Local schoolgirl hammers home handwashing hygiene

Tabassom being presented with her winning certificate, poster and voucher by staff at Sandbrook Primary

Schoolchildren from across the borough took part in a poster competition to promote the importance of keeping up excellent hand hygiene.

Many schools took part with young people submitting in their artwork. The winning entry was Tabassom, aged 11, from Sandbrook Primary School, Rochdale. Tabassom drew a detailed poster on ways to look after your hands and hand hygiene with her own four-step rule which includes washing them regularly, using hand sanitiser and clipping your fingernails.

Posters will be on display in Rochdale Infirmary, the urgent care centre, health centres, GP surgeries and schools. They encourage people to keep up good hand hygiene as well as asking others, in these settings, if they have washed their hands.

Councillor Rachel Massey, cabinet member for children’s services and education at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We had some wonderful entries but I was blown away by the detail and effort that Tabassom put into her poster. She should be really proud of playing such a key role in maintaining such an important health message.”

Tabassom was presented with a certificate and gift voucher for her winning entry at school by her teacher and head teacher who are incredibly proud of her work.

Dr Imran Ghafoor, from Peterloo Medical Centre, Middleton, said: “Clearly the pandemic has made us all focus more on our hand hygiene and we should never drop these standards. So many bugs spread this way and to see children grasping this and championing it at such a young age is really wonderful.”

For more information on good hand washing please visit nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/