Comedian and presenter, Jason Manford, has teamed up with Quaker Oats to highlight the important role that warm hubs play in local communities. During the visit in his hometown of Stockport, he served warming bowls of porridge and talked to volunteers and locals to learn more about how these spaces are playing a vital role this winter.
Jason’s warm hub visit comes as new research from Quaker Oats reveals that nearly one in three (31%) parents are putting their children first by skipping breakfast to ensure they have enough food, and nearly half the nation (47%) doesn’t eat breakfast daily. To address this, the brand has teamed up with FareShare and Magic Breakfast to donate up to 2.5 million warm breakfasts to people who need them and is supporting over 45 warm hubs across the UK through Groundwork.
This winter has been tough for many, so it’s unsurprising that nearly a fifth of Brits (19%) say they have benefitted from the use of a food bank or free food at donation points to feed themselves and their family. Fifteen per cent have even asked friends or family for food, and nearly one in five (19%) have taken on a second job.
Despite the challenging circumstances, communities across the UK have rallied together to support each other, as the data highlights how generous people across the UK have been, with nearly one in two (46%) donating money to a charity and over half of Brits (55%) donating items as a way of giving back. What’s more, over a third (37%) have helped a neighbour during these tough times.
Comedian and charity supporter Jason Manford commented: “This winter has been incredibly difficult for lots of families and communities, whether that be putting food on the table for everyone so that no one has to skip meals, or by simply staying warm. I’m here today with Quaker Oats to speak to people, serve them breakfast and shine a light on the incredible and vital job these safe, warm havens do and the role they play in the community, from providing a hot meal to a space to socialise, talk and support one another.
“I’m hoping that we can spread the word and encourage more people to help one another in these particularly challenging times.”
Quaker Oats Head of Marketing, Claire Molyneux said: “We know that as a brand we can play an important role in ensuring everyone has access to a warm and nutritious breakfast to start their day. This is why we’re Sharing the Warmth by working with charities Magic Breakfast and FareShare. Through our special edition packs of Quaker Oats we will be donating up to 2.5 million warm breakfasts in addition to supporting over 45 warm hubs across the UK with Groundwork.”
Lindsey Macdonald, CEO of Magic Breakfast: “For the past 14 years, Quaker Oats has generously supported Magic Breakfast, providing millions of warming bowls of porridge for hungry children and young people at the schools we work with across the UK. With many families struggling, the number of children at risk of hunger is only growing so Quaker’s continued support via initiatives such as Share the Warmth is vital to hopefully one day ensuring no child is too hungry to learn and can have the best possible start to their day.”
