Kirkcaldy school celebrates after winning annual Kellogg’s Breakfast Club award

Balwearie High School was voted the winner by a panel of judges in the annual Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards.

It scooped a cash prize of £1000 to spend on its club and it recently received a special party pack for the pupils to celebrate.

The judges selected winners based on the inspiring individuals and activities that transform the mornings of children across the UK.

Kirkcaldy community-led charity longlisted for a prestigious award

Margaret Johnstone, support services co-ordinator at the school, said: “We began a breakfast club in 2017 and the rationale behind it was to provide a softer/nurturing start for those young people who face anxiety or social emotional difficulties in school – and to get breakfast to those young people who are regularly not provided with it.

“We were very lucky to manage to get some funding from the local charity Stephens foundation.”

Around 25 pupils attend the club each day.

Margaret’s work – she searches tirelessly to find funding to keep the two school breakfast clubs going - was also highlighted.

The school planned to spend its winnings on a new fridge freezer and food. The prize money also went towards its ‘Free Fruit Friday’ initiative.

She continued: “Initially targeting pupils living in SIMD 1 and 2 areas of our catchment, we quickly expanded the provision to our Department of Additional need pupils.

"Pre Covid it was a sit down breakfast in the both the DAS unit and pupil support department allowing pupils to have a nurturing and inclusive start to their day.

"Since Covid we changed our approach to a take away system with bags prepared the evening before by pupil support assistants and they collect them while socially distanced .

“We are very aware that our pupils and many of our families have been negatively impacted by Covid 19, and that 27 per cent of children living in Kirkcaldy are currently living in poverty - we endeavour to support our pupils and our families through these difficult times in any way we can.”

“We are thrilled to accept the best breakfast club award from Kellogg's.”

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.

https://www.localsubsplus.co.uk/nord/dm/FFP/V