Making Sure No Child Starts the Day Hungry: How Muro Lounge is Helping Local Families

Hunger makes it harder for children to focus, learn and thrive. Last year, we supported 17% more children than the year before, and the need is only growing. That’s why partnerships like Muro’s Monday Breakfast Club matter — not only offering free, nutritious breakfasts on Monday mornings so local children can start the day with the fuel they need, but also supporting the food bank, which helps families across the wider community.

​For too many children, the school day starts with an empty stomach. Across the North East, thousands of children are going without breakfast — one of the most important meals of the day. The impact is huge. Hunger affects concentration, energy levels and emotional wellbeing, making it harder for children to focus and learn. 

​It’s estimated that 30% of children in the North East live in poverty, worrying where their next meal will come from.

Source: Households Below Average Income (DWP), 2021/22 and 2022/23)

​At West Northumberland Food Bank, we’ve see firsthand how many families are struggling. Last year alone, we supported 1,705 people — including 700 children — the highest number in our 11-year history. That’s a 17% increase in the number of children we helped compared to the previous year. The demand for support is growing, and so is the need to ensure that every child has access to food, no matter their circumstances.

​117,280 Bowls of Cereal Delivered Last Year 

The scale of need is stark. Last year, we provided the equivalent of 117,280 bowls of cereal — a figure that highlights just how many children are missing out on the basics at home. While we continue to provide support through food parcels, we know that a long-term solution requires stronger community partnerships. 

Muro’s Monday Breakfast Club: A Simple but Vital Initiative 

That’s why we’re so grateful for Muro Lounge’s new Monday Breakfast Club. Every Monday morning, between 7:45-8:30am, families can bring their children to Muro in Hexham for a free, nutritious breakfast before school. No sign-up is needed — just a warm, welcoming space where children can start the day with a meal.
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This initiative is about giving children the best possible start to their school week — helping them focus, learn and thrive. It also provides much-needed relief for parents who are facing impossible choices between heating, rent and food.

​How You Can Help 

​The reality is, this level of need isn’t going away anytime soon. If you’d like to support this initiative and help make sure no child in our community starts the day hungry, please consider donating to the food bank. Every donation helps us keep providing vital support to families who need it most. 

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A huge thank you to Muro Lounge for stepping up and making a difference where it matters most.