More than one hundred thousand nutritious breakfasts are being provided free of charge to schoolchildren in London, in a major initiative designed to tackle morning hunger and boost educational outcomes.
A Vital Partnership Tackling Morning Hunger
The significant effort is the result of a collaboration between housing association L&Q and the charity Magic Breakfast. Over the past year, they have worked together to support pupils in areas with high economic need, specifically within the London boroughs of Lewisham, Southwark, and Greenwich.
At schools like Rye Oak Primary, mornings now begin with the busy chatter of children enjoying a healthy meal. The routine offers a choice of warm bagels, buttered toast, fresh fruit, and other options, ensuring pupils have the essential fuel needed to focus in class.
Measurable Impact on Learning and Wellbeing
The benefits of the programme extend far beyond simply providing a meal. A recent survey of participating schools revealed compelling evidence of its positive effects.
94 per cent of schools reported seeing an improvement in pupil concentration, while 92 per cent noted children were more ready to learn and had better energy levels throughout the school day.
Aisha Chaudry, Community Development Lead at L&Q, emphasised the broader impact: "Every child deserves to start the day with a healthy breakfast. However, the impact goes far beyond the meal itself, with benefits including improved school attendance, better learning and attainment outcomes, and enhanced family wellbeing."
Foundation Support and Future Hopes
The initiative is delivered through the L&Q Foundation, which has a strong focus on addressing food poverty. The foundation supports schools in offering a variety of breakfast choices, which also include freshly made porridge and milk.
Bea Sayer, Partnership Development Lead at Magic Breakfast, expressed gratitude for the support: "With their support, we are providing more than 100,000 breakfasts for children and young people at risk of going hungry... A nutritious breakfast helps ensure that no child is too hungry to learn, enabling them to reach their potential."
Magic Breakfast now supports almost 1,000 schools across England and Scotland. The partners hope their project in London will continue to make a lasting, positive difference for the families in the communities they serve.
