Today, Mrs Libby Pryce, who was recently honoured as the UK’s best Primary School Teacher, launches the search for Britain’s best breakfast clubs.
The Breakfast Club Awards, organised by Kellogg’s and learning charity ContinYou, recognise the unsung heroes who help ensure thousands of children across the country get the best possible start to their day. They reward those clubs that demonstrate excellence in health and nutrition as well as community involvement.
The search is also on for that special person, a 'Breakfast Club Champion' and the best breakfast club in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The winning club in each category will receive £1,500, and the runner up £500.
Mrs Pryce who is deputy head at Pitt Street Infant School in Mexborough, said: “I am delighted to add my support to this venture. A good breakfast boosts morning energy levels and is a perfect healthy kick-start for the day. It contributes to helping children enter the right frame of mind for learning.
Pitt Street Infant School provides a breakfast club through a joint venture with the local Junior School. It is a non profit making club which is subsidised by both schools. Mrs Pryce explains “Younger and older siblings are dropped off at the same location and can breakfast in family groups or with friends. It’s an informal breakfast serving breakfast cereal, toast, and drinks - an excellent way to ensure a healthier start to the day. A range of activities and games led by support staff is also offered to the children. We then provide a walking bus so our children arrive at school, on time, well fed and ready to learn.”
“I congratulate all breakfast clubs across the country who are doing such a fantastic job increasing the number of children eating breakfasts regularly, promoting healthy eating, providing child care before school and ensuring children arrive at school on time. The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards are one way of recognising their contribution to our children's health and well being and I support it whole heartedly.”
Bruce Learner, Community and Social Responsibility Manager at Kellogg’s, comments: “We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day but some families are pushed for time in the mornings.
This is where breakfast clubs can help. The idea behind the awards is to highlight the enormous and varied benefits of breakfast clubs which include punctuality, attendance and concentration plus improving their relationship with their teachers and each other.”
Tony Apicella, National Programme Director at ContinYou, adds: As the UK’s lead organisation in supporting the sustainable development of breakfast clubs we’re thrilled that this year will be our biggest and best Award programme as we aim to identify best and next practice in breakfast clubs to support children, young people and families.”
To enter the awards simply log on to www.breakfastclubplus.org.uk and apply online or download an application form. The closing date is Friday 12th December 2008 and winners will be announced on 2nd February 2009.
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For further information or images please contact Kate Hannah on 0161 869 5035.
Notes to editors:
Kellogg’s and ContinYou have worked together since 1998 to promote and support breakfast clubs in the UK.
Each day between 3,000-5,000 children are served breakfast in a club that has received support or guidance from Kellogg’s and ContinYou – that equates to around a million served breakfasts each academic year. Since 1998, Kellogg’s has invested more than £1m into the development of breakfast clubs throughout the UK.
Breakfast Club Plus is an innovative and much in demand programme run by ContinYou designed to support the development of breakfast clubs across the UK. For more information on breakfast clubs visit www.breakfastclubplus.org.uk, which offers extensive advice, tools and resources on setting up, developing and sustaining breakfast clubs.
ContinYou is renowned for its pioneering experience and expertise in supporting schools and communities in a range of initiatives that have promoted, improved and measured the impact of breakfast clubs on children’s health and achievement.
Libby Pryce teaches the reception class and is deputy head of Pitt Street Infants School in Mexborough, Doncaster. She is the winner of the 2008 BT Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School.
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Breakfast Clubs