If your starter has been in the fridge for more than a week since its last feed, Rachel, it will need a two or three booster feeds to get it fully active.
I don't hold with any of this doubling the amount of flour and water at each feed and then discarding some - what a waste! I keep my starter in a 1lb honey jar and it varies between 1/2 and 3/4 full at any given time. It is nearly 4 years old now and trundles along quite nicely on 50-100g each of flour and water at each feed - depending how much I need for the finished article (plus enough to bung back in the fridge).
Any leftovers get used in pancakes or oatcakes. This morning we had sourdough pancakes with blackcurrant jam (homemade, lower sugar) and butter for breakfast.
I have no objection to making bread with yeast, but I find I have no digestive problems when I eat sourdough. Without going into any details

my symptoms resulted in me being seen by a Consultant, a few years back. As well as cameras in every orifice (OK some details - I like to see you all squirm) I've been investigated for both wheat and gluten allergies - both came back negative. So I had to try my own "cure" and slow-produced bread seems to be the answer - whether yeasted or sourdough I make it over 24 hours, at least.
If you were prepared to alter your routine slightly, Tony, and start it all the night before - no need to do it any differently, just give a longer first rise, you could miss out the sweetener entirely and the flavour would be so much better. Give it a try.
Mike, no hope I'm afraid - unless you are prepared to use your breadmaker to do the dough and then bake it next day in the oven, then you too can have fabulous bread. You could miss out the sugar too.