and making a donation!”

To get involved, or donate, please visit: www.wearahatday.org or text HAT to 70660 to donate £5*

#HATTASTIC

* Texts cost £5 plus network charge. Brain Tumour Research receives 100% of your donation. Obtain the bill payer’s permission. Call 01908 867200 with any queries.

For further information, please contact:
Susan Castle-Smith at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867206 or 07887 241639 or Susan@braintumourresearch.org

Notes to Editors

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours. We have established a game-changing network of world-class Research Centres of Excellence in the UK. Embracing passionate member charities nationwide, over £6 million was raised towards research and support during 2017.

We are campaigning to see the national spend on research into brain tumours increased to £30 - £35 million a year, in line with breast cancer and leukaemia. The unprecedented success of our 2015 petition led to the 2016 Westminster Hall debate and Brain Tumour Research taking a leading role in the Government’s Task and Finish Working Group convened to tackle the historic underfunding for research with the report being published in January 2018.

Key statistics on brain tumours:

• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• They kill more children than leukaemia
• They kill more men under 45 than prostate cancer
• They kill more women under 35 than breast cancer
• Just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease
• In the UK 16,000 people each year are diagnosed with a brain tumour
• Less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
• Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age
• Incidences of, and deaths from, brain tumours are increasing.

Please quote Brain Tumour Research as the source when using this information. Additional facts and statistics are available from our website including our latest Report on National Research Funding. We can also provide case-studies and research expertise for media.