We’re delighted to receive new funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, meaning thousands of children at risk of hunger across England and Scotland will benefit from healthy breakfasts before lessons.This year’s award of £450,000 is enough to fund an amazing 1.3 million breakfasts for children in disadvantaged areas of the UK.

We have benefited from the generous support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery for seven years now, with the new funding taking the total awarded to £2.4 million.

This year the funding is, of course, more welcome than ever. Figures released in March 2021 by The Department for Work and Pensions revealed that even before the pandemic, 1.7 million children were living with food insecurity, at risk of hunger. This figure is believed to have risen as a result of Covid-19, with the Food Foundation estimating that 2.3 million children lived in households that experienced food insecurity in the six months leading up to January 2021.

Emily Wilkie, our Head of Fundraising says: “We are very grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their continued support over the past seven years, which is especially important this year at a time when child hunger is at critical level. It’s heart-breaking to think of children arriving at school every day hungry, children who may not have had anything to eat since their school lunch the day before.

“Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we will be able to continue to support these children so they know they can have something healthy to eat at the start the day, and will be better equipped to start the enormous task of catching up on their learning following an unsettled year and disruptions to their education. This new funding is enough to fund a staggering 1.3million breakfasts for children at risk of hunger and allow us to continue to support their schools, helping to remove hunger as a barrier to learning for those that need it most.”

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, says:  “It has been so important for players of People’s Postcode Lottery to provide their support to children via Magic Breakfast at a time when child hunger is at the highest we’ve seen. It has been critical that this funding has reached the most disadvantaged and allowed the charity to provide their vital service.” 

Thank you players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

 

Image: Ginger Pixie Photography.