Michelle Welsh MP column: A better start for children in Hucknall
Soon, families in Hucknall are set to save £450 per child, per year, thanks to the Labour Government’s latest wave of free breakfast clubs, which include multiple local schools - one of which is Hucknall National Church of England Primary School.
This means that starting September 2026, Labour is putting money in parents’ pockets, making sure that this year, half a million more children across the country will benefit from Best Start free breakfast clubs.
Schools in areas of high deprivation were originally targeted by this national scheme in April, and now in September, schools on the National School Breakfast Programme are being moved onto the Best Start free breakfast club scheme, which includes not just breakfast but 30 minutes of free childcare.
This higher level of support to parents will help to tackle the cost of living and help parents get to work, while providing children with a supportive start to the school day by ensuring that they are ready to learn and make the most of the opportunities school has to offer.
This Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity by delivering calmer classrooms, higher standards and happier children - their breakfast clubs have already served more than 10m free breakfasts to hundreds of thousands of children.
To support the schools, access to deals with retailers including Weetabix, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s are being opened up, as well as further funding to facilitate the increased support provided to Hucknall families.
This new scheme will be instrumental in boosting parents’ work choices and children’s life chances.
Families will save thousands through not only these free breakfast clubs, but also cheaper uniform costs and Government-funded childcare – the Government’s driving mission is to make sure background is never a barrier to any young person’s future.
The next wave of Labour’s free breakfast clubs will ensure that Hucknall’s children can get the best start.
As your MP, my commitment to local children’s opportunities spans both academic potential and pastoral enrichment – and this scheme combines both.
This Labour Government is investing in the future by ending the previous Governments’ years of failure to support young families.
These Best Start free breakfast clubs will put children at the centre of national and local policy.