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This article is part of the FT’s financial literacy and inclusion campaign, a joint seasonal appeal with Magic Breakfast.
A common theme has run through our charity work since the Financial Times launched its first Seasonal Appeal almost 20 years ago.
Previous campaign partners have focused on a variety of good causes, but we’re proud to announce that from Camfed, our first charity partner to fund women’s learning in Africa, to WaterAid and Action Against Until Hunger, we often worked with charities that help feed and educate young people. It is intended to address more existential threats.
During this festive season, we have combined our long-standing interests in nutrition and education. The FT’s local charity FLIC (FT Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign) has teamed up with Magic Breakfast on a two-focused joint appeal. That’s because proper nutrition, through a healthy breakfast at school, can make a decisive difference to young people’s ability to learn. And learning financial life skills can make a crucial difference in a young person’s ability to go on to lead a successful life.
With the help of FT readers, we aim to raise over £100,000 to expand Magic Breakfast’s free school breakfast offering and accelerate the rollout of FLIC’s financial education program for schools. That’s what I’m aiming for. The campaign runs until the end of this month, and donations can be made at ft.com/donate. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our efforts. Individual and corporate donations alike are greatly appreciated.
In the midst of a difficult world, there are many worthy causes we can all support, from charities supporting people in conflict zones and mitigating natural disasters to those providing aid to the poor. I will.
The activities of FLIC and Magic Breakfast, which I chair, are not intended to conflict with such important objectives. But nothing is more foundational than the work of our charities in addressing how best to support the next generation. As this Season’s Call article shows, from Finland to Indonesia, there is growing awareness around the world that nutritious meals in schools can make a huge difference to future lives. .
Video: Sadiq Khan talks about hunger in London classrooms | FT
In the FT View to launch this appeal, we found that people under the age of five who experience food poverty are more likely to have weaker maths skills and cognitive development, the UK think tank. highlighted a recent report by the Education Policy Institute. We continued our analysis of the junk food crisis afflicting children and associated obesity levels. A healthy eating initiative at Hackney’s Mandeville Primary School has been a success and ahead of the trend, with deputy headteacher Kultum Yusuf reporting that children “have more energy”.
A commitment to good financial education is equally impactful. Just one year after we began rolling out the curriculum, FLIC is already in place in over 600 schools across the UK, with a UK-wide rollout planned for 2025. As consumers become increasingly exposed to scams originating from online marketing and social media platforms, it’s increasingly important to take advantage of fixed-rate mortgage deals and tax-advantaged savings to buy now and pay off later It has become.
feed the future
We support the financial literacy and inclusion campaign’s joint seasonal appeal with Magic Breakfast
As veteran FT journalist turned teacher turned FLIC director Lucy Kellaway discovered in Manchester, the classes she visited were captivated and learned valuable lessons from FLIC’s lessons on the financial risks of online gaming. is completed. “I can’t think of many 50-minute lessons in my teaching career that have produced such concise results,” she concluded.
FLIC wants everyday financial education to become commonplace around the world and submitted to the UK Government’s recent England Curriculum Review to that effect. The charity plans to extend its work to include adults, including the military and the NHS, as well as expand its focus outside the UK. This year, FLIC will develop a joint program with India-focused education charity Pratham to roll out financial literacy initiatives in India.
As part of this year’s Seasonal Appeal, we were delighted to receive support for the appeal and FLIC’s work from key figures in UK and local government. London Mayor Sadiq Khan spoke passionately about the stigma of food poverty in a video interview, and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted the government’s commitment to roll out breakfast clubs to all primary schools in an opinion piece. FLIC and Magic Breakfast seek your support as we pursue our mission to improve lives, both nutritionally and economically. thank you.
patrick.jenkins@ft.com