Norwich Social Enterprise Launches Winter Appeal to Address Food Poverty

An organization dedicated to assisting families facing difficulties with food expenses, The Feed, has initiated a winter fundraising campaign to meet the demand for its services. This Norwich-based social enterprise operates a community cafe, a social supermarket, and various initiatives aimed at aiding some of the city’s most at-risk residents. All generated profits are channeled back into its local programs, which serve thousands of individuals annually. Chris Elliott, The Feed’s corporate fundraising manager, stated that the organization requires additional assistance due to a £10,000 increase in energy and water costs at its Waterloo Park community cafe during 2023. He further explained that the demand for their services remains elevated and “certainly won’t go down.” Elliott noted that securing funds has become more challenging because “Funding is harder to come by as local and national governments have less to spend, as well as local grant providers.” He elaborated, stating, “The money out there is getting thinner and our profit margin is really slim because of all the things that affect every business – energy bills and staffing costs etc.” Mr. Elliott indicated that businesses have several avenues to support The Feed’s winter appeal, including sponsorship, pledging to utilize its services, or making online donations. He concluded by saying, “The reality is it’s really hard to make money in the food sector. But we know that thousands of people need us now and more are coming to us.” The social supermarket operated by The Feed, which offers groceries at discounted rates, provides assistance to approximately 5,000 individuals annually. Mr. Elliott clarified that although the supermarket does not implement means testing, staff engage in a “trusted conversation” with service users to guarantee that the assistance reaches those most in need.