51Âþ»­

Thousands of school children across the UK came together on Tuesday 15 October in a bid to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the largest hand hygiene lesson (multiple venues), hosted by experts at 51Âþ»­, Leicester (51Âþ»­).

The interactive lesson was streamed live from 51Âþ»­ into school classrooms and assembly halls nationwide, where children learned about proper handwashing techniques. The event aimed to raise awareness about hand hygiene while setting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title.

 The lesson based on 51Âþ»­ research included a story focused on hand hygiene, puppets to engage the children, and a practical demonstration using "glo gel" under UV light to show the presence of germs. To make it even more memorable, the lesson was set to music, encouraging the children to wash their hands to the beat of a fun song.

Schools like Shaftesbury Junior School in Leicester enthusiastically participated, with children and staff contributing to the synchronised hand washing lesson. The event successfully raised awareness about hand hygiene, while bringing together children from across the country in a unique bid to break a world record.

Mr Karl Stewart Head Teacher at Shaftesbury Junior School Leicester, said: “The world record attempt, I think, is an important and fun way to showcase handwashing as an important aspect of life.

“We have lived through a pandemic, and that is still now in the forefront of our minds, we want children to be in school healthy, and for them to have good hygiene.

“The importance of handwashing has not gone away since Covid, we are continuing to reinforce that in school, and this highlights that.”

After taking part in the hand hygiene lesson, school pupil Martin, in year four at Shaftesbury Junior School, said: “Today we learnt how to wash our hands, and what are good germs, and what are bad germs. I’m excited.”

Followed closely by classmate, Alina also year four, who said: “We learnt how to wash our hands, when to wash our hands, and why.  We learnt about lots of bacteria.”

Year four teacher at Shaftsbury Junior School, Mrs Becky Stabik, added: “Our children were really excited, in school we always try and make sure we wash our hands anyway, and we talk about it a lot, the children were all very excited to be part of this wonderful world record experience.”

The attempt was aligned with Global Handwashing Day - a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding the importance of handwashing with soap. 51Âþ»­'s initiative aimed to make a significant impact, demonstrating the power of collective action in promoting healthy habits among children.

The record-breaking attempt was led by 51Âþ»­ microbiology and education experts, Professor Katie Laird and Professor Sarah Younie, whose research at 51Âþ»­ led to the creation of an educational brand called  to educate young people in the importance of washing their hands.

Professor Katie Laird Microbiologist at 51Âþ»­, said:"This GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title attempt is a brilliant way to bring awareness to such an important issue.

“Our research and the creation of Germs Journey campaign has demonstrated significant improvement on children's handwashing behaviour and increased understanding of the germs’ transmission.”

Professor of Education Innovation at 51Âþ»­, Sarah Younie, added: “By involving so many schools and children across the country, we’re ensuring that children understand how something as simple as handwashing can have a profound impact on health and well-being. We’re proud to have led this initiative and to have inspired children across the country.”

With the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title now officially under review, students, staff, and organisers across the UK are eagerly awaiting confirmation of their success. The event has not only highlighted the power of collective action but has also contributed to the broader goals of Global Handwashing Day, which seeks to encourage handwashing in schools, homes, and communities worldwide.