Charity funds breakfasts for hundreds of schoolchildren in the Portsmouth area to help them learn

Magic Breakfast works with schools in areas of deprivation, providing free food including toasted bagels, cereals and orange juice to help pupils start the day.

At Havant Academy, in Leigh Park, up to 100 pupils use the service and deputy Headteacher Kevin Gardner insists it makes a massive difference.

“We understand that we are working in an area where there is a significant amount of deprivation,” he said.

“Being a nurturing school, we believe it is absolutely key to be able to plug gaps in students' lives where families may be struggling to provide things such as breakfast.

“We want to make sure our children are fuelled up and go off to lessons ready to concentrate and learn. If they are not starting the day hungry, then they are much more likely to focus and make great progress.”

He added: “A young person's day can fall apart very quickly if they are not in the right frame of mind and have not been fed. To have a good day, they need a good start.'

As well as Havant Academy, other schools helped by Magic Breakfast include: Park Community School, Leigh Park; Woodcroft Primary School, Waterlooville; Hart Plain Junior and Infant Schools, Waterlooville; Beacon View Primary Academy, Paulsgrove; St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Paulsgrove; Brockhurst Primary School, Gosport; Ark Ayrton Primary Academy, Southsea.

According to The Food Foundation, in September 2022 four million children nationally were at risk of hunger. As the rising cost of living hits families, Magic Breakfast believes its work has never been needed more.

Every school day Magic Breakfast provides free breakfast foods plus expert support to more than 200,000 children and young people nationally.

Magic Breakfast policy and public affairs manager Lorraine Kelly said: “We know that a hungry child cannot concentrate or learn to their fullest potential.

"A single nutritious breakfast costs just 28p - and providing children with breakfast in schools has been found to significantly increase educational outcomes, boost attendance and improve classroom behaviour, all of which enhance their life chances.

“That's why breakfast matters!”

In 2020 Havant MP Alan Mak launched a new partnership that he initiated between the FatFace Foundation - the charitable arm of the Havant-based clothing company - and Magic Breakfast, whereby the foundation agreed to work with the charity to fund 100,000 breakfasts nationwide.

Mr Mak is a former President and Trustee of Magic Breakfast and still takes an active interest in its work.

A childhood spent in a working-class area of York meant he saw some of his peers arriving for school hungry and this has inspired his campaigning.

In 2012 he was selected to carry the Olympic torch through the village of Bedale in Yorkshire because of his work with Magic Breakfast.

He recently visited the breakfast club at Havant Academy and said: 'I’ve campaigned against child hunger for more than 10 years and I’m proud to have helped ensure children from Leigh Park and the surrounding area get a healthy breakfast so they can have fuel for learning.

“Supporting local children and schools is a top priority for me, and I’m glad the Havant Academy breakfast club I helped to launch is going from strength to strength.”

Mr Mak also organised a breakfast reception for Magic Breakfast at the Houses of Parliament, which was attended by education secretary and Chichester MP Gillian Keegan.