Stay safe in the sun, says Julie

If the coronavirus lockdown has had any silver lining, it's surely that the weather has so far been very kind to us and we have been able to exercise in the sunshine.

It's mood-lifting and full of Vitamin D - but with Sun Awareness Week approaching on May 4 and summer just around the corner, our boss Julie Russell says it's important to remember that we must treat the sun with respect.

"Around 15,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the UK each year and cases are increasing," she said. "It's great fun and good for your health to enjoy being out in the sunshine, but it is important to protect your own and particularly your children's skin.

"It is especially important to ensure that children do not get burned by the sun as this increases their risk of getting skin cancer later in life."

It's a good idea to apply sun cream, wear a sunhat, play in the shade and put on sunglasses.

Sun cream with a sun protection factor (SPF) of over 30 and 4 or 5 star UVA protection is necessary to protect children going out in the sun. The sun can burn even on a cloudy day, so take care when spending the day outside.