Free toolkit for clubs to keep members safe in the sun

We've teamed up with the Melanoma Fund's Sunguarding Sport campaign to give your club access to a toolkit of resources to promote sun protection to your members.

With the weather warming up, and the Met Office predicting another summer of high temperatures, it’s important to factor in sun protection within your health and safety advice, specifically to those who spend prolonged periods outdoors. And with archers returning to outdoor ranges to train, compete or run courses, we want to give you an easy way to encourage people to think about sun safety.

Sunguarding Sport by the Melanoma Fund, is a free campaign for sports clubs and groups to help raise awareness of sun protection and encourage action, where and when it matters. Supported by the UK's leading national governing bodies of sport, including Archery GB, and written by leading experts in both sport and science, the content is relevant and accurate. The resources provide easy-to-follow guidelines and sport specific advice around sun and heat protection, with a downloadable toolkit for clubs and groups, containing posters, banners and social posts for both print and digital use.

Download the toolkit

The Melanoma Fund says that not only can UV rays damage skin, causing it to age faster, they are also responsible for skin cancer, the world’s most common cancer, with those who enjoy an outdoor lifestyle at the highest risk. Incidence of melanoma has doubled since the ‘90s and is forecast to double again over the next 20 years. Unlike other cancers, its 90% preventable with adequate sun protection, which is something you can help impact, by encouraging better habits.

The campaign’s top five tips are:

1. UV radiation cannot be seen or felt, so check the UV Index daily, and use sun protection when it reads 3 or over
2. A short training session can last for hours, so get into the habit of being sun prepared before you start any outdoor activity
3. Sunscreen can wear, wash, rub or sweat off, so reapply every two hours or more often when around water
4. To avoid a greasy grip, use a sunscreen applicator or clean palms with a small towel and alcohol gel
5. When removing clothing on a warm day, remember to apply sunscreen to all newly exposed areas of skin

Michelle Baker, CEO of the Melanoma Fund, said: "Promoting the importance of sun protection in sport and outdoor recreation has always been important, and with the help of the sports sector, we are now seeing more awareness around this. The message is to get outdoors and enjoy a healthy lifestyle, but remember to protect your skin with the same care as other parts of your body."

The Melanoma Fund has also put together sport-specific advice on sun safety for archers:

Sunguarding archery