Recently back from her Bear Hunt adventure with fellow Magic Breakfast supporter Big Zuu, local legend and TV-host Steph McGovern visited Thorney Close in Sunderland to celebrate Magic Breakfast and the positive impact it has on children and young people.
The fantastic visit celebrated the nutritious breakfasts that the pupils at Thorney Close, who have been a Magic Breakfast partner school since 2017, receive every day before school! Head teacher, Catherine Jones, opens the gates and pupils either eat a warm breakfast in the hall or have breakfast in their classroom. The children are involved in the process and help with helping themselves to food and clearing up after themselves.
I have seen first-hand the importance of breakfast and the positive impact it has had on our school community. It fills tummies and fuels learning. But more than that, it teaches social skills and creates nurturing relationships between staff and pupils, allowing children to feel safe and secure. By offering our delivery model of Classroom Breakfasts, it means that the breakfasts come to the children and removes stigma or additional organisation needed from home.”
Catherine Jones, Headteacher at Thorney Close
Having grown up in Middlesborough, and now living in Tyne & Wear, Steph is visiting to celebrate the breakfast on offer.
Children should be hungry to learn, but millions of children in the UK are hungry for breakfast. In the North East, one in three children are living in food poverty so anything we can do to help, we should. The magic behind breakfast is so much bigger than the meal itself. Working with schools in disadvantaged areas across England and Scotland, Magic Breakfast empowers every child and young person to reach for their dreams and thrive. One breakfast at a time.
I’ve supported Magic Breakfast for a long time and what always strikes me is the huge impact this has on the whole school day. Not only does it provide children with a nutritious and healthy breakfast, but it gives children the opportunity to socialise with other children and be part of a wider community. It also helps set pupils up for the day and start the day calmly, providing a natural transition into the learning.”
Steph McGovern, Magic Breakfast celebrity supporter
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