Every day this month, a young lifeguard is wearing a different hat to work.

Swindon-born Emily-Jade Hearn is raising funds for Brain Tumour Research, as part of her 12 Months of Giving campaign to complete a different challenge every month.

This month's challenge is a personal one for the 22-year-old.

She spent time in the Army Cadet Force and one of her ex-instructors is currently in end-of-life care with a brain tumour.

She decided to start a year of fundraisers after being put on furlough last year.

Emily has raised at least £1,220 since starting on New Years Day and has been posting regular videos of her completing challenges on Facebook along with stories of what the charities have achieved to raise awareness.

She says: “I was furloughed from being a lifeguard last year, and like many people I was sat around doing nothing.

“But this year I realised that I didn’t want to sit around anymore wasting my time when I could do something to give back to people.”

She has personal connections to many of the charities she chooses to fundraise for.

Last month she raised £160 for Guide Dogs for the Blind, completing tasks such as washing the dishes blindfolded.

This challenge was in memory of Dorcas Rochester, who she says was ‘an amazing lady who gave up her time to train up the pups’.

Her funds were to help name a guide dog after her: “I know a lady who volunteers her time for the Guide Dogs and how much the charity means to her.

"She was close to Dorcas, who was a big part of the guide dog community and passed away not that long ago, and we want to name a guide dog after her."

Emily did 2021 squats in the month of January, raising £150 for the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust.

She ran 100 miles over the month of February, raising £150 for domestic violence charity Refuge.

In March, she slept rough as a homeless person in her garden for two weeks, raising £540 for Booth House Swindon, a Salvation Army ‘lifehouse’ for the homeless.

In April, she climbed the equivalent of Mount Kilimanjaro up and down her stairs at home to raise money for Blesma, which supports veterans who have lost their limbs or suffered sight loss.

To follow Emily's progress, visit her 12 Months of giving Facebook group, and to donate to this challenge visit justgiving.com/fundraising/emily-jade-hearn2