KickStart Breakfast

Thanks to those schools that completed the short online survey at the end of last year.  Your participation in these surveys allows us to tailor our communications to best suit your needs.   We enjoy your feedback and are delighted to know that 97% of those surveyed are extremely happy or very happy with the KickStart Breakfast programme.

We thought that we would share some findings with you:

KickStart Breakfast continues to be about more than simply providing breakfast to children.  You told us the clubs can act as a catalyst for students to develop leadership skills and also provide a welcoming environment that is safe, supportive and social.  Students who are regular breakfast eaters generally have less behavioural problems and are able to concentrate longer which is reflecting positively on in class learning.

A large proportion of schools say students play an important role in setting up and running the clubs as well as serving breakfast to the children.  We think this is great!  It is clear that schools are continuing to challenge children to take on more responsibility.

You also asked questions of other club members:

Addington School has a role of about 210 students and breakfast club attendance of 65 children maximum. They would like to know how schools of a similar size sustain the programme with fluctuating attendance due to weather conditions?

Thank you again for your positive feedback, please feel free to continue to contact us with your thoughts.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our KickStart Breakfast club members and all those who have been personally affected by the Christchurch earthquake tragedy.

Both Fonterra and Sanitarium continue to work with the Civil Defence and other charitable organisations to ensure we are providing the right support to meet the needs of the local community.

Fonterra tankers and a large milk train filled with water have worked in conjunction with City Care in Christchurch to ensure that watering stations around the city are kept topped up. 24 members of Fonterra’s emergency response team were dispatched to the CBD cordon and have worked alongside Civil Defence and the international Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams in recovery efforts.

The Co-op also donated $1 million immediately and will match Fonterra staff and farmer contributions to the Fonterra Earthquake Fund up to a further $2 million.  

Sanitarium’s factory in Christchurch became a triage centre with ambulances and St John’s workers as well as the Army congregating on the site.  The factory immediately started providing product and fresh water to those in need as well as staff members including General manager Pierre van Heerden personally delivering supplies. The Adventist Disaster Relief Agency (ADRA) has since moved onto the Sanitarium site continuing to support the community.

Fonterra and Sanitarium are conscious of the additional needs of our local KickStart Breakfast schools and will be in touch directly with further support.   

As you may already be aware, Beatrice Faumuina has taken the opportunity to become Chief Executive Officer for BEST Pasifika Leadership Academy and Foundation.  The foundation’s vision is to; educate and foster future Pasifika leaders of business and community life for Aotearoa. Unfortunately, due to time commitments within the new position Beatrice has had to relinquish her KickStart Ambassador role.

The team at KickStart Breakfast are excited for Beatrice and can foresee the positive contribution she will make within the academy. We also look forward to continuing our partnership as friends. 

Beatrice thoroughly enjoyed her time as KSB Ambassador, especially when spending time at the clubs. We hope you have received Beatrice’s autograph cards and if you would like to read more about Beatrice or the Best Pasifika Leadership Academy please visit the following websites: http://www.beatricefaumuina.com/Home.php, http://www.best.ac.nz/

For more information on our “Friends” of the KickStart Breakfast Programme please visit www.kickstartbreakfast.co.nz/our-friends.

We all know that a nutritious breakfast gives us a kick-start to our day.  This is especially true for our children who eat breakfast on a regular basis. Because children are so active throughout the day and also grow so quickly, they need to eat foods that are good sources of carbohydrates, fibre and proteins all of which can be found in the goodness of Anchor Mega milk and Weet-Bix.

Children only have small tummies, so they need to eat highly nutritious meals and snacks to enable them to get all the nutrients they need.

By ensuring your students have a nutritious breakfast you enable them to have the energy to boost their busy day and pack in some essential nutrients.

Try some of these breakfast ideas on the weekends or during the holidays:

• Two slices wholemeal bread, toasted, with a spread and either Sanitarium Marmite, Sanitarium Peanut Butter, honey or jam plus a glass of Anchor Mega Milk and fruit.
• One slice of wholemeal bread, toasted, with baked beans (roughly 1 tablespoon per year of age) and diluted fruit juice
• Two Weet-Bix with ½ sliced banana and Anchor Mega Milk.
• One soft boiled egg with wholegrain toast with Anchor spreadable butter, cut into soldiers (for easy dipping) and diluted fruit juice.

It is also worthwhile having a look at our print friendly food pyramid on the KickStart Breakfast website. It is a great resource to teach your students how much of each food category they should be eating on a daily basis. To download the food pyramid and for detailed nutritional information on Anchor Mega milk and Weet-Bix visit www.kickstartbreakfast.co.nz/nutrition

KickStart Ambassador Beatrice Faumuina has been having a wonderful time visiting schools and meeting all the passionate champions.  We would like to say a big thank you to Birdwood School breakfast club in Auckland, who took a creative approach when studying nutrition by sending Beatrice thank you food pyramids. 

Thanks also to Kaitao Middle School in Rotorua who sent in this inspired note after a visit from our Beatrice; “Beatrice is committed to getting the message across about the importance of a healthy breakfast and it was great to talk to her about the challenges we face on a daily basis in our breakfast cafe at Kaitao and our breakfast programme at Selwyn Primary and the difference between dealing with primary school and intermediate school children. All in all it was a successful visit (for staff and children).” Jeannette from Creative Kids.

Thank you also Viscount School for accommodating the media who attended Beatrice’s inspiring visit on World Milk Day (1^st June). The Breakfast Club students asked Beatrice a range of question from favourite things about school, to her athletic career to how far she can throw a Vortex ball.