Families and friends, schools and businesses across Bucks donned headgear to take part in Wear a Hat Day for local charity Brain Tumour Research.
For the past 13 years, the charity set up in Padbury has encouraged people to wear hats of all shapes and sizes on the last Friday in March as part of its flagship fundraiser, raising more than £2 million to help fund vital research into brain tumours.
Chief executive Sue Farrington Smith MBE led the charge by hosting a fundraising lunch, with raffle, auction and games, at her home at Padbury Hill Farm, where she founded the charity following the loss of her seven-year-old niece, Alison Phelan, to a brain tumour.
Sarah Long raised around £600 by hosting a brush party and raffle in Winslow's St Laurence Room in memory of her son, Oscar, who died of a brain tumour at the age of six in 2002.
Sarah said: “It went really well and two people there had a family connection to brain tumours, which made it really meaningful.
"I didn’t want more than 30 participants, because any bigger than that and you lose the intimacy of the event.
"Well, I had 30 and a waiting list, so I will be doing another one later this year."
She added: “Brush parties work really well because nobody needs to have any experience of art – it’s almost like paint by numbers.
"If you’re listening and watching, you can achieve something quite impressive by the end of it.”
Buckingham funeral directors Heritage & Sons also showed support by decorating their display window with promotional material.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Every year thousands of people come together to celebrate Wear a Hat Day and help us to raise vital funds for brain tumour research.
"We’re grateful for each and every one of them and recognise that, in many cases, their support stems from a personal connection to the cause.
"Brain tumours are devastating but, by working together, we will be able to improve treatment options for patients and ultimately find a cure.”
