Six questions with... Janet Inman

What’s your favourite way to greet people?

With a hug and a peck on the cheek. I went to an event with my daughter once and she watched as I went round and said Hi to everyone, when I came back to her she said, ‘Mum I have just seen you kiss 43 different men!’

What conversation makes you happy?

Anything with a positive outcome, let’s use our energy for the good. 

What conversation topic makes you nervous?

Nothing really I encourage people to be open and say what they mean, there are too many people who bottle things up when friends and family are there to share the burden.

What makes you laugh?

My 4-year-old granddaughter and her view of life, I want to live in Sophie World. Corny jokes, love live comedy, favourite Milton Jones, a real wit and great play on words.

If you could ask someone, dead or alive, anything - who and what would you ask them?

I would have liked to have had a conversation with Nelson Mandela about how he maintained his positive attitude during his long years in prison and how he felt when he was released. An amazing man.

What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

When I was in, what we would now call Year 6, I used to attend a Catholic Primary School rather than the local one and each morning a group of us would get picked up by a Black London type taxi. I was the oldest in the group and felt I had a level of responsibility for the others. One day I noticed the door move and I grabbed it to stop it flying open and the other children being in danger. Of course, being this kind of taxi, the wind flung the door open and I also flew out, my sleeve got caught on the door and for a short distance I was dragged along. The taxi stopped and I climbed back in and we all went on our way to school. My concern was the fact that I had ripped the cuff of my new school coat so when I got home didn’t mention the days activities. A few days later my dad came home from work and told how a parent of another child had told the story of how I had been a ‘hero’ to save the others! I didn’t get in trouble for having torn my coat, which I wore with pride for the next 2 years.

Janet Inman