Uxbridge-based food manufacturer General Mills and The Greggs Foundation have officially opened a new breakfast club at Belmore Primary Academy in Hayes that will see all 120 of its pupils receive breakfast every morning, completely free of charge.
General Mills – which produces Häagen Dazs, Nature Valley, Petits-Filous, Old El Paso and Liberte brands – has donated funds to launch the club, while The Greggs Foundation will supply fresh bread from a local Greggs store.
The school will use donations to purchase a variety of breakfast products that will give children the best start to their day.
Shadwo Chancellor John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, was also at the school to mark the launch on Friday.
Paul Bateman, head teacher at Belmore Primary Academy, said: “It’s fantastic to see leading food companies such as General Mills helping to tackle the issue of food insecurity in the UK. The funding they’ve provided will make a real difference to the lives of our pupils both from an educational and social perspective.
“A good breakfast to start the day is absolutely crucial and it really enhances a child’s ability to learn and do well in school, giving them the best chance to succeed in later life.
“From everyone here at Belmore, myself, my fellow teachers and most of all, the pupils, we’d just like to say a huge thank you to both General Mills and The Greggs Foundation for their support in launching this new breakfast club.”
Ben Pearman, managing director of General Mills Northern Europe, added: “It is staggering to think that more than 8m people in the UK currently live in households that struggle to put enough food on the table.
"We’re proud to be working with The Greggs Foundation to launch this new club at the Belmore Primary Academy, the first of many over the next few years. They will help ensure more school children have access to a wholesome breakfast each and every day.”
General Mills’ funding will enable the school to purchase enough products to feed pupils at the school every day for the next two years.
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