Amazon opportunity for Sunderland pupils

Staff and students at Thorney Close Primary School with Magic Breakfast's Tom Halliley and Amazon managers Alison Burns and Craig Watson.

The breakfast club, founded by charity Magic Breakfast and now supported by Amazon, will provide children at the school with a healthy breakfast and start to the day.

This new breakfast club at the Sunderland school is one of 77 across the UK to benefit from Amazon funding as part of the company’s ‘Amazon In The Community’ programme, which is focused on giving all children an equal chance at succeeding in today’s digital society.

The Amazon team paid a surprise visit to the school, rolling up their sleeves to help dish up a healthy breakfast of cereals, bagels, juice and milk to fuel pupils for the morning of learning ahead of them.

As well as a nutritious breakfast, Amazon’s support is providing a specialist member of Magic Breakfast staff to work with the school to help improve the breakfast provision.

Magic Breakfast’s founder and chief executive, Carmel McConnell, said: “We are delighted to be able to add Amazon to our list of generous corporate supporters.

“This help is urgently needed. If we as a country want to improve attainment and social mobility, it makes sense to grow the successful Magic Breakfast approach into a national school breakfast programme.”

Craig Watson, Amazon delivery station operations manager in Sunderland, said: “A good primary education plays such an important role in helping kids build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in today’s increasingly high-skilled economy.

“Every child, regardless of background, should get an equal chance to excel at school.

“We’re delighted to be partnered with Thorney Close Primary School helping children to get a healthy, nutritious breakfast to improve concentration, boost attendance, and ultimately help them learn a lot more.”

Catherine Jones, headteacher at Thorney Close, said: “Magic Breakfast provision is having a big impact on our school, with pupils enjoying time each morning to socialise and read before starting their lessons settled and ready to learn.

“Thorney Close Primary School is delighted to be one of the schools whose breakfast provision is supported by Amazon and we look forward to the opportunities this new partnership will bring to the whole school community.”