Giving kids a healthy start to the day
Local school children aren’t missing out on the most important meal of the day thanks to a supermarket with initiative.
Nelson New World has been supplying two banana boxes of bread from its on-site bakery and store credit to two nearby schools to ensure their students are fuelled for a day of learning.
New World owner-operator Greg Guy said he had been giving the bread to Victory Primary School and $50 weekly store credit to Auckland Point School since the start of 2015.
He said in New World’s 10th year of operating in Vanguard Street it was exciting to be able to give something back to the community.
‘‘I’m proud to be helping them overcome the circumstances in the best way I can, by donating resources I have a easy access to,’’ he said.
‘‘Society is everyone’s responsibility, it’s not just one person, it’s the whole society to make it work.’’
Both schools hold breakfast clubs before school starts to cater to children whose families are struggling.
Victory Primary School principal Helen Taylor-Young said any left over bread from the breakfast club went to the Victory Community Centre for families in need.
Breakfast club was attended by 30 pupils, she said, ‘‘and easily that number of families again that appreciate it.
‘‘Some of the parents have got two or three jobs each.’’
Auckland Point School runs a similar breakfast club twice a week.
Auckland Point School principal Sonya Hockley said at least 10 to 15 children attended the club.
She said the store credit was an ‘‘incredible gift’’ which helped top up lunch boxes for about 55 families.
Food included in their school shop included fresh fruit, tinned fruit, Milo, and sandwich fillers.
‘‘We sort of use it in a different way but it benefits children over a range of things.’’
Hockley said since she started in her role eight years ago there were families in need but it was ‘‘different’’ now.
She attributed the change to the rising cost of housing.
‘‘Families were staying in their accommodation so they were able to manage to pay the rent, they were at some level, able to provide for their kids.
‘‘Now, we’ve got families who are really struggling, living in second rate accommodation.’’
Before the community started to pitch in for the students at Auckland Point School, Hockley said teachers were paying out of their own pockets to make sure the students had ‘‘food in their tummies’’.