News

LACA chair Anne Bull has issued a response to the story in today's Guardian newspaper that Blackpool Council is to extend its free breakfast trial in schools.

"With reports of children arriving hungry at school,the role of breakfast clubs as well as other food services in schools are more vital than ever before.

"Ensuring that the most nutritionally vulnerable children in our society have the opportunity to have breakfast and a hot nutritious school lunch every day is essential.

"The free breakfast scheme announced by Blackpool Council shows a commitment to primary school aged pupils. Studies show that giving children a healthy breakfast improves pupils attendance levels as well as their behaviour and attention in class in the morning."

The report in today's Guardian says that Blackpool's £1.3m scheme to provide fruit, yogurt and bread to 12,000 pupils in the town's 33 primary schools has been declared a success after a study found it made children happier and more alert, and had the potential to improve attendance and punctuality.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/07/blackpool-breakfast-scheme-primary-school-pupils