The children of the Martinborough Breakfast Club recently hosted a visit from Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills. Dr Wills travelled to Martinborough at the invitation of Archdeacon May Croft and Martinborough School Principle Craig Nelson whose organisations work in partnership to operate the Breakfast Club at the St Andrews Church hall every day of each school term.
Dr Wills said he was impressed by the children’s enthusiasm for their Club. Sitting with the children over a bowl of porridge, tea and toast and chatted with the children and volunteers Dr Wills said it is important to learn from communities who already have successfully implemented food in schools initiatives so that they can help other schools get it right. “I can see that this is a community that loves children,” says Dr Wills. “There is a sense here that children are important to all our lives that we share responsibility of raising them.”
Since its inception in 2010 The Breakfast club has had a strong membership of children who enjoy the warmth and ritual of the play/eat breakfast Club ritual. Breakfast club founder Archdeacon May Croft says it’s about “creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere with the children at its heart”.
The Breakfast Club is open to all school children and welcomes an average of 15 each morning with hot Milo, porridge, cereals, fruit, toast and spreads. The children sit with parents, caregivers and volunteers to eat and are then walked to school.
?All children and their parents and caregivers are welcome at the Breakfast club, whether they have eaten breakfast or not and the group includes children whose parents often have to start work early and children of volunteers.
Dr Wills was accompanied by Principal Advisor Kirsten Sharman and both said what they learned from the visit could help inform guidelines for the establishment of similar around the country and school food policies.” When we are working on food in schools programmes we have to learn from the bottom up. The power of what is happening here is that it is connecting children with children and children with adults. The food is a vehicle through which children are learning respect, trust and social skills and that is the basis for learning. It’s much more than just a full tummy.” said Dr Wills.
Catherine de Groot
