Magic Breakfast: Havant Academy among schools to share 100,000 free breakfasts after FatFace donation

A SECONDARY school breakfast club which sees pupils and staff mingle ‘like family' is among scores across the UK set to benefit from a Havant charity’s £30,000 donation.

Published 29th Feb 2020, 17:00 GMT

Updated 2nd Mar 2020, 12:37 GMT

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The FatFace Foundation gave the money to nationwide charity Magic Breakfast to pay for 100,000 meals for schoolchildren across Britain, starting today at Havant Academy in Leigh Park.

At least a fifth of the school's pupils are among 1.8m UK youngsters at risk of being too hungry to learn when they get to school.

The money will secure the future of the school’s year-old daily breakfast club which teachers say has driven pupil improvement across the board.

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Picture are Mason McLauchlan, 12, and Lewis Crawford, 13. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-9065)

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Picture are Mason McLauchlan, 12, and Lewis Crawford, 13. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-9065)

Bagels, spreads, cereals, fruit and juice are all on offer from 7.30am to 8.30am, with board games laid out for children to enjoy while they eat.

Victoria Adams, Havant Academy’s headteacher, said: ‘This emulates family and that’s what we wanted.

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‘Children who are fed, happy and have had the opportunity to socialise with their friends go to their lessons feeling much more content.’

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Pictured, from back left, is Victoria Adams, head of school, Alan Mak, Havant MP, Carmel McConnell MBE, founder of Magic Breakfast and Ian Williams, chairman of the FatFace Foundation. From front left, with pupils Ethan Comben, 15, Chloe Stanford, 11 and Raya Oakey, 12. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-6214)

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Pictured, from back left, is Victoria Adams, head of school, Alan Mak, Havant MP, Carmel McConnell MBE, founder of Magic Breakfast and Ian Williams, chairman of the FatFace Foundation. From front left, with pupils Ethan Comben, 15, Chloe Stanford, 11 and Raya Oakey, 12. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-6214)

She added: ‘The difference this has made in terms of concentration is absolutely massive.'

FatFace Foundation's connection with Magic Breakfast was forged by Havant MP Alan Mak, who served as the latter good cause's chairman for five years before being elected in 2015.

Foundation chairman, Ian Williams, said he was 'very proud’ to hand over the money, which came from customers and corporate donations.

‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so I can’t imagine going to work or school without some food inside of me,' he said.

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Pictured is Havant MP Alan Mak. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-9043)

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Pictured is Havant MP Alan Mak. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-9043)

‘If we can do just a very small amount to make local families feel better about going to school then we’ll be helping the future generation.’

Year 10 pupil Kenzie Martin, 14, is one of two ‘bagel bosses' who prepare snacks for children who go to the club.

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He said: ‘It’s fun because you meet everyone – new people in other years and your friends as well.

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Pictured is: Ollie Hunt, 14, who is in Year 10. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-6208)

Representatives from the FatFace Foundation attended Havant Academy's daily breakfast club to celebrate its donation of £30,000 to the Magic Breakfast. The charity's contribution will pay for 100,000 breakfasts for schoolchildren across the nation who arrive at school too hungry to learn - starting in Havant. Pictured is: Ollie Hunt, 14, who is in Year 10. Picture: Sarah Standing (280220-6208)

‘It’s good for them and it’s good for me because it helps the whole of the community in Havant Academy. It's like a big family.’

Fellow Year 10 pupil Ollie Hunt, 14, added: ‘I’ve been coming to the club since it started. It means I can socialise with people I may not have met.'

Carmel McConnell MBE, the founder of Magic Breakfast added: ‘This school is so inspiring and we would love lots of schools to learn from their example.’

Other Hampshire schools will benefit from the donation.

Alan Mak Havant

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