Parasols for schools put children in the shade

Infant and junior school children will get protection from the summer sun after a joint South Norfolk Council and Southern Norfolk Primary Care Trust campaign to provide schools in the district with free parasols took off.

Sue Green, who works for both the Trust and the Council as the health improvement adviser, got the picnic table parasols idea after a special cancer prevention and sun safety conference which she organised at the Council’s offices in Long Stratton.

As part of her cancer prevention and better health campaign, Sue then approached infant and junior schools suggesting this might be a way to protect the youngest children in the district from sunburn, and the dangers of skin cancer later in life.

Within weeks, every single school - 86 in all - had called in asking for the two free parasols being offered.

Councillor Philip Waltham, who leads for the Council on Better Health and Safer Communities, visited one of the schools involved on Tuesday (June 21), with Sue Green. At 12.45pm, with temperatures topping 24 degrees centigrade, he wanted to see how the initiative was working at Tivetshall Primary School, and to meet head teacher Shirley Berry. He said:

"This is an exciting project which deserves the full support of all. We are looking at changing the culture of fast tanning and over exposure to sun light which has been proved to be the root of later disfigurement and serious illness through skin cancer.

"Children, who are very vulnerable because of their sensitive skin, need as much protection as we can give them and this scheme, which has raised public awareness of the need for care, is to be commended in every way.

"We thank all the schools - and especially Tivetshall - which have supported us so well and also Sue Green, who brought this scheme to fruition."

Shirley Berry is a big supporter of the initiative and of raising awareness of health issues. Next week she has organised a health week at the school, and recently invited Sue to give a talk on sun safety. She said:

"Although we were already aware of this important health issue, and had provided willow shelters in the playing fields, the parasols are a real bonus. Our children are increasingly aware of the need for hats and sun screen, and they avoid the midday sun. We have even moved our PE lessons to outside the hours of between 11am and 3pm. Our children also get bottles of fresh water, and we plan to plant more trees in the Autumn to increase the shade."

Sue Green explained:

"Many of these schools are small and have little outside space where trees might provide cover at lunch break, when the sun is at its hottest. We wanted children to have some shade, so we offered two free picnic table parasols for each school, which they could sit under. It really took off.

"I am also giving sun safety presentations to schools, and recently asked one assembly of 100 children aged 4 to 11 how many had been sunburnt. 96 children put their hands up. They all remembered the pain of it - it was startling.

"The harsh reality is that if you are seriously sunburnt as a child, then you face an increased risk of skin cancer in later life."

Sue provides schools, parents and teachers with lots of advice, backed by the Cancer Research SunSmart campaign. The SunSmart code says:

Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm;

Make sure you never burn

Always cover up with a hat, T-shirt and wrap around sun glasses

Remember children burn more easily

Then use lots of sunscreen.

Sue added:

"Use sun screen that is Factor 30+. Put some on your children before they go to school - legs, arms, face, neck and ears. Make sure they take the lotion with them to cover up again before lunchtime. Some parents say their children can't put on sun screen, but when I have asked children to show me how they would do it, they cover all the key areas I have mentioned."

Sue’s campaign has only cost £2,000. She got the parasols by buying up all the stocks she could find in local stores - and she struggled to keep up with demand.

She said:

"The response has been fantastic, and I want to thank local schools, school nurses, parents and head teachers, for taking such a responsible attitude to this issue."

Sue is also extending the campaign, and also providing advice to homeless families being housed by the Council, particularly those with young children.

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