Businesses, schools, and families in Wylam donned their favourite hats in support of Brain Tumour Research’s annual Wear A Hat Day last Thursday 29th March. Raffles, quizzes, tea parties and hat-themed fun took place all week in Wylam to help fund vital research into the disease.

Over the past week, residents have been taking part in a host of fun events and activities to raise awareness and funds. The Brownies organised an entertainment badge show and donated all proceeds from the performance, and pupils at Wylam First School also joined in the fun and wore their favourite hats to school.

The Wear a Hat Day fundraising took on a foodie theme too: pizza restaurant Wood Oven donated 50% of sales of its special ‘Flat Cap’ Pizza; The Coffee Tree served ‘hat whites’, ‘hattes’ and ‘cap-ucinos’; and a grapefruit ‘hatini’ cocktail was on the menu at The Ship Inn.

Villagers also took part in an array of quizzes and raffles at shops and pubs including the Wylam Co-op, The Black Bull, The Fox and Hounds, and Daniel Farm.

The annual Wear A Hat Day event has raised over a million pounds since it was launched by the Brain Tumour Research nine years ago. The money raised is funding vital research that is taking place at the charity’s four Centres of Excellence, where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

Brain Tumour Research supporter, Viv Smith, who organised Wylam Wears a Hat together with Emily Surash, the wife of Newcastle neurosurgeon Surash Surash, commented: “It’s been a pleasure working with all the different organisations and individuals in Wylam to organise the Wear a Hat Day events. I have always known I live in a special place, but the last two weeks have confirmed it with people young and old coming together and wearing their favourite quirky, bright and flamboyant hats in aid of Brain Tumour Research.”

Carol Robertson, Head of Community Fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: “I’m pleased to see so many people in Wylam donning their hats and raising money for Wear a Hat Day 2018. Every year 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour and the money raised today will go towards pioneering research that is taking place at our dedicated Centres of Excellence.” 

Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone, at any age. What’s more, they 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.

Among celebrity supporters of this year’s campaign is the businesswoman, model, actress and mum Caprice Bourret who underwent surgery to remove a low-grade brain tumour which was diagnosed a year ago.

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:
Farel Williams at Brain Tumour Research on 01908 867239 or 07952 502708 or Farel.Williams@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 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.