Slip! Slap! Swing!, the campaign to raise awareness of the importance of golfers protecting themselves against the harmful effects of the sun, returns next month with a new subscription format, an exclusive partnership with the GCMA, and an expansion into tourism.
Over the last two years the Melanoma Fund has focused on generating Sun Protection Accredited golf clubs, and with over 500 members, the industry has welcomed this as an effective educational resource, supporting the health of staff and members. This year the focus will not only be on expanding the campaign, but also ensuring the toolkit is properly implemented, to effectively impact sun protection habits.
The campaign’s expansive toolkit has been updated, and materials will need to be displayed by members to generate accreditation status, with the first 100 members that sign up receiving a sun protection starter kit. The resources now include a free a monthly Health & Wellness webinar for accredited members. Hosted by a team of golf professionals, industry leaders, medical, and wellbeing experts, topics will be educational and inspiring to pique the interest of everyone in the sport. To create value and offset campaign costs, the charity will be charging small accreditation fee, payable by all new and existing organisations.
With over 1,700 members, the Golf Club Mangers Association is at the heart of golf and were one of the first supporters of the campaign. Championed by GCMA partnerships manager Craig Cotterill (also an ambassador for the campaign), the organisation will be actively working with the charity at events other initiatives, urging golf clubs to get signed up.
Cotterill said: “This year we have made the decision to partner with this important campaign, helping facilitate positive action from our members and within the wider industry. Sun protection is still very undervalued as a health routine in golf, and this has to change. The more clubs we can get signed up, the greater chance we have of preventing someone getting skin cancer.”
As well as clubs and tournaments, golf tour operators can now get Sun Protection Accredited, ensuring that those traveling abroad are sun prepared before they leave the UK. The initiative is supported by Your Golf Travel, as well as IAGTO and Golf Tourism England, leading organisations in the sector, promoting the initiative to their national members.
Peter Walton, chief executive of IAGTO, commented: “Golfers here in the UK love to escape to warmer climes to play golf, and our 65 golf tour operator members are at the forefront of golf travel. This is a great initiative to further look after the well-being of golf travellers and we fully support the campaign.”
To further raise awareness, Slip! Slap! Swing! ambassadors will be creating videos using the statement #ifnotwhynot when it comes to supporting the importance of sun protection and early detection of skin cancer to all in golf.
For further information, visit www.melanoma-fund.co.uk