A YOUNGSTER’S poster urging people to wash their hands will go on display at AFC Bournemouth’s stadium.

Children from schools across the county have been entering their poster designs for a competition as part of the Bug Busters educational programme run by the club in conjunction with Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital.

The judges, Cherries defender and player ambassador Simon Francis and David McNair - the director of the Lansdowne Road hospital - were looking for an eye-catching and informative poster which captured the important health message of good hand hygiene, one of the key Bug Busters messages.

The winning entry was the creation of eight-year-old Richard Kopfli, who attends Pokesdown Primary School, and as well as having his poster on display in the Vitality Stadium, reminding visitors to wash their hands, he will also receive family tickets to see the club’s Premier League clash with Swansea City on Saturday, March 12.

AFC Bournemouth’s Simon Francis said: “Congratulations to Richard for designing the winning poster.

“We were looking for originality, a fun design and something that really catches the eye.

“Washing your hands is so important for good hygiene, especially in places such as football stadiums and schools where there are thousands of people.”

The hospital’s infection prevention lead, Chris Tickner, said: “This is the second year we’ve partnered with AFC Bournemouth to run our Bug Busters workshops and we’re thrilled to say we have received a selection of well thought out and informative posters.

“Bug Busters is a brilliant way to actively promote and encourage handwashing to halt the spread of infections and bacteria.”

The Bug Busters initiative, run by staff from the hospital and the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust, educates children through a mixture of classroom sessions, football games and playground activities about cleanliness and promoting the correct procedure for handwashing to help prevent infection.

The scheme has been running for two years.

Those interested in booking a schools session can contact the Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital’s customer service team on 01202 375032.

For more information on the hospital visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bournemouth.