November 4th, 2022Moves to protect more locals from UV damage

More people in Macedon will be protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays, with hundreds of extra
sunshades to be installed in public areas, sports clubs, school playgrounds and outdoor areas.
The state’s Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas has recently announced that some local groups have received funding in the latest round of the $2.5 million Shade Grants Program.
These include the Kyneton Football Netball Club which has received $636 for sun protection items, and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council $43,587 to finance sail structures for Woodend Kindergarten and the Swinburne Avenue Children’s Centre.
The grants will help these Macedon community groups build new shade structures, purchase
portable shade, create natural shade by planting trees or repair their existing shade structures.
Funding is also provided to purchase items to protect us from the sun, including hats and sunscreen.
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with two in three people diagnosed with
skin cancer by the age of 70.
In 2020, melanoma was the fifth-most-common cancer in Victoria, with 2,582 new cases and 271
deaths.