BGL joins forces with the Slip! Slap! Swing! Campaign to help tackle skin cancer

Burhill Golf and Leisure (BGL) has pledged its support for the Melanoma Fund, promoting sun safety and raising awareness by joining the Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign.

All 10 BGL Golf venues, along with the company’s two outdoor Adventure Leisure sites in Tonbridge and Sidcup, have become Sun Protection Accredited by nominating an ambassador at the club, raising awareness with posters, and ensuring that plenty of sunscreen is readily available for golfers.

Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, has more than doubled in the UK in the last 30 years, with golfers on the UV hot spot due to prolonged sun exposure, with little shade and highly UV-reflective surfaces such as grass, water and sand contributing to the risk.

Commenting on joining the movement, Colin Mayes, CEO of BGL, said: “We are delighted to support the Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign and believe it’s high time the industry raised more awareness about the dangers of sustained sun exposure to golfers.

“Our customers and teams’ safety are paramount to us; more than ever in the current climate. The risks are real, and we commend the work undertaken by the cause thus far. As golfers, it’s a disease we should all be concerned about and certainly the drive to generate awareness as to the causes and appropriate steps for protection is something BGL wholeheartedly supports. Ensuring our members, guests and staff stay safe and protected is not a choice, it’s a necessity.”

Since it was established in 2019, the Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign has garnered significant traction, with nearly all of the game’s leading organisations backing the drive to promote increased sun safety, plus a team of dedicated golf industry ambassadors.

Michelle Baker, CEO of the Melanoma Fund, added: “It has been an incredible summer for the Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign. Despite the challenges of a pandemic, forward thinking golf clubs have been keen to support our aim ‘to drive skin cancer off the fairway’ by becoming Sun Protection Accredited.

“To have an organisation like BGL on-board is yet another landmark for us, offering even more credibility, and hopefully inspiring more groups to do the same and ultimately, keeping more golfers safe.”

Accreditation can be achieved by visiting www.melanoma-fund.co.uk/golfregistering and pledging five actions which are designed to be easy to implement, but at the same time creating maximum impact on the sun protection habits of members and staff.

The charity aims to get 200 clubs on-board for 2020, reaching a potential audience of 80,000 golfers. Once signed up, all participating clubs receive free sunscreen and support in promoting their work, to help keep them motivated and sun savvy, right up until the end of September.

For further information visit the Melanoma Fund’s Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign at www.melanoma-fund.co.uk/golf #SlipSlapSwing20

For more information on Burhill Group Ltd visit www.bglcompany.co.uk or follow @BurhillGroupLimited on LinkedIn.