A new breakfast club has been launched in Frome to cater to the needs of a local community school. Holy Trinity Frome runs a small café at the end of Trinity Street, called The Bridge, which for many years has provided low-cost lunches and snacks for members of the parish.
An idea was formed last autumn to start offering breakfast for the children and families of Vallis First School, located just along the road from The Bridge. This followed conversations with school staff who disclosed that some parents don’t have time or are unable to provide breakfast for their children, leaving many unable to focus or learn effectively during the school day. It is well known that children who have breakfast show improvement in attendance, academic attainment and behaviour. Vallis First School currently offer an Early Morning Club but are not currently able to make the government’s breakfast club offer financially viable for the school.
After months of discussion and fundraising, ‘Breakfast at The Bridge’ was launched for a trial period on 1 June 2026, funded by a private donation along with generous grants from the Rotary Club, the Frome Town Rotary and the Lion’s Club. Staffed by volunteers from Holy Trinity Frome and the nearby Beckington Benefice, The Bridge café is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7.30am - 9.00am, serving toast, juice, bagels, waffles, fruit and cereal without charge to all families who wish to have breakfast. Over the weeks numbers have increased to the point that the café is full at every session, with families from all walks of life enjoying breakfast together and building their own small community. Children who barely ate at first are now enjoying all sorts of breakfast items while chatting happily and colouring while they wait for their toast. Vallis Head Teacher and Deputy Head Mrs Georgina Muxworthy and Mrs Tracey Messenger pop in for coffee to spend time with families when they are able, and Rev Ian Snares, Vicar of Holy Trinity, drops in for tea when he can.
The trial period has been so well received that the breakfast club will continue throughout the summer holidays on a Wednesday morning at a slightly later hour to provide ‘breakfast and boardgames’ at the children’s request!
Annie Herridge, Children and Youth Lead at Trinity, says she is thrilled with the way the club has evolved. ‘It’s become its own little community,’ she explained, ‘where families are really getting to know each other and enjoying a regular ‘breakfast date’ with their children. The children are trying new foods and coming up with their own ideas as to how to have fun together while meeting for breakfast over the holidays. I really feel that God is at work in our community and it’s so exciting to be part of what he’s doing. Our hope is that we can expand the club to include more days in the autumn term and possibly extend the activities we’re able to offer in The Bridge for families.’