May marks Skin Cancer Awareness Month, but for those working across merchanting, landscaping and construction, the issue extends far beyond a single campaign window.
At Long Rake Spar, this year’s awareness initiative has been inspired by the experiences of Group Sales Director, Shane McCormick, a three time skin cancer survivor, whose personal journey with skin cancer has helped highlight the importance of better UV protection awareness across outdoor industries.
Having spent years working outdoors earlier in his career, often without sunscreen or adequate UV protection, he understands first-hand the risks many people in the industry still unknowingly face every day. Sun protection simply was not something routinely discussed when he started out.
Hard hats, steel toe caps and high-vis became standard PPE. Sunscreen did not. That mindset is something Long Rake Spar wants to help change.
“Around 86% of skin cancer cases are considered preventable, yet skin cancer rates continue to rise in the UK and outdoor workers remain disproportionately exposed to prolonged UV radiation through the nature of their jobs.”
Throughout May, the business has been supporting a wider awareness initiative focused on encouraging better UV protection habits across outdoor industries. The message is simple: prevention matters, early detection matters and protecting yourself at work should not be seen as optional.
During the month, Long Rake Spar is also sharing skin cancer facts, prevention advice and educational content across its platforms to help raise awareness of the risks associated with prolonged sun exposure for outdoor workers.
As part of the initiative, the business has partnered with LifeJacket Skin Protection, whose SPF 50+ SunGel products are being distributed throughout the campaign. LifeJacket has supplied both a bottle and sample sachets of sunscreen to support awareness events and encourage better sun protection habits across the industry.
The campaign is already gathering momentum through several industry events and awareness activities.
For example, on 11th May, Shane attended the Chelsea Flower Show during build, handing out sunscreen awareness flyers alongside LifeJacket sample sachets of SunGel and speaking directly with landscaping professionals about the importance of skin protection for outdoor workers.
As part of the wider awareness initiative, Shane will also appear on national morning television before travelling to Parliament later that day to continue raising awareness of occupational sun exposure and the need for greater education and policy change around skin cancer prevention.
The same evening will see a more light-hearted, but equally meaningful, part of the initiative take place, as Long Rake Spar faces Tippers in a charity football match aimed at raising both funds and awareness for the cause. The event reflects something the merchanting sector does exceptionally well: coming together as an industry when it matters.
Shane McCormick said: “If this campaign encourages just one person to get a mole checked or start protecting their skin properly at work, then it has done something worthwhile. This industry spends huge amounts of time outdoors and too many people still underestimate the risks.”
Funds raised from the match will support charitable causes through the campaign’s JustGiving page.
For Long Rake Spar, the campaign is about using its platform to encourage conversations that could genuinely help save lives. Around 86% of skin cancer cases are considered preventable, yet skin cancer rates continue to rise in the UK and outdoor workers remain disproportionately exposed to prolonged UV radiation through the nature of their jobs.
The hope is that initiatives like this help shift the culture. Last year, Long Rake Spar installed sunscreen stations across its production sites, allowing outdoor workers to apply and reapply sunscreen throughout the working day. Sunscreen is also made available to drivers arriving on site.
The business hopes more companies across the industry will follow suit in taking practical steps to help protect their workforce.
Whether that means keeping sunscreen in vans, encouraging teams to wear hats and UV-protective clothing, recognising suspicious skin changes earlier, or simply reminding colleagues to take sun exposure seriously, small changes can make a significant difference over time.
As an industry, we are very good at looking after one another when dangers are visible. Skin cancer is often less obvious, slower developing and easier to dismiss. That is precisely why awareness matters.
