School ready for bread boost to its breakfast club

The Nourish Our Kids programme is yet to start at Lakeview School.

Principal Ed Hodgkinson said the school is supported by the KidsCan organisation, which partners the Nourish Our Kids programme.

Launched nationwide on Monday, the initiative involves supplying bread to pupils in deciles one to four primary and intermediate schools throughout New Zealand.

Mr Hodgkinson said the decile 2 school runs a breakfast club every morning, offering any pupil a basic breakfast "whether they've already eaten that morning or not".

He said Sanitarium donates Weet-Bix, Anchor supplies milk and Breadcraft provides bread for the breakfast club and school funds provide spreads for the bread.

Sarah Hanrahan, New Zealand Nutrition Foundation Nutritionist, said bread was an important food for children that is "nutritious, versatile and most importantly they love eating it - which is vital for kids of this age".

The Nourish Our Kids programme will by the end of the year triple the number receiving weekly bread deliveries from 104 to 300 schools across the country.