Through the Aviva Community Fund, The Feed raised over £10,000 to provide therapy for the people in Norwich who need it the most.

The Feed isn’t just a café – it’s a social enterprise. All of its profits go towards training and support for people facing barriers to employment. Based entirely in their café and catering business, The Feed’s four-week training course provides key skills for working in the hospitality industry, as well as a sense of achievement.

“Four weeks doesn’t seem like a long time, but we see a lot of changes in the people that come through our training,” says the Feed’s General Manager Lucy Parish. “Somebody might come in on day one frightened, anxious, and unsure – but by being somewhere that’s welcoming and supportive, we see them become such a different person.”

After the course, trainees receive a further four weeks of work experience, helping them take their next steps towards work and volunteering opportunities.

“If I apply for a catering job now, I’ve got this on the record and it will help me on my CV,” says one of The Feed’s graduates.

Many trainees have experienced homelessness, substance misuse, and mental health problems – complex issues that can have a significant impact on their self-esteem. The Feed realised that to reach their goal of long-term employment, these people would need therapy as well as training.

The Feed applied to the Aviva Community Fund to raise the money for a specialist Trauma Therapist and raised over £10,000.

“It’s really exciting that we’ve been awarded this money, because we can now pay for the therapy that’s needed for quite a large percentage of our clients, so that they can move forward in their lives,” says Lucy.

The money from the Aviva Community Fund will cover therapeutic support for the next twelve months. It means The Feed can help more people overcome their challenges and move towards a more positive future – a real recipe for success.

Is your project hungry for funding or support? Apply for the Aviva Community Fund today.

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