Northstone’s Breakfast Club open for half term

It's the first free breakfast club for children located in Pendle which has the highest child food poverty statistics in the country.

The Club officially launched last Summer following a £2000 cash donation from Northstone and will open during every school holiday when Colne Open Door Centre will open its doors one hour earlier every Monday – Friday between 9am and 10am; giving children access to a selection of free breakfast choices, as well as an onsite crisis support worker available to deal with any issues that parents, grandparents or carers may have.

Commenting on the breakfast club, Chrissie Bramhall, Communities Manager at Northstone said: “We are delighted to be able to reopen the breakfast club again this half term holiday and really encourage everyone to access this free meal. It’s been a lifeline for so many local residents and children who would otherwise go unfed and as the cold months are upon us, a warm breakfast and brew will really make such a big difference to so many.”

At the end of the school summer holidays the charity had already provided breakfast for 179 individual children in the local area; with nearly all of these children accessing the scheme over 7 times throughout the holiday period which really highlights the desperate situation some families are in.

In addition to this; 35 individual parents who accessed the breakfast club went on to have support with a range of issues such as gas and electric vouchers, food bank support, bailiff mediation and support with debt thanks to the team at Colne Open Door Centre.

Nick Alderson, Centre Manager at The Open Door Centre added: “We can’t thank Northstone enough for the £2,000 cash boost to enable us to open our Breakfast Club every school holiday. It has enabled us to give every child a good start to the day, not just with the food but having some structure to the day in a warm and welcoming café; the impact of which cannot be underestimated.”

Pendle is currently ranked number one in the country for child food poverty with Colne Open Door Centre already supporting many of the families most in need through its community café which offers low cost meals and supplying free food parcels.

The charity also supports individuals and families who are facing distress and crisis in their lives. Colne Open Door Centre is a life line for many vulnerable individuals and families who desperately need food, guidance, counselling, rehoming and much more helping over 4,500 individuals and families each year.

To learn more about The Open Door Centre and its services, visit www.opendoorcentre.org.uk

x