MAGIC'S Neil Fox, Mayor Boris Johnson and Junior Masterchef finalist TJ Dobson.
We live in one of the greatest cities on earth. Yet every morning a huge proportion of London's youth are sent to school without breakfast, due to their personal circumstances.
Last week at City Hall, we were invited to hear more about LONDON'S BIGGEST BREAKFAST. It was 7am and Magic 105.4FM and The Mayor's Fund for London, were broadcasting live, in aid of London's Biggest Breakfast. Their aim was to raise awareness to expand the Breakfast Club project and feed thousands more school children across the City. Many children come to school too hungry to stand up, let alone learn.
The Mayor's Fund currently work with Magic Breakfast in 50 primary schools across seven of London's most deprived boroughs, feeding nearly two thousand children each morning and providing almost 10,000 breakfasts per week! The positive impact of the Breakfast Clubs is clear with 93% of head teachers saying they result in increased concentration and energy amongst pupils. Currently one in four school children only have one healthy meal a day (school lunch) and 32% regularly miss out on breakfast.
It's a campaign that has seen Magic FM and the Mayors Fund come together to deliver 10,000 daily breakfasts to 50 primary schools across seven of London's most deprived boroughs, feeding nearly 2000 children each morning! One headmistress at the event told me that families are so poor nowadays, that often the parents join their children, for this daily essential at her school.
Transmitting live for the first time from the rooftop-London's living room- were Magicfm DJ Neil fox. Joining Neil to perform live with his band was Westlife's Shane who did a great job entertaining the 50 young school children from a nearby school.
Also in the house was TV Chef and London restaurateur Cyrus Todiwala- the very cool ''spice man'', who told me he likes to cook a spicy breakfast like a chilli omelette and had us taste one made by Barnet school boy - junior master chef finalist- 12 year old TJ Dobson.
TJ's mum told me it was his grandma that encouraged his passion for cooking at a young age when she allowed him and only him from their family to watch her make her secret BBQ sauce. TJ told me he loves making BBQ chicken with blue sauce and crème brulee!
T J informed me
"I know that I and my twin sisters would find it really hard to concentrate at school if we didn't have breakfast in the morning. All we'd hear is our tummies rumbling! I'm excited about giving the Mayor some good cooking tips too."
Westlife's Shane, Jasmine Dotiwala, TJ Dobson and Cyrus Todiwala.
Boris Johnson told us:
"It's unacceptable that many of our young Londoners are going to school hungry. I hope that London's Biggest Breakfast on 12 September will encourage more people to get involved so that this initiative can reach more children across the capital."
Neil Fox added
"My three children always go off to school with a good breakfast inside them, but not all kids are so lucky. London's Biggest Breakfast will help pave the way to healthier and happier children who are ready to learn at the start of their school day."
Cyrus Todiwala OBE said"
A nutritious breakfast is key to the well being of our minds and bodies and especially for school kids who need to start the day fit and ready to concentrate on their lessons. Not just parents but kids themselves have to learn the value of a good, balanced breakfast and it should become part of their cooking repertoire, cooking being an indispensible life skill. You don't have to be a trained chef to prepare a nutritious breakfast. London's Biggest Breakfast is a great initiative to support the healthy future of London's young people."
The positive impact of the Breakfast Clubs is clear with 93% of head teachers saying they result in increased concentration and energy amongst pupils. Lets ensure that our nations youth leave home daily with a healthy meal inside them. It's hard to imagine that thousands of London's young people don't eat breakfast daily when the city is one of the most opulent examples of fancy living on the globe.
The aim is to make this an annual event, and with your support, they hope to put it firmly on the calendar for all Londoners! A happy tummy equals a smart functioning brain!
More information can be found here
To get involved or more information about the Mayor's Fund for London, please contact: Kerry Milliken, Sue Partridge Eye PR - kerry@eyepr.co,uk; sue@eyepr.co.uktel 020 7 9691 4232 or
020 7 691 4637
For more information on Magic 105.4, please contact Jacquie Chalmers, Amy Rackham or Ben Welling at Amazing Media.firstname@amazingmedia.co.uk / 0207 033 3722
The Mayor's Fund for London exists to give young Londoners the skills and opportunities to get a decent job, escape the threat of poverty and play a full part in London's future as a world-class city.