RSS Feeds

Email a Friend Printer Friendly

NRPB Staff Adopt A Cool Look In Support Of Charity

July 11, 2002

Press Release

NRPB Staff Adopt A Cool Look In Support Of Charity

Staff from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) at Chilton, Leeds and Glasgow will be putting others in the shade when they ensure that sunglasses are their number one accessory on Tuesday 16 July.

Along with 3,000 other employees and schools from all over the country, NRPB staff will be participating in the fundraising day for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, called Shades for a Day. This is the charity’s second national Shades for a Day.

Dr Jill Meara, NRPB Public Health Physician says “NRPB is delighted to be able to support Shades for a Day. As well as raising money for Guide Dogs, NRPB is also able to highlight a vital eye care message for our staff and for the public – the importance of buying and wearing sunglasses that protect the eye from ultraviolet radiation”.

NRPB is committed to raising public awareness of the dangers of ultraviolet radiation and earlier this year produced and promoted a Sunsense poster1, obtainable in hard copy format and also available live at www.nrpb.org/understand/sunsense/sunsense.htm. The NRPB Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR) also produced an extensive review on the effects of ultraviolet radiation on human health earlier this year2.

Geraldine Peacock, Chief Executive of Guide Dogs explains: “Too often we ignore our most precious sense – that of sight. Shades for a Day is a fun way of reminding everyone to look after their eyes and be ‘cool’ at the same time. Guide Dogs is committed to both funding vital ophthalmic research and promoting eye care awareness and we’re really grateful to NRPB for supporting our campaign. Shades for a Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of eye care in the sun. Guide Dogs is advising everyone to look out for the CE kite mark when buying sunglasses – the best indicator of protection from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Since 1990, the charity’s Ophthalmic Research Grants programme has funded 99 research projects totalling £8 million. It is anticipated that a further £3.5 million will have been contributed by 2006”.

Downloadable photos of NRPB staff participating in Shades for a Day, along with other suitable ultraviolet radiation material, will be available at www.nrpb.org/download/press/index.htm (copyright should be acknowledged).

For further press information on the event at NRPB or more generally on ultraviolet radiation, please contact NRPB Press Office (Tel: 01235 822744/822745/822737).



1 Sunsense poster: electronic version can be downloaded from the NRPB website (www.nrpb.org/publications/educational/posters/uv_poster.pdf). Hard copies of the A1-sized poster can be obtained from NRPB Information Office, (Tel: 01235-822742, fax: 01235-822746 or email: information@nrpb.org).

2 Report of the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR). Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Human Health. Documents of the NRPB, 13(1), 3-276 (2002). Available on NRPB website (www.nrpb.org/publications/documents_of_nrpb/abstracts/absd13-1.htm).


P9/02 MORE
11 July 2002


National Radiological Protection Board,
Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0RQ
Telephone: (01235) 822744 Fax: (01235) 822746
Email: pressoffice@nrpb.org






Notes for Editors


For further media information on Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, please do not contact NRPB Press Office. The media contacts are Chris Dyson, Alison Wade or Nicky Brown in Guide Dogs’ Communications Department on 0118 983 8281/8380 (mobile: 07768 523996) or log onto their website: www.guidedogs.org.uk

Businesses wanting to register for Shades for a Day should visit the Guide Dogs website or phone 0118 983 8228.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is the leading charity providing guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that enable blind and partially sighted people to lead the fullest and most independent lives possible.

END

















































National Radiological Protection Board,
Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0RQ
Telephone: (01235) 822744 Fax: (01235) 822746
Email: pressoffice@nrpb.org

National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)