Essex man launches free sun cream dispenser to prevent skin cancer
He also hopes it will help families struggling to afford sun cream
Last updated 18th May 2022
Ever gone to the beach for the day and realised you’ve forgotten your sun cream?
You’re not alone, but now there’s a solution - created by Leigh local Sam Batstone.
The 32 year old underwriter has teamed up with the local council to install a free SPF 50 sun cream dispenser in Old Leigh.
He says the idea came from a trip to the beach: "I was on the beach in Leigh with my partner and it was one of those typical British days where it starts off cloudy and then gets sunny.
"We were getting a bit burnt, people around us were getting a bit burnt and as I looked around I saw all of the hand sanitiser dispensers because of the pandemic and thought ‘wouldn’t it be great if one of them dispensed sun cream?’
“I had a look around and couldn’t find anyone who was doing it and that’s when I approached the local council who gave me a grant, and now it’s here!”
Sam is hoping the dispenser will help prevent skin cancers: "Skin cancers are one of the main killers in the UK and they're so preventable – sun cream is one of the main ways to do that, so if this dispenser can save one life, it’s worth it’s weight in gold.”
Cost of living
At a time when many are people's budgets are stretched, due to the rising cost of living, he also hopes the dispenser will help families who can't afford to buy sun cream themselves: "At the moment with the cost of living crisis, sun cream is expensive and families are choosing between taking their kids to the beach without sun cream or not going to the beach at all.
"This way they can utilise the free sun cream, protect their children and still have a great day out.”
Sam also hopes the invention will prevent littering: “It reduces plastic and the amount of bottles that get left behind on the beach. This is one facility for the whole beach so it’s much more environmentally friendly.”
He has plans to put up more around the county, and in the future, across the country: “The plan is to role it out across the county. I’ve been engaging with local businesses with outdoor spaces and local sports facilities.
"So many people have got in touch since we launched it who are looking to implement their own dispensers, which is so great to hear because prevention is so much better than cure when it comes to skin cancer."