Swindon’s Big Breakfast Plus is bidding farewell to trustee and former Chair Charlotte Mannion, who steered the organisation from a small charity into one serving around 100 breakfasts a day to the town’s homeless and hungry people.
Based in the Pilgrim Centre, Regent Circus, Charlotte also oversaw Big Breakfast Plus expanding from opening twice a week to seven days a week, adding additional services, and receiving the highly prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
One of her first successes, when joining Big Breakfast Plus as Chair of trustees in 2021, was to work with fellow trustees to turn the charity into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), making it better placed to apply for grants, employ staff, and develop services.
Big Breakfast Plus has gone on to employ an exceptional Services Co-ordinator in Wayne Twitchell and, more recently, Charity Manager Sophie Boyce.
The range of breakfasts available has been developed, and additional services – including offering fruit bags twice a week – have been introduced.
Charlotte and the trustees have also secured major funding, including £150,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund and £60,000 from Zurich Community Trust (both spread over three years), as well as £10,000 from Nationwide.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the board working with all of our very talented board members over the years. As I complete five years’ service, I can reflect on the huge learning curve we all went through to get to where we are today, a recognised and well-respected local charity,” said Charlotte.
“We can look back on our service from initially creating the CIO, while sourcing the Pilgrim Centre, to our first tentative delivery over two days a week, to five days and finally, and boldly, to seven days a week. We are fortunate to be employing enthusiastic, talented, and empathetic staff, and have a full complement of dedicated and committed volunteers, envied by many.”
The proudest moment for Charlotte was gaining the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
“My lasting joy has been to be part of the team that enabled Big Breakfast Plus to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, a well-deserved honour for all of us who volunteer in our community.”
The backbone of Big Breakfast Plus is the cohort of dedicated volunteers who help run the breakfast café.
Charlotte said: “Volunteering offers a wonderful opportunity for everyone, and our volunteers – me included – get as much out of it as they put in. It gives an opportunity for people to try new things in a safe environment.”
James Puttick, who took over from Charlotte as Chair of trustees in 2025, said: “Charlotte’s dedication, passion, and drive have been instrumental in shaping Big Breakfast Plus into the organisation it is today. Quite simply, our key achievements over recent years would not have happened without her leadership. As I continue in my role as Chair, I hope I and my fellow trustees will do justice to the legacy she leaves behind.”
Before joining Big Breakfast Plus, Charlotte spent seven years as Chair of governors of Swindon’s New College, and was instrumental in the merger of New College with Swindon College. She also ran a successful communications training company Quicklearn. Now aged 80, Charlotte plans to spend more time cycling, swimming, and enjoying the company of her grandchildren.
For more about Big Breakfast Plus and how to support the charity, visit https://bigbreakfastplus.org.uk/.
Photo by Steve Grimmett
