Business leaders convene in Norwich to address food insecurity and child poverty

Business leaders convene in Norwich to address food insecurity and child poverty 

Business leaders convene in Norwich to address food insecurity and child poverty 

Business leaders join forces in Norwich to learn about food insecurity and child poverty and explore ways to support Norwich communities. 

Business in the Community (BITC) has today brought senior business leaders together in Norwich to understand how businesses can help address high rates of food insecurity and child poverty in the city and how they can support those experiencing these challenges. Visiting the Earlham area, the visit was led by Jason Storah, Chief Executive of Aviva’s UK general insurance business. 

The visit – part of BITC’s flagship The King’s Seeing is Believing programme – was attended by senior business leaders from organisations including Aviva, Association of British Insurers, Cadent Gas, CITB, KLM UK Engineering, Mott MacDonald, Orbit Group and The Forum Norwich. Through collaboration with community organisations, local councils and other businesses, the organisations in attendance will work to drive collective action at pace and scale across Norwich. 

The visit comes as data from Norwich City Council shows that more than a third of children in Norwich are experiencing child poverty.[2] In addition, the Trussell Trust distributed 2.9 million emergency food parcels across the UK in 2024/25, of which more than 13,000 were distributed in Norwich.[3] Furthermore, the Earlham area of Norwich is in the top 10% of areas of with the highest levels of deprivation in the UK.[4]  

During the visit, business leaders visited community organisations including: 

  • West Earlham Infant and Nursery School: a school committed to welcoming and supporting children from all backgrounds, including those with Special Education Needs and those living in areas which fall into the top 10% of areas with the highest levels of deprivation in the UK. 59% of its students live in these areas. 
  • Earlham Community Shop: dedicated to providing affordable food and household essentials to Norwich families, helping to tackle food insecurity. 

Sue Husband, Community Impact Director at Business in the Community, said: 

“Today’s Seeing is Believing visit to Norwich was truly eye-opening. Once the UK’s ‘second city’ until the 18th century, Norwich now faces a range of challenges that are deeply affecting its communities. Hearing directly from those working tirelessly to tackle child poverty, food insecurity and other pressing issues was both humbling and inspiring.  

“What stood out most was the strength of the local response—community-led projects, innovative programmes and powerful partnerships, many supported by BITC’s Place programme, are making a real difference. These efforts are not just addressing immediate needs but also helping to breathe new life into neighbourhoods that have long been left behind.  

“There’s a real sense of hope here, and I’m looking forward to seeing how today’s visit helps to build even more momentum for positive change.”  

Jason Storah, Chief Executive of Aviva’s UK general insurance business,said: 

“I am delighted to be leading today’s Seeing is Believing visit to Norwich, where we have centuries of history and employ more than 5,000 people. Today’s visit highlighted some of the challenges that people living and working in Norwich are facing, making it a powerful moment to spotlight the needs and opportunities in the area and to grow the support required for long-term, sustainable change.  

“Aviva is proudly taking action to help build financial resilience and employment prospects across Norwich, from increasing digital literacy to providing young people with access to different industries. It was inspiring to see how businesses can work with other companies, community organisations and the local council to address these challenges, get ready for the future and create long-term, meaningful impact.” 

The King’s Seeing is Believing programme was established by the then Prince of Wales in 1990. The programme, supported by Salesforce and Linklaters LLP, was born from a simple but powerful belief that the best way to close the gap between the boardroom and the community was to take business leaders out to the communities and, through the power of experiential learning, to inspire and challenge participants. The visits are designed to encourage business leaders to think strategically about the implications for their own businesses and the practical actions that can be taken in response, leading to meaningful and sustained impact for both businesses and communities. To date, over 25,000 business leaders have taken part in the King’s Seeing is Believing programme which has led to various initiatives being set up including Career Ready, Ban the Box and mentoring circles in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions.   

ENDS   

Notes to editor  

  1. Photos of the visit are available upon request.  
  2. Norwich City Council: https://www.norwich.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/8450/state_of_norwich_2024.pdf. 
  3. The Trussell Trust: End of year food bank stats | Trussell. 
  4. The Norfolk Office of Data and Analytics: Norwich RITAs analysis of indicators. 

For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.