The latest cancer report, incorporating data up to 2022, showed that Guernsey’s rate of malignant melanoma remains significantly high – 95% higher than England’s – and local mortality is nearly double that of England. Malignant melanoma continues to be one of the most common cancers in people under 40.
In a bid to protect the island’s youngsters, St Martin’s Primary School headteacher Clare Giles has started with the near 500 children who attend her school – by gifting each pupil with a smart new sun hat.
She said she would encourage all local schools to do the same.
‘Our pupils’ safety is our top priority,’ she said.
‘Particularly when you see the rise in cancer rates. For many years, we have had a “no hat, no play” policy, but many of the hats the children have brought in to wear do not offer enough protection.
‘Bucket hats provide proper protection – much better than baseball hats – and these are light, practical and made from recycled plastic bottles.
‘I don’t want to scare the kids with cancer rates, but this new item will just be part of our uniform now, as one of the many ways we are promoting sun safety this year.
“Slip, slap, slop” we call it, we have sun cream dispensers, too.’
Through donations from Specsavers and the school’s PTA, enough funds have been raised to gift the whole school with a new hat, to be worn over the summer and first half of the autumn term. Which was good news for 5-year-old Coby Taylor, who feels cool and ready for summer.
‘It’s better than my other hat,’ he said. ‘And blue is my favourite colour. I can’t believe it’s spring already.’
Older pupils consulted on a number of different styles through their forum, before collectively agreeing on the bucket hats.
‘It will help create a good habit for later in life,’ said Victoria Olivia, chair of the school’s PTA.
‘Starting at such a young age, it will just become natural to stick a hat on whenever they go outside, which is really important because Guernsey’s got 20% more sunlight than the UK.
‘This is just a really simple, and effective habit we can install.
‘And as a parent, there’s a lot of pressure for children to conform to the fashion choices of their peers, so with these all being the same, it should take away any of that worry.’
Specsavers’ brand reputation manager Amy O’Brien said the company was happy to support the initiative.
‘UV protection eye health is included in what we do, so encouraging general UV education for children is really important to us.’
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