The Greggs Foundation has launched its 1,000th Breakfast Club in the UK.
The programme provides free breakfasts to over 75,000 schoolchildren across the country every day.
The scheme was first launched in 1999 by the independently run charity associated with Greggs with the goal to improve children’s access to a hot breakfast. It has so far donated a total of 90 million breakfasts.
Setting up and managing the clubs costs an average of £3,000 each year, split between the foundation funding and external partnerships with 160 sponsors.
Each club is run by school staff and parent volunteers and also involves a hardship fund accessible to its schools.
The programme supports families and individuals experiencing financial hardship with food, clothing, and energy vouchers.
“Having opened our first Breakfast Club 25 years ago and now hitting this milestone of 1,000, we know how important breakfast is for everyone to start their day right,” said Greggs chief financial officer Richard Hutton.
“Not only do the clubs offer a nutritious start to the day, but they also provide a time for children to engage with each other and with school staff before their classes begin, increasing their readiness to learn and concentrate during lessons.
“The government’s promise to support state-funded breakfast clubs recognises the positive impact our programme has had over the past 25 years, but there is still more to be done to support families.
“We will therefore be developing our support for schools across even more of the school day through after-school clubs and holiday clubs – something our network of schools have been increasingly vocal about in recent years.”
No comments yet