IN 2017 Fife Council are investing £200,000 in Fife’s children by expanding the number of schools offering free Breakfast Cafés and St Joseph's Primary in Kelty is one of the success stories.

On Friday morning Cllrs David Ross, Lesley Laird, Bryan Poole and companies supporting this initiative, joined children at St Joseph’s RC Primary School for a healthy breakfast.

Cllr Bryan Poole, spokesperson for education, children, young peoples and families, said: “It was great to visit St Joseph’s today and share breakfast with the pupils.

“Evidence shows that giving children a healthy breakfast, helps them to learn and contribute more in class. This not only has obvious benefits now but in the long term helps children achieve more while at school.”

Presently schools with more than 40% of pupils entitled to free school meals operate a free Breakfast Café, serving up a healthy breakfast to anyone in the school needing it. In 2017 this service will extended to a further 16 schools who have 30% or more free school meals entitlement.

The Council is working closely with sponsors who help fund places in the Breakfast Cafés or who give in kind their products and services. Companies such as:

Greggs and Baynes provide bread products and funding, Fareshare provide low cost food supplies, and recently McQueen’s dairies have agreed to supply free milk. Cowdenbeath Rotary Club have also supported these services by making valuable donations last Christmas.

Cllr Poole concluded: “We plan to extend the sponsorship opportunities to local businesses and individuals who want to help sustain this vital service long term.”

In addition the Council has agreed to invest £300,000 in providing free holiday care for children referred into local Play Schemes.

Our photograph shows pupils from St Josephs with Depute Leader, Cllr Lesley Laird, Cllr Bryan Poole, Executive Spokesperson (Education, Children, Young People and Families), Cllr Altany Craik and Cllr Alex Campbell.