Welcome to our new Chair

The Norfolk Community Foundation welcomes Fiona McDiarmid as our new Chair of Trustees and thanks retiring Chair, Simon Bailey.

The increasing demand of Simon Bailey’s global roles focusing on protecting children at risk of exploitation have led to his stepping down as Chair of Norfolk Community Foundation.

As Chair of NCF since 2022, Simon has helped us to develop cross sector partnerships that deliver transformational change within our communities. He has been a strong advocate for our work around young people’s mental health and specifically the Coalition of charities brought together with Sir Norman Lamb that are working with over 10,000 young people to give them the support they need close to home.

Simon has accepted a new role as Vice President of the Community Foundation so that he can continue to share his leadership and expertise around child protection with us and to help inform our work in this important area.

We are delighted to announce that following a unanimous vote from the Board, our former Vice Chair, Fiona McDiarmid, has agreed to take up the role of Chair. Fiona joined the board in March 2021 having just retired as Director of Strategy and Governance and Norfolk County and as Chair of Norse Group (2019-22).

As Vice Chair, Fiona has led our Nourishing Norfolk Operations Board enabling the dramatic expansion of this programme which today supports 26,000 people across Norfolk who are struggling with the cost of living, to access affordable food where they live and access vital help to rebuild their lives.

Ed Savory, Trustee and Partner in the Corporate and Commercial Services team at Birketts, replaces Fiona as Vice Chair of the Foundation.

“It gives me the greatest possible pleasure to welcome Fiona McDiarmid as the new Chair of the Norfolk Community Foundation. Fiona brings with her a wealth of relevant skills, knowledge and experience from her previous roles, both from within the organisation and outside. Fiona is expertly positioned to build upon the rich foundations laid by her predecessors, at a time when the organisation has never more needed talented, hands-on leadership to help combat the ever-growing number of families across the county struggling to feed their families as the cost of living hits hard. I wish Fiona every success in this hugely important appointment for the Norfolk Community Foundation.”

The Lady Dannatt MBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Patron of Norfolk Community Foundation
Pippa Dannatt holds large baloons reading 4 0. She stands in front of the Norfolk Community Foundation team.
The Lady Dannatt MBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk (centre) with Fiona McDiarmid (left of) alongside NCF staff in 2022 celebrating awarding £40 million since 2005

Published: 15/01/2024