Breakfast boost (From Penarth Times)

Breakfast boost

CHILDREN at a Penarth school are set to benefit from a £5,000 cash boost for their breakfast club.

Joe's Club, based at St Joseph's RC Primary, is one of 180 out of school clubs across the UK being supported by a £2 million investment from AMP and Kids Club Network (KCN).

Last Thursday, Vale AM Jane Hutt, the National Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services, visited the school to celebrate the funding with some of the children.

There are between 24 and 30 children visiting Joe's Club every morning, with play workers Linda Coughlan and Pat Candy looking after them.

But the £5,000 funding will soon allow an additional play walker to be employed, helping to create an extra eight out of school childcare places. Ms Hutt said: "I'm very pleased to be here today to see first hand the good work that out of school clubs are doing.

"Providing children of all ages with the opportunity to attend an out of school club is vital. The extra funding that AMP and KCN are jointly providing will help to increase places and offer more children the chance to play, learn and make friends in a safe environment."

She added: "I wish Joe's Club every success for the future."

Anne Hiscocks, who has two children at the school, attended the celebration and said: "With my children, I wouldn't be able to work if it wasn't for Joe's Club."

Ms Hutt chatted with parents and children about the club, and they all enjoyed coffee and muffins. They also enjoyed a cake featuring the Joe's Club logo, designed by St Richard Gwyn RC School pupil Ciara Flynn, 14, a former pupil at St Joseph's. Joe's Club also features an afternoon club with 15 members every day.