This Friday, March 26, is Wear A Hat Day for Brain Tumour Research, an annual event to raise awareness and fundraise for the charity, and one Sidmouth has come together to support.

This has become the town's way of showing our support to two local lovely young ladies who are living with the effects of two different types of brain tumour.

A year ago the Sidmouth Does Wear A Hat Week committee, Angie and Charlotte Reid, Charlie Gwillim, Sarah French, Julie Marish, Liz Clode and Alexa Baker were set to celebrate the 'two Cs by the sea' but instead were faced with cancelling a week of events at very short notice.

The town's local businesses had decorated hats, which were judged, but winners Bennett and Rogers Opticians have yet to receive their prize; local clubs and societies had to cancel their hat wearing plans as lockdown loomed, and local author Janet Dowling had compiled and printed a book, Bold girls wear hats - three traditional stories of bold young women who don't need rescuing and have hats of resilience, determination and courage, which couldn't be sold anywhere.

We are delighted that although 'Sidmouth Does Wear A Hat' aren't holding any fundraising events this March, some of our lovely supporters are; this includes Johanna Morgan and her JMDanceFit crew. They will be sporting hats all next week during their online classes to mark Wear A Hat Day.

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (Liz Clode and Alexa Baker) will be taking a stroll around the town wearing their special hats over the weekend to raise awareness.

Ella Robinson, Charlie Gwillim's best friend, has set herself the challenge of walking 250 miles in March, to raise funds and awareness.

Another friend of Charlie, Jasmine White, has been crocheting hats and selling them, donating £1 from each sale to Brain Tumour Research. Jasmine has already donated £100 to the charity!

Here's how you can join in too

You can wear a hat on Friday and post your photo to Sidmouth Does Wear A Hat Week #charlottesarmy on Facebook.

You can purchase a copy of Bold Girls Wear Hats, £3 + £1 postage, by emailing [email protected]

You can buy a hat from Jasmine, her link is on our FB page.

You can support Ella by donating to her JustGiving page, or you can make a donation to Sidmouth Wear a Hat Week.

We are pleased to say that Charlotte Reid has just celebrated her 21st birthday and Charlie Gwillim is living each day as it comes, especially when there's beautiful sunshine, and they are very grateful of your support in raising awareness of the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40. Thank you!