• Home
• About Sara
• RSS

Sex, drugs & rock 'n' roll

Another in the ’25 random things’ series.

1. I met Matthew whilst I was a member of the Federal Executive and he was the Party’s Director of Finance. He is quite simply the most wonderful caring and intelligent man in the world.
2.  I qualified as a member of the 92 Club for visiting all 92 Football League grounds, but am now about 12 out of date. One day …
3. I ran the 1500 metres for my school once, on the basis that I was the only person who made it round the distance in practice who was prepared to do it.
4. I was the youngest ever female to qualify as a football referee a couple of days after my 14th birthday. I qualified at the same time as Phil Sharp, who is a FIFA official.
5. I have qualified as a member of three professional bodies – Royal Society of Chemistry, Chartered Institute of Bankers and Institute of Public Relations – but am currently a member of none of them.
6. I am an accomplished cook – but still haven’t mastered pastry. I don’t have a signature dish, but most people love my baking!
7. I am a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award holder. I received my Bronze and Silver awards on the pitch at Highbury.
8. Apart from my wedding day and the birth of our daughter, the best day of my life was 26th May 1989 at Anfield. Those who care (on either side) will know what that means.
9. The best holiday I have ever had was last year in South Africa. Beautiful animals, scenery and people.
10. I moved to Abbots Langley to live with Matthew in 1992 and now I can’t see myself ever living anywhere else. It still has a real sense of community.
11. I was in Kings Cross station an hour before the tragic fire and at Bradford’s Valley Parade ground the last home game before their fire. I guess there’s a moral in that somewhere.
12. I am the first person in my family to gain a degree (in Applied Chemistry).
13. My daughter was born on the same day that Arsene Wenger was announced as Arsenal manager.
14. I used to enjoy swimming the 200 metres butterfly competitively!
15. I love cricket! I used to play when at school and had my photograph in a NatWest Trophy final programme in the 1980s, holding a banner proclaiming ‘Mike Gatting – Lord of Lords’!
16. I once appeared on ‘Wogan’. Thankfully he was on holiday, so I was interviewed by Clive Anderson.
17. I first became involved in politics in my early teens through Rock Against Racism. At school and home I was considered a bit of a dangerous left-winger!
18. I always wear CK One perfume.
19. I used to be a Cub Scout leader called Balou.
20. I am not scared of much, except heights, which scare me witless. It doesn’t have to be much of a height – a second floor window is enough.
21. I love by-elections, although family and other commitments limits me to fewer than I would like. My favourite by-election was probably Kincardine and Deeside 1991: staying for a week in beautiful countryside, with friendly people – and a triumph! Dunfermline runs it a close second – can it really be three years ago this week?  Maybe I should spend more time in Scotland!
22. The most embarrassing thing ever to happen to me was when my mother (visiting a friend in Somerset) leapt out of my father’s car to introduce herself to Paddy Ashdown as my mother. I wasn’t even there – but it still embarrasses me thinking about it 15 years later!
23. The vicar who married us is now the Bishop of Hertford.
24. I was going to be called ‘Sarah’ but good friends of my parents had their daughter a month before was born and they decided it was rude to use the same name. I have cursed the innocent Sarah Benham every tome someone has said ‘are you sure in doesn’t have an ‘h’ on the end!
25. I love all cheese, Marmite, Thai curries, fillet steak and raspberries – but not all on the same plate!

Related posts:

1. How many filthy bottoms have you wiped today, Mr Coleman?
2. Teachers should know that cramming is not the answer
3. Don’t let tomorrow be too late