Meet the Need, New Zealand’s farmer-led food charity, today announces the appointment of Nick Fisher as its new Chair.

With a strong background in the meat industry and rural media, Nick brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to tackling food insecurity across the country.

Nick takes over from Julia Jones, a founding board member of Meet the Need, has proudly served as Chair for the past four years, who is stepping into a new role as General Manager of Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT).

“Outgoing Chair Julia Jones is proud to see a strong succession within the board, ensuring continued leadership and momentum for the charity” Originally from Dunedin, Nick’s family founded Fishers Meats in 1915, giving him a lifelong connection to the agricultural sector. Nick transitioned into radio advertising in 2008, eventually becoming Head of Rural at MediaWorks, where he built strong industry relationships.

He joined the Meet the Need Board in April 2023.

“One of the reasons I joined Meet the Need is that I understood at a deeply personal level that you never know when you're going to need support,” says Nick.

“When our family business closed, I went from being a Managing Director of a large family business to having no job or income. You just don’t know what’s around the corner. Meet the Need gives us the ability to help those who need it most at an incredibly difficult and stressful time,” says Nick.

Nick sees public awareness as a key opportunity for Meet the Need.

“Not everyone knows who we are yet, despite the great work we do,” he explains. “My goal is to use my network to help grow awareness of what we do and how we do it.”

He acknowledges the tireless work of Meet the Need’s co-founders, and outgoing Chair, Julia Jones, who has devoted four years to building Meet the Need into what it is today.

“Julia was an effective Chair who brought incredible energy and drive for outcomes to her role – we will miss her greatly”, says Nick.

“It’s an honour to take on this role and carry the charity into its next exciting phase. Our current Board Greg McSkimming, Cheyenne Wilson, Nicki Mackay, Shaheen Junge, and Jo Hay – bring together a diverse set of skills and high capability, united by our vision that no one should go hungry or malnourished in New Zealand.”

Nick urges farmers and supporters to remember that food insecurity isn’t always visible.

“You don’t know who needs a little extra help putting dinner on the table,” he says. “It could be your neighbour, someone at your school, or a member of your community who needs access to nutritious food. The ability to provide quality protein to those in need is absolutely vital.”

“Our responsibility is to ensure our longevity. I’d love for Meet the Need to still be here in 100 years, thriving and making an impact.”

© Scoop Media