If you have read this blog at any point, you can see how important canopies are in various situations. These multipurpose products are essential in many situations from an outdoor party to an emergency situation. I’ve referenced the number of portable shelters that have gone out to aid storm-torn areas like Haiti and New Orleans and I realize that a number of these shelters will most likely go out to Japan and other Eastern areas of the world due to the tsunami that hit those coastlines today. In the weeks to come, canopies and portable shelters will be increasingly important in that area of the world.
On a lighter note, canopies are also quite useful for protecting people from the sometimes harmful rays of the sun. For instance, The Argus reports that one school in England is looking into installing canopies on the schoolyard to provide shade for students during recess:
“A school wants to protect pupils from harmful UV rays by putting up shades in its playground. Staff at West Hove Junior School in Portland Road, Hove, say the “sail shades” will protect youngsters from the sun as they learn and play outside. In planning papers which have been submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council it said: “The canopies provide cover from high UV exposure, which is critical for younger children. “At the same time however, it allows the children safe access to the open air and outdoor play areas.” Skin experts have praised the scheme and said that more schools could follow the move.”
The overall plan will cost somewhere between seven and eight thousand pounds to fully enact, but the school has few ideas about how to raise the money. A combination of a bake sale and a casual day should do the trick so that the schoolchildren can play outside safely covered from the UV rays of the sun.