Local Leigh resident Sam Batstone, and face behind the popular Safe Sun Initiative was visited by MP for Southend West Anna Firth on Friday.
Firth was there to officially unveil the new dispenser in Chalkwell Lifeguard Station.
Sam struck a deal with Leigh Town Council last summer to install one of the dispensers on Bell Wharf Beach, meaning visitors would have immediate access to sun cream, free of charge. The idea took off and was brilliant last summer during the wonderfully warm weather.
Last summer Sam had said “With the pandemic, I could see dozens of hand sanitiser dispensers everywhere and that’s when I thought ‘wouldn’t it be great if they had that but for sun cream. We have become so accustomed to hand sanitiser to protect us, so why not sun cream? The reaction since has been phenomenal, people can just see it is really a simple device that can benefit everybody, and most importantly protect people.”
The brilliant devices also signpost safety and allergy advice which is regularly checked and refilled by both Mr Batstone and the Town Council. Since the success of this campaign others across Essex have also found inspiration in Sam’s idea for example Manningtree Beach saw similar sun cream dispensers during August 2022.
Commenting, Anna said:
‘Early on in my role as MP I spoke with Sam about his marvellous idea of reusing the cleansing dispensers set up throughout the Covid pandemic and repurpose them for sun cream throughout the hot summer months.’
‘Ultimately Southend is a tourist seaside destination, so this marvellous idea of Sam’s has been wildly popular.'
Sam Batstone added:
Sam Batstone:
‘Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK and the rate continues to rise’
‘I created Safe Sun during the height of the pandemic, when hand sanitizer dispensers were everywhere but those exposed to high UV situations had no public protection. The dispensers themselves not only protect the community and visitors of Southend West, which alleviates the burden on our already stressed NHS, but provide free skin cancer prevention during the cost-of-living crisis, especially for those in low income households. One dispenser serving many users also decreases plastic wastage on our beaches, keeping them beautiful for generations to come. I am so proud and delighted to have Anna Firth MP personally funding and backing this dispenser in a high impact area within our community, if it saves just one life, then it is worth its weight in gold’.
