Children across the UK will be able to tuck into a warm breakfast for free at all Asda cafes this upcoming half term.
With the cost of living crisis sadly continuing to make its impact felt nationwide, and inflation now at a 40-year record high, Asda has announced that it has teamed up with Quaker Oats to offer all children a warm breakfast completely free of charge from all its in-store cafes across the UK while schools are out this February half term.
The new offer means children will be able to get a free bowl of Quaker porridge from 8am to 12pm every day at all 205 Asda cafes.
It's on top of the supermarket retailer's existing £1 kids meal deal that "tackles holiday hunger".
Asda says it has decided to introduce the offer after recent research from charity Magic Breakfast has shown that 81% of schools believe child hunger has increased in their community over the last year, and 94% believe poverty has increased.
The supermarket retailer says it expects to be serving up 50,000 bowls of porridge to children across the country.
"We know when families are preparing for the school holidays it can often mean an additional strain on household budgets," says Kris Comerford, Asda’s Chief Commercial Officer.
"We remain as committed as ever to supporting our customers in tackling these tough times.
Asda is offering FREE warm breakfasts to all children this half term / Credit: Asda
"Our café initiatives continue to provide a lifeline for over 1.5 million customers since we launched them last year, and we hope by offering a free warm breakfast in the February half term, it will help support many more in the coming weeks."
The free breakfast offer comes after Asda announced the extension of both its kids £1 meals and over 60s Winter Warmer £1 soup cafe initiatives until the end of March.
"It's so important that everyone has access to breakfast to start the day," Divesh Parmar, General Manager at Quaker Oats UK added.
"This initiative means we can play a small part in getting a warm, nutritious breakfast to people who really need it this winter."
Featured Image - Asda
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Bus operator partners with Leeds hospitals to help mums-to-be make vital appointments
First Bus is partnering with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to support vulnerable women during pregnancy.
The bus operator is providing an incredible 1,000 day tickets to help vulnerable mums-to-be make appointments.
The free travel passes can be provided by maternity teams to women mainly from minority or disadvantaged communities, helping them to attent important check-ups and appointments.
A recent review of records estimates that 100 pregnant women every month struggle to make hospital appointments as they have no access to funding support or face other barriers to transport.
Image: Supplied
First Bus will provide 100 day tickets per month until March 2027 for midwives to distribute to women based on travel needs following a financial assessment which is carried out during their initial appointment with the maternity team.
Nada Abdul-Majid, Specialist Midwife Health Equity at the Trust, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how women struggle to get to their hospital appointments if they don’t have enough money to use public transport.
“Our Haamla team carry out home visits to these vulnerable women however, it is important that families are able to travel to the hospital for scans, doctors’ appointments, labour and obstetric emergencies.”
Zoe Hands, Managing Director of First Bus Franchising which includes the West Yorkshire region, said: “Supporting communities in the areas we serve means, where we can, being able to assist people in all stages of life. Nothing can be more important than helping to ensure the health and welfare of mothers-to-be and the benefits this will bring to their newborn children.
“We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the Trust and seeing the positive impact our travel support can make to the lives of vulnerable women in Leeds.
“We’re really grateful to First Bus for providing these tickets for women so they can receive maternity care without worrying about the cost of travel to and from appointments,” added Nada. “This will make a real difference to mothers and babies.”
Channel 4 is looking for adult virgins with ‘intimacy issues’ for next series of hit reality show
Emily Sergeant
Channel 4 is back looking for more adult virgins to take part in the potential next series of its hit reality show Virgin Island.
If you’re unfamiliar with Virgin Island, it’s unlike anything ever seen on TV before.
First hitting screens back in 2024 and having run for two successful seasons now, Virgin Island follows the journey of a group of adult virgins who are whisked off to a Mediterranean island retreat to learn life-changing skills in the art of intimacy.
Working with leading international therapists, the aim is to help the young people overcome their fears and insecurities when it comes to intimacy and sex.
Channel 4 said it chose to commission the show after a recent study into intimacy found out that one in eight British 26-year-olds is, apparently, still a virgin.
A casting call for the new series on the Channel 4 website reads: “Are you a virgin and do you need help and guidance with your fears and insecurities around intimacy and sex? Double Act Productions is casting adults for a potential second series of Virgin Island.”
You just need to be over 21 years of age to take part in the show.
Fancy it then? Or know someone who may be up for the ride? Applications for the potential next series of Virgin Island are now open, and there’s still plenty of time left to put your name down.
You can find out more and register your interest here.
Emily Sergeant -
7th February 2023 
