Greggs extends support after breakfast success

NEWCASTLE bakery giant Greggs is set to introduce after-school and holiday care as well as other crisis support for families, following 25 successful years for its breakfast club programme.

- COREENA FORD

The Greggs Foundation first launched its Breakfast Club programme in 2000 when the CEO at the time, Mike Darrington, went to a school event in Walker where former North Tyneside mayor Norma Redfearn was headteacher. Recognising how some children were coming into school hungry, she was exploring options for solutions when she asked Mr Darrington to sponsor breakfasts at the school.

The firm’s CFO Richard Hutton looked further into breakfast provision and partnership schools, started a handful more and could see how breakfast clubs resulted in improved behaviour for children who were no longer hungry and distracted in lessons.

Since then, the foundation has reached the milestone of running more than 1,000 Breakfast Clubs across the UK, giving free food to more than 75,000 children every day. It is now aiming to extend its community support through a new programme - UK: Feeding Brighter Futures - with free after-school care, holiday care and family support in the form of grocery vouchers, clothing, and other essentials.