Over 21,000 free breakfasts will be available to schoolchildren in York thanks to a significant donation to the York Hungry Minds Campaign.
Members of Stockpaert - a Dutch social network - donated £55,000 to the campaign as part of their charitable Trekpaert Foundation’s annual international donation programme, coinciding with their recent visit to York.
The funding will be used to provide pupils at Yearsley Grove and Fishergate with free breakfasts over the next three years.
The York Hungry Minds campaign is part of the council’s wider commitment through its four year Council Plan - One City for all - to ensure that good resident health and wellbeing is embedded from an early age.
York Hungry Minds was set up in a bid to address the impact of the cost of living crisis, in response to national evidence suggesting that providing children with healthy, nourishing food can make a significant difference to school attendance, concentration and learning, as well as their physical and mental wellbeing.
A total of 13 primary schools across the city are now offering free school meals: 12 offering free breakfasts, with free lunches for children in years 3-6* at Westfield Community Primary School.
The different meals have been made possible thanks to funding from City of York Council (Westfield lunches) and donations to the York Community Fund’s York Hungry Minds Appeal (breakfasts).
Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People, and Chair of York Hungry Minds Steering Group, explained:
This is fantastic news and the incredibly generous donation will provide thousands more free breakfasts to our primary school children over the next three years.
“Local and national evidence shows the positive impact free school breakfasts and lunches have on pupils’ attendance, learning and behaviour. Through our work and the generous donations of people and organisations across the city we’re helping ensure that York’s primary school children have a great, healthy start to their school lives.
“I’d like to extend my huge thanks to Stockpaert for their support. The York Hungry Minds campaign is going from strength to strength and really is helping to change children’s lives.”
John Reinerie, Chairman Lustrum Committee, Stockpaert, said:
“Last year we arranged our 11th trip outside our country, this time to York, meeting Mayor David Skaith for the first time. We were able to discuss ideas for which good cause, as part of our Rotterdam student club’s 55th anniversary, we could donate to.
“It was therefore a pleasure to arrange an evening with Mayor Skaith and Council Leader Cllr Claire Douglas to confirm our £55,000 donation from our Trekpaert Charity Foundation to York Hungry Minds.
“We enjoyed a fantastic evening with speeches from David and Claire, and having heard much more about York Hungry Minds, our members were extremely proud of the choice Trekpaert made and could see the benefits of their donation”.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “No child should be sitting in a classroom distracted by an empty stomach.
"When children are well-nourished, they can focus on their learning and reach their full potential.
"I want to thank Stockpaert for taking the time to meet with me and for this generous donation, which will provide more than 21,000 free breakfasts."