Greggs Foundation celebrates 1,000th Breakfast Club milestone
The Greggs Foundation, the independent grant-making charity associated with the Greggs food to go retailer, has launched its 1,000th Breakfast Club in the UK.
This means the programme now provides free breakfasts to over 75,000 schoolchildren in the UK every day, with support targeted to where it is most needed.
All schools in the Breakfast Club network can also access the Greggs Foundation Hardship fund, which supports individuals and families in financial crisis by providing food, clothing and energy vouchers, as well as beds and essential home appliances.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Breakfast Club programme which has donated 90 million breakfasts to UK schoolchildren since its launch in 1999.
Richard Hutton, chief financial officer at Greggs and trustee of the Greggs Foundation, said: “Having opened our first Breakfast Club 25 years ago and now hitting this milestone of 1,000 clubs, we know how important breakfast is for everyone to start their day right.
“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 funding for the set-up costs and ongoing management of the Breakfast Clubs, which each cost an average of £3,500 a year to run, is provided through various sources. The Greggs Foundation works with over 160 external partners to sponsor over 450 clubs and the remainder are funded directly by the Foundation. Clubs are operated by school staff and parent volunteers.
Hutton added: “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.”
