Nourishing Norfolk: Adapting to Community Insight
This year, the Nourishing Norfolk Network turned 5.
We’ve learnt a lot since then, but one thing has remained the same: across Norfolk, households are finding it difficult to afford the food they need. Our early insight during the pandemic led us to develop this programme alongside donors and partners, and our prediction that food insecurity would rise across the region has been proven right. As of today, 4.8% of people in Norfolk have benefited from support from Nourishing Norfolk.
Although inflation has fallen significantly since the October 2022 high, that doesn’t mean prices are falling. They are just rising less quickly. This past winter, many people faced rising living costs, leaving very little room to cope with unexpected pressures. For some, this challenge is made even harder by living in temporary accommodation, housing with limited cooking facilities or being unhoused.
Identifying new challenges
Hubs are continuing to provide low‑cost essentials and nutritious food, and community leaders across the Nourishing Norfolk Network have been listening closely, adapting their support and welcoming more people who are arriving in or close to crisis. In smaller towns and rural communities, where other forms of support are limited, it is often small, volunteer‑led groups who are making the biggest difference.
People volunteering and working within hubs have been noticing more visitors without stable housing. Some are living in temporary accommodation with limited cooking facilities, while others are sleeping outdoors and need food that can be eaten cold, as well as warm clothing and practical essentials.
As one hub shared:
“Services often signpost people to us for affordable food, free items, social support and help with meal planning, particularly as many only have access to a microwave. We are also supporting people who are unhoused, offering them warm clothing, hygiene products and practical essentials.”
Finding Solutions with Communities and Partners
Hubs have been able to respond thanks to the generosity of local partners. Hygiene kits from The Give Box, including soap and toothbrushes, and period products from Hey Girls help people maintain dignity at difficult moments. These items matter just as much as food when someone is trying to stay well and move forward. We have also adapted our Nourishing Norfolk warehouse range to help hubs access foods that their shoppers can prepare with little to no cooking equipment.
We are acting on what we hear. We are working to strengthen reliable routes of food supply, because stocked shelves are the starting point for meaningful conversations. Food hubs are trusted community spaces, and a reliable supply helps them offer the right support at the right time, and build relationships that strengthen their community. The growing number of people facing pressure shows why hubs need secure, reliable access to low‑cost food, and funding towards core costs so they can stay open, staffed and responsive.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, a key focus for Nourishing Norfolk is strengthening the reliable supply of affordable, good-quality food to hubs across the county. Hubs have told us that supply, particularly of fresh food at low prices, is one of their biggest challenges. The Foundation is working to back the central warehouse that keeps shelves stocked, support hub running costs, and develop capital funding so hubs can be equipped for the future.
