These Portsmouth youngsters are helping people to stop smoking at Queen Alexandra Hospital

ONE puff is all it takes, before your healthy status breaks.
Amelie Greenwood's posterAmelie Greenwood's poster
Amelie Greenwood's poster

Those are the words written by Springfield School pupil Molly Firth as part of a scheme to make Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham a smoke free site.

The 13-year-old’s poem won her a writing competition run by the hospital’s health trust while seven-year-old Amelie Greenwood took home the top prize for her no smoking poster.

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Molly said: ‘I wrote a poem because I want people to stop smoking. I am really proud that I won.’

Amelie Greenwood's posterAmelie Greenwood's poster
Amelie Greenwood's poster

Felt tip pens helped Amelie to create her winning piece which featured messages about health and the environment.

She said: ‘I put a big red circle in the middle and then I had a good side about not smoking and a bad side with a smoker whose lungs were black and his heart was unhappy.’

Mum Nicki added: ‘Amelie saw the competition advertised and wanted to take part because she knows smoking is bad. It upsets her when we come to the hospital and she sees people smoking.

‘I am so proud of her.’

Amelie Greenwood, 7, with Lois Howell from Queen Alexandra HospitalAmelie Greenwood, 7, with Lois Howell from Queen Alexandra Hospital
Amelie Greenwood, 7, with Lois Howell from Queen Alexandra Hospital
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The poem and poster will be placed around the hospital to reinforce the trust’s mission to keep the site smoke free.

Director of governance and risk Lois Howell presented the two girls with their prizes and thanked them for taking part.

She said: ‘We had a fantastic range of entries and it took us a whole day to decide our winners but it is so great that we are able to thank Molly and Amelie in person.

‘Becoming smoke free is really important to our patients, our staff, our wider community and we are very grateful for the support of our younger patients and community members to help us do that.’