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This article is part of the FT’s Literacy and Financial Inclusion Campaign shared time appeal by Magic Breakfast

Since the Financial Times launched its first annual appeal almost 20 years ago, the same theme has continued through our giving efforts.

Past campaign partners have focused on many good causes, but we’ve often linked up with charities that help feed and educate young people: Camfedour first charity partner, supporting women’s education in Africa, to WaterAid and Step Against Hungerwhich aims to deal with the many threats that exist.

This holiday season, we combined the old passions of nutrition and education. FT’s domestic charity FLIC (FT Literacy and Financial Inclusion Campaign) in association with Magic Breakfast for a joint appeal focused on: the significant difference that good nutrition can make to young people’s ability to learn, through healthy school breakfasts; and the important difference that learning financial life skills can make to young people’s ability to go on to lead successful lives.

With the support of FT readers, we aim to raise more than £100,000 to expand Magic Breakfast’s provision of free school breakfasts and accelerate the rollout of FLIC’s financial literacy program for schools. The campaign will continue until the end of the month and donations can be made through ft.com/donate. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our work. Individual and corporate donations alike will be greatly appreciated.

Amidst the world’s troubles, there are many worthy causes that we can all support – from charities that support those in war zones or to mitigate natural disasters to those that give charity.

The work of FLIC, which I am chairing, and Magic Breakfast are not intended to compete with such important causes. But by working on the best ways to support the next generation, you don’t get much more grounded than our philanthropic efforts. Like articles from this season’s appeal have shown, there is a growing awareness around the world – from Finland to Indonesia – that nutritious meals in schools can make a big difference in the future.

About ours FT View to launch the appeal, we highlighted a recent report by the UK’s Center for Education Policy, a think tank, that found Children under the age of five with food poverty are more likely to have poor math skills and cognitive development. We followed up with a review of junk food problem – and the obesity-related conditions – that plague children. A healthy eating project at Hackney’s Mandeville School has been a resounding success, with deputy head Kaltum Yusuf reporting that the children “have a lot of energy”.

Good financial education efforts have had the same effect. Almost a year after we started offering our courses, FLIC is already in over 600 schools across England, and will move across the UK by 2025. How basic financing works – from credit card principles and buy-now, pay-day loans to fixed-rate mortgages and tax-advantaged savings – are also important to pass, as customers are being attacked. with internet marketing and scams often starting on social media.

Feed the future

Support the Literacy and Inclusion Campaign joint appeal of the season by Magic Breakfast

When Lucy Kellaway, a former FT journalist became a teacher and trustee of FLIC, located in ManchesterFLIC’s study on the financial dangers of online gambling left the group he visited rapt and armed with a valuable lesson. “I can’t think of many 50-minute lessons I’ve done in my teaching career with such cut and dried fruit,” he concluded.

FLIC is keen to see everyday finance being taught globally and has made a proposal to the UK government recently in England. curriculum review until that. When a charity expands its work to older people, including the armed forces and the NHS, will also expand its focus beyond the UK. This year, FLIC will establish a joint program with Pratham, an India-focused charity, to launch a financial literacy initiative.

As part of this year’s appeal, we were delighted to receive endorsements of the appeal – and FLIC’s work – from key figures in UK national and local government. To London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s video interview spoke passionately about the stigma of food poverty while education secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted the opinion piece the government’s commitment to start breakfast clubs in all primary schools. As FLIC and Magic Breakfast pursue their mission to improve health and finances, we hope to secure your approval. Thank you.

patrick.jenkins@ft.com