Meet the New Manager of Hampshire Fare
Natasha Dochniak has been appointed as Commercial Manager of Hampshire Fare and is looking forward to delivering a bright new vision for the county food and drink group. Natasha Dochniak took over the running of Hampshire Fare at the beginning of October, with an official handover at Hampshire Fare’s network at Stewarts Abbey Garden Centre, Titchfield, the previous week.
This event provided an opportunity to introduce Natasha Dochniak to members of the county’s food, drink and craft community, and for Tracy Nash, who headed up Hampshire Fare over the past decade, to say goodbye and wish Natasha and the team all the best for the next decade, as one of the country’s leading food and drink groups.
Natasha Dochniak commented: “I have certainly had a warm welcome and my early observations are that I have joined a vibrant food, drink, craft and farming community of passionate people who all share the common purpose of producing and promoting local.”
Natasha is Southampton born and bred, and studied at Bournemouth University. She worked on marketing campaigns for the National Trust before moving to Australia to forge a career in partnership and sponsorship management, events and business development for significant operations such as Sydney Opera House, the Historic Houses Trust of NSW and FINSIA (Financial Services Institute of Australasia).
After returning to her roots, Natasha was working in financial services and not looking for a new challenge until a friend and long-standing member of Hampshire Fare, Sylvia Puckett of J & S Fresh Fish, flagged up the opportunity at Hampshire Fare as she thought Natasha would be a great fit.
Natasha continued: “I am very excited to have joined Hampshire Fare. This role brings together all my skills and work experiences. I am all about building long-term relationships, communication and collaborations. I consider it important to work for an organisation where your values align and I can see that Hampshire Fare is all about making a difference. I believe, looking forwards, I can make a positive impact and difference to Hampshire Fare, making it even more effective for its members in the food, drink, craft and farming communities.”
Will Dobson, Chairman, Hampshire Fare, added: “The Board would like to thank Tracy Nash for her unstinting efforts over the last decade. She leaves a lasting legacy – a highly respected food and drink group. She also left big boots to fill, however I think we have succeeded in filling them with the appointment of Natasha Dochniak who brings such a wealth of experience to the role. Natasha is brimming with great ideas and we are excited to see what is in store for Hampshire Fare and its members.”
Natasha has announced a focus on people, passion and produce, and she is already planning a bright new vision and strategy for Hampshire Fare.
Picture with thanks to The Electric Eye Photography: left to right Emma Caulton, Tracy Nash, Sam Elliott-Smith , Natasha Dochniak and Louise Harrington.