How Amazon staff in Northampton are helping to feed hungry children during the pandemic

A team of local Amazon employees have been playing a crucial role in helping to feed hungry children during the pandemic.

Staff at the Amazon logistics warehouse in Saxon Avenue, Grange Park, have been supporting the delivery of breakfast parcels to children across the country.

The parcels are part of a partnership between the online retailer and Magic Breakfast, which is an initiative to give children who need it a free school breakfast.

The partnership has been running since 2016 and Amazon has helped Magic Breakfast to deliver more than 1.5 million breakfasts to schoolchildren.

However since the coronavrius pandemic has hit and many children have not been attending school, Magic Breakfast had to adapt and get the meals to the children’s doorsteps.

With the help of local Amazon, with its warehousing and logistics expertise, between May 11 and 22, more than 6,700 breakfasts were delivered to almost 500 homes in the Midlands.

Alex Cunningham, CEO of Magic Breakfast, said: “Amazon staff have bent over backwards to help the children and schools we support.

“In a time when hunger is a reality faced by many, Amazon is enabling Magic Breakfast to reach thousands of vulnerable children with a healthy breakfast - children who can no longer access breakfast provision at school and whose families may be finding it difficult to provide food under lockdown.

“A very big thank you to Amazon.”

Kerry-Anne Lawlor, country director of Amazon Logistics, added: “We are delighted to continue our long-standing support of Magic Breakfast by delivering breakfast parcels to the doorsteps of thousands of children during this difficult time, ensuring they have a healthy start to the day.”

With generous support from food suppliers Arla, Heinz, Kellogg's, Morrisons, New York Bakery Co and Quaker Oats UK, Magic Breakfast has been able to deliver take home breakfast packs, containing two week’s worth of food, to schools or alternative delivery sites during lockdown.

Amazon will be continuing to offer this free home delivery service for Magic Breakfast for as long as lockdown measures are in place that mean some children remain off school.

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