Taps On
Us Scots, and our Northern Irish cousins, don't need much encouragement to make the most of sunny weather. But this summer, we're on a mission to make sure Scotland and Northern Ireland are equipped for Braving The Summer in all weathers, kicking off with ensuring we can all enjoy the sun safely…
THE LINE UP
Meet the faces behind the t-shirts
Skin cancer is on the rise in the UK, with around 17,500 cases diagnosed every year. And while it might be the punchline of many a joke, the fact that Scots famously love to take their tap aff with even the slightest glimmer of sun can have serious consequences. So, we’ve teamed up with some of the funniest folk in Scotland to help us spread this message far and wide. They’ve helped us create a limited run of t-shirts that will raise money for Melanoma UK. Encouraging us to keep our Taps ON, even when it’s taps AFF weather.
While the t-shirt designs might raise a smile, they come with a serious message: keep your taps ON, slap on the SPF, and don’t let a bit of sun catch you off guard.
The t-shirt designs are inspired by each comedian’s love-hate relationship with summer, while also helping raise funds for Melanoma UK, who are tackling the sharp rise in skin cancer across the UK. Profits from every tee sold go straight to the charity to support the hugely important/valuable work they do.
THE LINE UP
Meet the faces behind the t-shirts.
You’re Either Oot Or You’re In
Ashley Storrie
Battling between the unpredictable nature of our summers, much loved comedian and actor Ashley nails the indecisive nature of going oot or staying in. Her tee is a love letter to every person who’s ever shouted at the sky in weather-based frustration.
We’ve Got Your Back
Larry Dean
Award-winning stand-up and regular on Live at the Apollo, Larry’s no stranger to a sharp punchline. His tee features a Scottish seagull helpfully squirting sun cream on your back (instead of, well, the usual).
Four Seasons, One Pint
Bash the Entertainer
The viral sensation and content creator brings his trademark energy to this tee, which celebrates the uniquely Scottish skill of enjoying a summer’s day pint through wind, rain, hail and hope.
Summer Survival Kit
Susie McCabe
One of Scotland’s fastest-rising comedy stars, Susie is a Fringe favourite, award-winner and radio regular. Her tee celebrates the great tradition of BBQing with a determined smile on your face, in a pair of shorts, with an umbrella over your head, and a bottle of SPF in your pocket.
MELTER
Sanjeev Kohli
Actor, writer and Still Game legend, Sanjeev’s design captures a pure Scottish summer classic: a topless guy battling against time (and the sporadic heat) to finish his ice lolly before it’s a sticky puddle.
Think Like a Ginger
Ray Bradshaw
The two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and touring powerhouse knows the importance of SPF on account of being ginger himself. His tee honours the cleverest sun strategy: hiding under a towel like a true sun-dodging pro.
SPF is Sexy
Diona Doherty
A regular on BBC and star of Derry Girls, Diona’s bold and tongue-in-cheek personality comes through in her design that applying suncream isn’t just smart, it’s sizzlingly sexy.
Suntrapped
Kim Blythe
This rising comedy voice with her hilarious social media videos taps into that sacred Scottish experience: catching a rare beam of sunlight in a beer garden, securing your spot on the one remaining bench in the sun trap and squeezing in to make sure everyone fits.
WHY IT MATTERS
The unpredictable nature of a Scottish summer might make for good jokes, but there’s a serious side to all this. Skin cancer isn’t just a holiday worry – it’s the 5th most common cancer in the UK, with around 17,500 new cases every year*. And it’s on the rise: melanoma incidence rates have increased by almost a third (31%) over the past decade*.
That’s why the work Melanoma UK does is so important. The charity supports patients, funds research, and raises awareness about the dangers of UV exposure. They also campaign for earlier diagnosis and better education around sun safety, because damage can happen even when it’s cloudy, and even when it’s only 15°C.
The Tennent’s Taps On collection means that covering up to protect from the sun just got a style upgrade.