Breakfast boost for North East schools

Hundreds of pupils across the North East are starting the day right thanks to a new partnership supporting children at risk of going hungry.

A £60,000 investment from housing association Karbon Homes, in collaboration with the Greggs Foundation, will fund breakfast clubs at 11 primary schools over the next two years. 

The funding, part of Karbon’s social value commitments, is being delivered through its material suppliers Jewson, CEF and Wolseley.

Chris McKenna, regional sales manager at Wolseley UK, said: “Wolseley are delighted to be involved with contributing to the community. 

“We see it as part of our responsibility as we employ lots of people in the local area and the young children coming through could be future employees of ours so it’s good to give back to them. 

“It feels great to see the money going to good use; it’s fantastic to see all the young kids here all happy and getting a good breakfast.” 

The initiative builds on Karbon’s existing work with Greggs, which already supports four schools including The Grove Primary, in Consett. 

Bullion Lane Primary, in Chester-le-Street, is among the latest schools to benefit, now feeding up to 30 children daily.

Paul Moralee, Karbon’s community investment manager, added: “We feel no child should go to school hungry and our targeted interventions supporting the Greggs Breakfast Clubs help children get a stronger foundation for life which they need to have a strong future. 

“Feedback shows the benefits go far beyond providing breakfast, from improving classroom focus, social cohesion and attendance at school. 

“It’s brilliant to see first-hand the results and positive impact on the families we work with, even just in the few weeks our new school funded sites have been running.” 

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