1. Bridgwater Neighbourhood Team

St. Michael’s Academy Holiday Club is a programme that caters to up to 150 children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds. The club welcomes children of all ages and capabilities, including SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children.

By collaborating with local companies and the community, the club is able to offer a variety of physical activities such as football, rugby, karate, and yoga, as well as visits to a petting farm, willow  workshops, craft activities and campfires for roasting marshmallows. Local greengrocers provide fresh fruit and vegetables alongside education on healthy plates and dentists provide oral health information and toothpaste.

Families receive information about additional support available in the community during drop-off and pick-up. SASP, who run the holiday club, add;

It’s lovely to see how happy and proud children are with their achievements. The club is constantly looking to involve more of the community and reach even more children to give them the best education and enrichment.

Our Champions have been working hard to strengthen the role of the Parent Family Support Adviser (PFSA), which has made a tangible impact on a more joined up way of working.

By providing dedicated spaces, facilitating collaboration, and ensuring ongoing professional support, the initiative has equipped PFSAs to better meet local needs and contribute to lasting positive change. Previously, PFSA’s teams only met once a term to catch up as a group. The Champion role facilitates more structured and frequent meetings, offering opportunities for sharing best practices and discussing challenges in a safe and supportive environment. The creation of a supported neutral space has fostered greater collaboration among PFSAs.

The meetings now include structured service updates from providers, including the VCFSE and statutory services. This dedicated time allows PFSAs to remain informed and align their work with broader service provision in the community.

Through integration with the Family Intervention Service the Champion role has enhanced the support available to PFSAs including group supervision, contributing to professional development and improved practice. The group now works together more effectively, sharing insights and strategies to address local needs. The improved sense of connection across the area has strengthened the team’s ability to respond to challenges collectively.

Regular service updates ensure that PFSAs are well-informed and able to signpost families to appropriate services effectively. The work has strengthened professional networks, enhancing the sense of community and shared purpose among PFSAs. The consistent focus on collaboration and support has contributed to a shift in working, promoting a more integrated approach to supporting families.

What happens when community resilience, early help in schools, and holiday provision come together through strong local relationships? You get Jump & Thrive — a powerful example of neighbourhood working in action, right here in Bridgwater.

As Connect Somerset Champions, we’ve been working closely with Pastoral and Family Support Advisors (PFSAs) and Professional Practitioners (PPs) across schools to understand what young people and families really need — and where the system isn’t working well enough. These regular meetups have created the space for genuine collaboration, shared learning, and practical solutions.

At the same time, through SASP’s Jump Start and Happy Healthy Holidays programmes, we’ve been supporting young people with mentoring, group sessions, and activities that build confidence, improve mental health, and help them reconnect with their communities. We’ve seen first-hand how important trusted relationships and consistent support are — especially for those at risk of disengaging from school or struggling during school breaks.

All of this has come together to shape Jump & Thrive, an exciting partnership with Bridgwater College Academy. This pilot project is a brilliant example of what Connect Somerset is all about: rooted in local need, co-designed with those on the ground, and focused on building long-term wellbeing and opportunity for young people.

Jump & Thrive uses sport and physical activity as a tool for supporting emotional regulation, helping young people find positive ways to manage big feelings and stress. The aim? To reduce exclusions and improve school attendance — giving young people a greater sense of belonging and the tools to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

This is the kind of change we believe in — not top-down programmes, but relational working that grows from trust, shared purpose and being embedded in our communities. We’re excited to keep learning, building, and sharing this approach as part of our neighbourhood working journey.

If you’d like to know more or get involved, we’d love to hear from you!