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The Real Junk Food Project, alongside Richmond Hill Primary School, is launching an initiative to break down the barrier to learning caused by hunger by giving pupils breakfast from intercepted food, which would have otherwise been wasted.

#Fuelforschool will centre around an awareness day on December 8th where every primary school in Leeds will be offered the chance to join in with a wasted food breakfast provided by TRJFP, in the hope of highlighting the issue of hunger as well as looking at that of wasted food and the environment.

Adam Smith, TRJFP co-founder: "In order to tackle issues surrounding food poverty, food insecurity and food waste, TRJFP feels like dealing with those responsible in the food industry just equates to the third sector becoming over-burdened with surplus food and facilitating wasted produce.

“Feeding the next generation through #fuelforschool initiatives will allow us to educate, with the hope of reducing the dependency on the use of payf (pay as you feel) cafes, and food banks nationwide; effectively putting TRJFP out of business quicker than we ever envisioned."

Nathan Atkinson, headteacher at Richmond Hill, said: "A high percentage of children attend school each day without breaking the fast of the previous day and some even without a drink.

"Many factors contribute to this; poverty and unconscious neglect being the two most common. An empty stomach affects concentration, energy levels, attentiveness and emotional wellbeing.

"Prolonged exposure to lack of food ultimately results in children working below age related expectations. Traditional models of interventions, designed to support children “catch up” and “close the gap”, are ineffective if the targeted children continue to present each day at school with empty stomachs.  #fuelforschool will enable children to make a positive and energy fuelled start to the day."

For an educational pack for #Fuelforschool please email info@richmondhill.leeds.sch.uk