Opinion: The kind of change doesn’t happen by chance.
Nourishing Norfolk, led by Norfolk Community Foundation, tackles food insecurity while helping communities grow stronger and more connected, using food as a starting point to build long-term resilience.
An independent evaluation by the University of East Anglia has shown the wide-reaching impact of the programme, and Foundation Chair Fiona McDiarmid reflects on the Foundation’s role in supporting its success and enabling communities to thrive…
“Earlier this month, the University of East Anglia published its evaluation of Nourishing Norfolk. The headlines were striking. 40,000 people supported. Millions of pounds invested. £6.54 of social value created for every £1 donated. It is an achievement everyone in Norfolk should celebrate.
As Chair of Norfolk Community Foundation, I have followed Nourishing Norfolk closely since joining the Board in 2021. Watching it grow has been a privilege. What the evaluation shows most clearly is that this success is not an accident. It has been shaped by leadership, trust, and the determination of many people who believed in the vision and were willing to work together to make it happen.
Nourishing Norfolk began with a simple ambition: no one in Norfolk should go hungry. But very quickly it became clear that this was about more than food. In hubs across the county, when good food was made affordable in safe, welcoming places, people found more than a bag of groceries. They found friendship. They found confidence. They found the chance to take their next steps.
That kind of change doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when a local foundation is trusted to bring people together, listen to communities, and build support around them. My fellow trustees have been vital in steering this work, keeping the Foundation’s purpose clear and making sure decisions were the right ones. Looking ‘under the hood’ of the programme, you see that strong leadership runs throughout.
One of the things I am most proud of is how the Foundation has created the conditions for extraordinary partnerships. Thanks to Norse Group, Nourishing Norfolk has its own warehouse and distribution network — the first of its kind in the country. It means families across Norfolk can rely on a steady supply of affordable food at the local hub, and that hubs can focus on supporting their communities rather than worrying about stock.
The breadth of support behind Nourishing Norfolk is also remarkable. District and town councils, Norfolk County Council, national funders like the Mercers and the National Lottery have joined forces with individuals across the county, from farmers and fundraisers to Delia Smith. The programme has never been about a small group of people making decisions behind closed doors, but about what happens when people and organisations come together to tackle problems in a flexible, responsive and pragmatic way.
And it works because it builds on what’s already strong. Each hub reflects the needs and character of its own community, yet none of them stand alone. Attending Nourishing Norfolk network meetings, I’ve seen firsthand how food hubs come together the share ideas, learn from each other, and speak with a stronger collective voice. The Foundation has been the convener that makes this possible, helping communities play to their strengths while linking them to wider opportunities.
That is why policymakers and public health leaders came to the launch of the evaluation on 12 September. They saw what I see every day: a model that goes beyond just food. It tackles loneliness, builds local trust, and helps communities withstand crises. And they saw how our Foundation listens first, builds partnerships that last, and has the confidence to back communities to lead.
Nourishing Norfolk has achieved a lot in just a few years, and the evaluation proves its impact. But for me, what matters most is what it shows about how funders can work with communities. When you bring the right partners together, when you trust local people to lead, and when you have the determination to hold the vision steady, transformative things can happen. That is the real story behind Nourishing Norfolk, and it is one I am proud to have been part of.”
Fiona McDiarmid, Chair of Norfolk Community Foundation
Fiona McDiarmid came to Norfolk in 2002 to establish the Connexions Service as its Chief Executive. She then moved to the County Council as Assistant Director for Economic Development and Strategy in 2009 and was appointed in April 2017 to the Strategy Director role. In 2019 Fiona was appointed as one of 5 Executive Directors, leading the Strategy & Governance Department. Before joining the County Council Fiona worked in three different local authorities as well as a not for profit social business (‘INCLUDE’). Much of her early experience was with social services in both operational and policy and strategy roles.
