A UK pilot 'sun guarding' initiative launches this week in Trearddur Bay, led by the Melanoma Fund in partnership with Isle of Anglesey County Council and Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand.

Anglesey is the first coastal community in the UK to pilot a new approach to tackling rising skin cancer rates. Utilising research on sun safety undertaken by nursing students at Otago Polytechnic, the Melanoma Fund has partnered with Isle of Anglesey County Council to launch its Sunguarding® initiative during Sun Awareness Week.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Wales, accounting for a significant proportion of all diagnoses, with non-melanoma skin cancer occurring at rates more than twice that of the next most common cancer.

At the centre of the launch is the installation of a UV safety station in Trearddur Bay, supported by signage and public messaging designed to make UV risk visible and prompt immediate behaviour change.

Michelle Baker, CEO of the Melanoma Fund said: “Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in Wales, yet most people still don’t act on UV risk in real time. We don’t have an awareness problem - we have a behaviour problem.”

The sun safety project is built on international research conducted remotely by nine third-year nursing students from Otago Polytechnic, in New Zealand during a community clinical placement, under the guidance of Professor Jean Ross who has long-standing ties to the region. Their findings identified a significant gap in public understanding of UV exposure and highlighted the need for visible, community-led intervention, shifting sun safety from passive awareness to active behaviour.

Councillor Keith Roberts (Isle of Anglesey County Council) first spotted the students’ idea on Facebook and immediately recognised its potential and was the local point of contact for the Trearddur Bay pilot.

This is the first coordinated effort of its kind in the UK to embed sun safety across a defined coastal community, combining infrastructure, education, and workforce training. The team are working to integrate the initiative into the community, including getting local beach wardens educated through the Sunguarding® course, making Sunguarding® information available to schools in the area, and promoting it via an upcoming Swim Safe event.

Jean Ross said: “What we identified in Trearddur Bay reflects a wider gap in how communities understand and respond to UV exposure. What makes this project different is that the response is visible, practical, and led at community level. That’s where real change happens.”

Keith Roberts, councillor at Isle of Anglesey County Council said: “This initiative reflects our commitment to protecting the health and wellbeing of our communities. By working in partnership, we have an opportunity to lead the way in prevention and create a model that can be adopted more widely across Wales and beyond.”

Anglesey's public protection portfolio holder, Councillor Nicola Roberts, added, “This pilot brings together public health, safety and education in a very practical way. By promoting sun safety and giving children and families the knowledge and tools to protect themselves, we are directly supporting their wellbeing while reducing preventable health risks. This initiative is a strong example of how early prevention and education can work hand in hand to deliver lasting benefits for our communities.”

From research to real-world action

The initiative translates research into practical delivery across Trearddur Bay and the wider Anglesey community:

• UV safety station installed in Trearddur Bay, with a long-term ambition to place stations on other popular beaches on Anglesey in future.
• Sunguarding® signage and posters across the area, featuring designs created by Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand nursing students
• Workforce training, with beach wardens and outdoor-facing roles encouraged to complete the Sunguarding® course

Supported by the Wales Sports Association, the programme will also extend into sport, offering clubs the opportunity to upskill coaches and outdoor leaders in UV risk and prevention.

Building a culture of prevention

Beach wardens and trained personnel will play a key role in reinforcing public understanding of UV exposure, including clear guidance that when the UV index reaches 3 and above, sun protection is essential.

A model for national rollout

The Anglesey pilot is designed as a scalable model, providing accurate impact data to demonstrate how local authorities can embed sun safety into everyday environments, and how this can alter behaviour and awareness, from beaches and schools to sport and community settings.

Without intervention, skin cancer rates are expected to continue rising across Wales. By making UV risk visible and actionable, the Sunguarding® approach is designed to shift behaviour at scale, reducing preventable skin damage and long-term cancer risk.

More information can be found on the melanoma website.