Engineering firm donates thousands to help fund meals for children at Jarrow primary school

A school is saying a huge thank you to local businesses and people who have helped to pay for school meals, with one community-minded firm contributing £2,000.
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Fellgate Primary School on Oxford Way had struggled to keep up its breakfast scheme, which began in March 2019.

In the two years since, the school has received support from the National School Breakfast Programme, which has enabled every child to have a free breakfast everyday.

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The scheme was supposed to end in July 2020, but was extended to December.

Fellgate Primary pupils, from left, Robert, Evan, Daisy and Samuel tuck into bagels for breakfast. Picture by Helen Towers.Fellgate Primary pupils, from left, Robert, Evan, Daisy and Samuel tuck into bagels for breakfast. Picture by Helen Towers.
Fellgate Primary pupils, from left, Robert, Evan, Daisy and Samuel tuck into bagels for breakfast. Picture by Helen Towers.

As the scheme has now ended, Fellgate’s family support worker Helen Towers has been fundraising within the local community.

Among some very generous donations was a cheque for £2,000 from UTS Engineering, based on Bede Industrial Estate.

The school is still partially open during lockdown, with vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers attending. The money will go a long way to helping some struggling families.

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Jarrow firm UTS donated £2,000 to make sure kids at Fellgate Primary could have breakfast.Jarrow firm UTS donated £2,000 to make sure kids at Fellgate Primary could have breakfast.
Jarrow firm UTS donated £2,000 to make sure kids at Fellgate Primary could have breakfast.
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Head teacher Julia Tones said: “We would really like to thank the local community for supporting our school enabling us to raise enough funds to provide our children with a free breakfast each morning.

“A special thanks to Cllr Geraldine Kilgour, Cllr John Robinson and Shaun Sadler from UTS Engineering. We would also like to thank our MP Kate Osborne, who met with Helen and assured us that she would raise the matter of breakfast club funding in Parliament.”

UTS managing director and proud Jarrovian Shaun Sadler was only too pleased to help out.

He said: “When Helen contacted us, we were made aware of the dire situation that schools face. With growing poverty in the borough due to the pandemic, free school meals are now more essential than ever to help keep children in already tough situations healthy.

Fellgate Primary School is saying a huge thank you to local businesses and people who have helped to pay for school meals.Fellgate Primary School is saying a huge thank you to local businesses and people who have helped to pay for school meals.
Fellgate Primary School is saying a huge thank you to local businesses and people who have helped to pay for school meals.
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“We were happy to help with our donation, as the health and wellbeing of our community is of great importance. We believe that businesses should help where they can, whether that be supporting fellow businesses, the community, or individuals, we should always look to help where we can.

“This is an attitude that many in Jarrow hold dear, and why I am proud to be from the region.”

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