As Scotland encourages more children and young people to learn, play and be active outdoors, are we doing enough to help them stay sun safe? The Melanoma Fund has developed a range of free Sunguarding® resources for organisations working outdoors.
Outdoor learning delivers enormous benefits for health, wellbeing, confidence and development. However, one environmental risk often receives far less attention than others.
UV exposure.
Skin cancer is one of the fastest-rising cancers in the UK. In Scotland, melanoma diagnoses have increased by around 36% in women and 38% in men over the past decade, whilst almost half of Scots report being sunburnt at least once each year.
Unlike many outdoor risks, UV radiation is invisible. Children and young people can spend hours outside without recognising when protection is needed, particularly during late spring and summer when UV levels can reach damaging levels even on cooler or cloudy days.
As outdoor learning, play and physical activity continue to grow, an important question emerges:
Are we giving outdoor leaders, staff and volunteers the same practical support to manage UV exposure that we provide for other environmental risks?
To help address this, the Melanoma Fund has developed a range of free Sunguarding® resources for organisations working outdoors, including:
Founding Sunguard Ambassador, Liz McColgan MBE, has spoken openly about her own experience with skin cancer and the importance of helping people enjoy the outdoors safely.