Always on
This project successfully funded on 2nd February 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Low Cost Food for Struggling Norwich Community
Norwich, England, United Kingdom
First target reached!
You can help this project to raise more and reach its stretch target.
Aim
To keep our community shop fully stocked so that people in the area can buy low-cost food to feed themselves and their children.
Who are we, and what is our project about?
Earlham Community Shop is a social supermarket that exists to provide low-cost food and support to residents of Norwich’s highly disadvantaged Larkman estate and surrounding roads, to ensure they can afford the food and household essentials they need to get by.
Since opening our doors, we have supported over 570 people in the households of our 142 members. Our discounted prices allow people to make the money they have go further, so they can afford to feed themselves and their families, and don’t go without.
We are located in one of the highest areas of deprivation in Norwich, ranking in the bottom 5% of postcodes (English Indices of Deprivation 2025). We operate from the site of Earlham Nursery School, a vital support to local children, where 44% of children are in receipt of Early Years Pupil Premium (Government funding provided to nurseries for families who meet specific low income criteria), compared to only 14% nationally. Partnering with the school means we can support parents and other family members, as well as the wider community.
Alongside the shop we also offer other wraparound support including regular free cooking and budgeting classes, where people can learn new skills and help to feel in charge of their lives again, all within a safe, familiar space for people to come for support and to connect with others.
Quotes from members:
‘Great to have this on the door step’
‘Get some nice bargains from here that all help to save pennies in the long run’
'Helping the community accessing cheaper food and support’
Why are we crowdfunding?
We’re raising money to help keep the shelves at Earlham Community Shop full of good, affordable food for local people. Every week, more people come through our doors looking for support as food prices continue to rise. We never want anyone to leave empty-handed, and that’s why we’re asking for your help.
Our members struggle to make ends meet. For some, a weekly shop at our community shop means the difference between having a proper meal or going without. Our prices are up to 40% cheaper than supermarket prices. Donations through the AVIVA Community Fund will go directly towards buying food for our shelves, keeping them stocked so that we never run out of the food people need.
It will help us to:
- Keep our shelves fully stocked.
- Keep prices low so members can afford to shop with dignity.
- Make sure no one in our community has to go without.
Every pound you give helps fill a basket, a fridge, a child's stomach, and stops people from going hungry.
How we’ll spend the money raised
Every penny we raise will go straight back into keeping Earlham Community Shop stocked with the essentials people in our community need.
Here’s how your donation will make a difference:
- £1 could buy the main ingredients for a family-sized pasta bake, or a large box of teabags or jar of coffee
- £25 could support our weekly delivery of eggs, offered to members at £1.60 a dozen (a HUGE saving compared to current supermarket prices).
- £50 would cover the cost of our bi-weekly FareShare delivery. Providing fruit and veg to our customers.
Your support means we can keep offering affordable food to hundreds of local people each week, helping families save money, eat well, and feel supported during tough times. Together, we can keep the shop shelves full and the community fed.
How you can help
There are three simple ways to get involved and support our project:
1. Make a donation
Every donation directly supports our members. Food distribution is our main goal.
2. Spread the word
Share our project with friends, family and your wider network. The more people we reach, the more likely we are to succeed and benefit more children and families.
3. Volunteer with us
If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch through the ‘Contact’ section using the subject "I want to volunteer my time or expertise" on our project page.
Aviva Employee Giving has provided £3,560 of match funding
Aviva Community Fund has provided £600 of match funding
Norfolk Community Fund has provided £500 of match funding
Solus Employee Giving has provided £300 of match funding
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made