Skip to content

How sun-conscious is our culture?

Holly-Anne Langlois
BBC News, Guernsey
BBC Megan Chapple is a woman in her mid 20s. She is smiling and has green eyes. She is wearing a black sun hat, with sun glasses places on top and a white top with gold necklaces and earrings. She is sat in a beer garden. BBC
Megan Chapple moved to Australia a a year-and-a-half ago, having spent 20 years in Guernsey

An islander living in Australia says she feels Guernsey could do more to promote a better sun-safe culture.

Megan Chapple moved to Australia a year-and-a-half ago after spending the first 20 years of her life growing up in Guernsey.

She said she gave little thought to wearing sun protection when she lived in Guernsey but it had now become second nature.

"Since moving to Australia, it's now a case of you've got your towel, you've got your bathers, you've got your suncream. In Guernsey, I didn't think of that so much."

'A culture and push'

Ms Chapple said in Australia, free suncream is given out at beach hot spots and there are tax-free deductions for suncream where you can claim a rebate from the government.

"It's something the government is actively trying to encourage and make people aware of."

"[In Guernsey] I used to leave the house without suncream on," Ms Chapple said.

She said she thought her change in attitude towards sun-safety was because Australia got more sun, "But, at the same time, I think there's a culture and push from the government as well to really protect against skin cancer."

So what do other islanders think?

Joey Barling, a mother in her twenties-thirties, is smiling. She has fair hair tied-up and is wearing big sun-glasses. She is wearing a black flowery top and is sat on the sea wall.
Joey Barling said she would not have thought about sun protection if you had asked her "a decade ago"

Joey Barling said she became more sun-conscious since having children.

She said that's down to "more awareness," in the community and media.

Mrs Barling said "I don't think [Guernsey's sun-safe culture] is great... I think there could be more around and about to boost awareness."

Hilda, a woman in seventies to eighties, is smiling. She has glasses on, shorts grey/blonde hair and is wearing a white and brown spotty shirt. In the background there is a green wheelie bin and a view of the bay.
Hilda wears suncream every day

Hilda, at Pembroke Bay, said she wears suncream every day "even in the winter" because "the doctor thought it was a good idea."

Keith Mansell, a man in his seventies, is bald and has tanned skin. He is smiling and has blue eyes. He is shirtless and sat on the sea wall.
Keith Mansell said he thinks suncream is a personal choice

Keith Mansell, also at Pembroke, said he was not wearing, or had not packed, any suncream for his spontaneous trip to the beach.

"I think if you want to use suncream then that's your personal choice. I don't think we need to be nannied around that sort of thing."

"People are aware - there's lots of awareness about, both in the papers and on TV, so it's up to people to make their personal choice."

BBC Guernsey has launched a Sun Safety Campaign about early detection and prevention of skin cancers, and will speak to experts about the importance of sun safety over the summer months.

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

More on this story