The decline of the cotton industry and rise of poverty in Burnley, Lancashire, means that life is challenging for families living in what is now the UK’s most deprived borough.
Children often bear the brunt. Among other initiatives in Burnley, The British Asian Trust and 11 other of The Prince’s Charities are working to raise the health and achievement levels of children there.
That is exactly what is happening at Stoneyholme Community Primary School serving the South Asian community. The breakfast club there and at 11 other local schools is reaching 500 children in this borough battling with rampant unemployment.
It’s a typically busy morning at Stoneyholme Primary School. Morag Waddington, Stoneyholme’s inclusion manager and Lisa Wilkinson, learning mentor, are overseeing the daily breakfast club along with several teachers who will serve the children this morning. The most vulnerable among them live difficult lives that mean they often miss school and are regularly late. Breakfast, if anything, could be a biscuit or a packet of crisps. “They are the children we target,” says Lisa.
“Coming to the breakfast club improves their attendance and punctuality at school. Having breakfast helps the children’s concentration,” says Lisa. They are more alert, awake and ready to learn,” she says. “It also enhances their self-esteem and they become better at speaking and listening. Individually you see a big difference.”
For many families, the clubs help parents get to work on time, knowing that their children will be looked after.
Shahnaz Begum and her children Adil, 11, Adhiba, 8, and Ayaan,5, are one of them. A teaching assistant at Stoneyholme’s nursery school, Shahnaz’s work day begins at 8 a.m. “It’s great to be able to leave them here. There’s a relaxing, stress-free atmosphere here,” says Shahnaz.
Nargas Hassan, also a Stoneyholme teaching assistant, is the mother of Ismail, 8. “If you come to the breakfast club, you have access to the teachers and can discuss your child’s progress,” she said noting that working parents often miss that opportunity.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” says Nargas. “It’s the kick-off that can alleviate potential behaviour problems that stem from children being hungry,” she explains.
Support for the breakfast clubs demonstrates The British Asian Trust’s priorities of health, education and livelihoods,” says Trust programme manager Rabia Nusrat. Teachers report increased attendance, better behaviour and concentration in lessons; as well as happier, healthier children. Parents say they get peace of mind.
Clare Hutchinson is Burnley Education Manager for Business in the Community. “The breakfast clubs in Burnley play a significant role in supporting vulnerable children and their families. They prepare children for the day ahead and enable teachers to deal with any issues affecting their pupils.” The breakfast clubs are sponsored by Sainsbury’s, Gregg’s and Sinclair Beacham.
Clare takes pride in the ‘family environment’ found at Stoneyholme’s breakfast club.
“Older children often escort younger children to school and students take turns at washing up after everyone has eaten breakfast,” she says.
Clouds of soap suds cling to their hands as Shameem Kahn, 10 and Monisha Begum, 8, clean the breakfast dishes. They want to be chosen to accompany learning mentor Lisa on the weekly shopping trip to Sainsbury’s to stock the breakfast club’s pantry. “I want to help the teachers and go shopping,” says Shameem.
An informal lesson in maths and home economics, the weekly excursions to Sainsbury’s also provide an incentive for children to earn their places on the trips.
Kharmran Hussan ,9, has finished his breakfast and is preparing to play football. “I love the food and when breakfast is finished, we have a lot of fun. “Food and fun, those are the best things about the breakfast club,” he says.
Funding from The British Asian Trust is supporting staff salaries to undertake initiatives like the breakfast clubs to build better futures for disadvantaged people in Burnley‘s British Asian communities.
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