A SCHOOL is ensuring pupils get a proper start to the day with a thriving breakfast club supported by a bakery.

About 30 children attend the daily breakfast club at Stanley Crook Primary School.

The breakfast club was set up with a grant from Greggs and the bakery, which has a shop and café in nearby Crook, provides bread every week for the youngsters.

Parent helper Beverley Fallon said: “It has proved immensely popular both with the children and their parents.”

Catherine Lawes, vice-chairman of the school’s board of governors, said: “We know children can concentrate better after a good breakfast and this club is a really important part of the day.”

Lynne Hindmarch, breakfast club manager for Greggs, said the bakery chain currently supports 284 breakfast clubs in the country with the help of local businesses.

She said: “We have been running them since 1999 because we think it is important to support schools and get the message across about how important a meal breakfast is.

“Quite simply, it is the right thing for us to be doing.”

Greggs provides up to £500 to cover start up costs, such as investment in industrial size toasters, plus a further £300 per term to keep it running.

Ms Hindmarch said many businesses have chipped in to support the fund.

Greggs also provide bread for the breakfast club.