An inspirational journey from a garage to a nation

Nicholas Marchesi

Orange Sky

In October 2014, two best mates had a crazy idea to put two washing machines and two dryers in the back of a van, and wash and dry clothes for free. Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, the 2016 Young Australians of the Year, founded Orange Sky – a world-first, free mobile laundry service for people experiencing homelessness. On a mission to improve hygiene standards, Nic and Lucas stumbled on something much bigger and more significant – the power of a conversation. Now facilitated by more than 1,800 volunteers, Orange Sky aims to positively connect the community.


Biography:

In October 2014, Nicholas Marchesi co-founded Orange Sky alongside his best mate Lucas Patchett. Together, they built the first van. Nic led the initial van build and supported the early service rollouts.

Nic continues to have oversight of the Vehicle Team and the Orange Sky Fleet. He has been integral to the design and construction of the vehicles and the associated research and development. Nic has ensured the success of each vehicle model at Orange Sky.

Nic is an avid problem solver and drives continuous improvement across all areas of Orange Sky, adopting the mentality that everything has the capacity to be improved. Nic pioneered the integration of technology into Orange Sky’s operations and helped lead the development of the Orange Sky Portal and App – pieces of technology built in-house.

Nic previously worked as a camera operator and editor for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and for the Seven Network. In these roles, he developed a passion for sharing people’s stories as a way of getting people to better relate to and connect with one another. As a result of Nic’s influence, storytelling is central to Orange Sky’s culture and is the cornerstone of the organisation’s brand and creative content.

Nic has been a Board Member since the organisation was founded and has played a critical role in the strategic direction of Orange Sky. He fosters a culture of affirmation and hard work.  The framework underpinning the internal culture at Orange Sky mirrors many of the attributes and characteristics he lives by.