National Sun Protection campaign backed by Blue Diamond Group

Thursday 10 May 2018

Blue Diamond Garden Centres are supporting a National Sun Protection Campaign to help raise awareness of skin cancer.

The campaign, devised by the Melanoma Fund, aims to warn gardeners that ignoring sun protection is "simply ridiculous" and will run throughout the month of May.

It aims to specifically target men over 50 who are the least likely to cover up but are most likely to die from the effects of excessive sun exposure.

"This approach may appear light-hearted, but the message is serious. Sunburn can not only triple the risk of melanoma, it looks terrible, so look after your skin, whatever your age," Campaign ambassador, Alan Titchmarsh, said.

Celebrity gardeners are also backing the campaign, using humour to fight melanoma, with four of the biggest names in gardening agreeing to look ridiculous to help punch the message home: David Domoney, Adam Frost, Mark Lane and David Stevens will appear in the Watch Your Back! campaign like you’ve never seen them before, to urge people to think twice about their sun protection habits.

Harry Townsend, founder of the Melanoma Fund added: “Sun protection campaigns are in danger of sounding like broken records. We all know the facts, but many, especially men, lack a regular skin care habit and dislike applying sunscreen, so we have decided to give it to them straight: Don’t be ridiculous; remember sun protection when out in the garden this summer.”

Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK and melanoma is the most dangerous type. It is the fastest growing cancer in men and the second fastest in women, with men 70% more likely to develop the disease, typically on their backs and in areas that are hard to spot, making the warning signs easier to miss, leading to a later diagnosis, leading to higher death rates.

Blue Diamond garden centres are also getting involved in the campaign’s “Ridiculous” Sunflower Growing Competition and will be urging customers to grow the tallest or biggest sunflower in the UK by retailing packs of ‘Ridiculous’ Sunflower seeds for a £1 donation. For details of all Blue Diamond garden centres please visit bluediamond.gg.