MP Rachel Reeves visits Christ Church primary’s breakfast club

By John Baron

Youngsters in Armley are benefiting from a pilot initiative introducing free breakfast clubs in schools to help families affected by the cost of living crisis.

Leeds West MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves today visited youngsters at Christ Church Upper Armley Primary School to see how the pilot scheme was progressing.

The pilot, which started in April, involves 750 schools across the country and is estimated to save parents up to £450 a year. It also provides youngsters with free access to a healthy breakfast and supports families with additional childcare.

Christ Church headteacher Sam Collier said the daily breakfast club was providing a lifeline for many families.

The school used to attract around seven to 10 children to its original breakfast club, which cost 50p per session, but the new free scheme is on some days attracting more than 50 youngsters.

Children get to play games, use craft materials or build things with Lego, as well as having a healthy breakfast which includes fruit.

“We’ve discovered they love watermelon and they enjoy trying different types of bread,” Ms Collier told WLD.

She said that added benefits are that children are calmer in classes and that overall attendance at the school had also improved.

Leeds West and Pudsey MP Rachel Reeves welcomed the initiative, which she says the Government aims to fully roll out to primary schools across the country.

She said: “This is one way in which Government is supporting families who need help to tackle the cost of living.  It is making life easier and more affordable for parents, delivering on the government’s plan give children the best start in life.” 

Ms Reeves, who spoke to both youngsters and staff at Christ Church this morning (Friday, 27 June), said the club also supported parents going out to work in a morning.

She also said the initiative would combine with the expansion of free school meals for all children in a household on Universal Credit from September 2026.

One family with a child at Christ Church told WLD that the breakfast club was a lifeline for them. “My husband works shifts and I start early so it frees us up to go to work, as well as providing my son with breakfast. Life can be a struggle and it helps save us a little bit of money each day, which makes a difference.”

Three schools in Leeds West and Pudsey are currently benefiting from the breakfast club pilot scheme, including Park Spring Primary School in Swinnow and Bramley St Peter’s Church of England Primary School.

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