Beatrice Faumuina throws her support behind KickStart Breakfast Programme

Former World discus Champion Beatrice Faumuina has thrown her support behind the KickStart Breakfast Programme, run by Fonterra and Sanitarium and reaching more than 12,000 children across 300 schools in New Zealand every week.

Beatrice’s new role as KickStart Breakfast Ambassador was announced at a special breakfast yesterday at her former school, Wesley Intermediate in Auckland’s Mount Roskill, where Fonterra CEO Andrew Ferrier and Sanitarium General Manager Pierre van Heerden welcomed her to the programme.

Beatrice Faumuina said it was a fitting start to her role as KickStart Breakfast Ambassador to be at the school where she was introduced to the Discus Throw.

“Wesley Intermediate introduced me to a sport that became the highlight of my career, and it’s exciting to be back hearing a new wave of children talk about the difference a good breakfast makes to all the things they’d like to achieve,” Beatrice said.

“KickStart Breakfast is about looking after the next generation of Kiwi’s – teaching them about nutrition and health, showing them the right way to ‘kick start’ their day. As KickStart Breakfast Ambassador I’m very proud to be working with leaders such as Fonterra and Sanitarium to encourage New Zealand’s younger generation to nourish their bodies and have more energy for learning,” she said.

Fonterra CEO Andrew Ferrier said the KickStart Breakfast role would complement Beatrice’s international work as a UN Goodwill Ambassador since 2005.

“Beatrice is the ideal person to inspire kids about the value of healthy eating. She will help bring the breakfast message alive and kids will certainly know they can quote Beatrice with authority when they’re back in the family home sharing the message about a healthy breakfast,” Mr Ferrier said.

Sanitarium GM Pierre van Heerden said that Beatrice would help the programme toward its target of 500 schools, after reaching the 300 school milestone earlier this year.

“Success breeds success, and children on the KickStart Breakfast programme will be able to follow Beatrice’s progress towards a record 5th participation in the Commonwealth Games as well as learning positive new patterns of eating for a solid, grounded start to the school day,” Mr van Heerden said.

Under the KickStart programme, Fonterra and Sanitarium provide Anchor MegaMilk and Weet-Bix to participating low decile schools throughout the country, helping to support the estimated 1 in 10 New Zealand children who live in households which find it hard to maintain regular, nutritious meals.

As Fonterra Sanitarium KickStart Ambassador, Beatrice will get out and about the 300 schools in the custom painted ‘Breakfast Bus’ – a new Toyota Rav 4 SUV sponsored by Toyota New Zealand.

For more information visit www.KickStartBreakfast.co.nz