Whangārei ECE centre hoping to be included in school lunches programme

Debbie Beardsell has been manager at Avenues Educare for 24 years and is hoping her centre will be included in the new school lunch initiative.

A community-based Northland early childhood education centre is waiting to see if their children will receive free lunches.

Last week, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced the Healthy School Lunches programme would continue and expand to include up to 10,000 2- to 5-year-olds.

The funding would extend to low equity, not-for-profit community-based early learning services, funded through cost savings found in the lunch programme.

While some details remain hazy, Avenues Educare centre manager Debbie Beardsell was hoping her centre will be included.

With an equity rating of nine, the community-based centre in Whangārei currently offers meals at a cost of $3 a day to parents and “lunchbox day” on Friday, where parents supply meals.

Beardsell said the cost of running the kitchen was about $60,000 a year.

With lunches provided, that cost could be placed into other areas such as much-needed renovations, she said.

The centre is currently organising new builds for two staffrooms and classrooms, which have asbestos.

“The council has given us $150,000 toward our project, but it’s come out at $650,000.”

Beardsell said nobody else had been willing to fund the project and they were stuck in a “catch 22″ because they could not afford to pay back a mortgage.

Beardsell said the centre would also be able to put cooking and baking into the curriculum because the kitchen would always be available if they had lunches supplied.

She was happy with the “back to basics” approach that Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced.

“I do believe going back to the basics of sandwich and fruit (is good), it’s actually what kids want.”

Early Childhood Council chief executive Simon Laube said the programme must go where the need was highest.

“It’s encouraging the programme aims to target support to those who need it most, like community-owned and low-fee centres, who often support low socio-economic areas and have done it tough under the Pay Parity scheme.”

“The benefits of early learning are clear and combining that with lunches for children who might otherwise miss out is potentially a big win.

But with many centres already providing food, it’s important this new programme doesn’t confuse or disrupt what’s already working well.”

Te Rito Maioha chief executive Kathy Wolfe said the inclusion of preschoolers in the lunch programme would bring “huge relief” to families who fit the criteria.

“It is proven that nutritious food is vital for every growing child.

“Having the programme extend to early learning is promising and we hope that the Government under the redesign of the programme will see the success of the programme and extend it even further than 10,000 2- to 5-year-olds.”

KidsCan chief executive and founder Julie Chapman said the new programme was a welcome relief.

“The early years are fundamental – hunger from poverty doesn’t begin at 5.

“Research shows this is a crucial period of brain development, which sets a child up for life.

“The right food plays a big part, and we’re really happy that this funding will mean more children in poverty get the fuel they desperately need.”

Brodie Stone is an education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.