My Guardian journey began in my early 20s when I rejected a career as a barrister, and with it the Times (whose legal reports were essential reading for lawyers) for a paper that reflected my political instincts. Living in Surrey’s Tory heartlands, the Guardian never sold out!
As I developed my alternative career in health and social care policy – working for organisations such as the Family Planning Association, Parkinson’s UK and Carers UK, my views were hugely shaped by writers such as Polly Toynbee and Sarah Boseley. In 2009 I took a sabbatical and worked as a volunteer for VSO in Kaduna, a sharia state in northern Nigeria, which sadly has become famous for attacks by Boko Haram extremists. I knew it as a vibrant, exciting place with a fascinating history, where Christians and Muslims lived and worked alongside each other. The internet access was very patchy so my Guardian reading was restricted to snatched moments in dusty internet cafes (when there was electricity). The story playing out in the UK press at the time was the MPs’ expenses scandal – Nigerians thought that was hilarious.
While I miss some great characters, the food markets and Nigeria’s warmth, I thoroughly appreciate the UK’s (flawed) democracy and strong institutions, which the Guardian plays an important role in maintaining. The reassuring weight of the Saturday paper keeps me going through the week! I love the columnists – Owen Jones, Zoe Williams, George Monbiot are my heroes. Yotam’s recipes constantly inspire, whilst Tim Dowling makes me laugh manically. I enjoy cooking, especially baking (hence my fascination with cook section – especially the blog from cooks about how they organise their kitchens) and cycling – I cycle to work and love Helen Pidd’s bike reviews, which make me daydream about shiny chrome prototypes. I like gardening but share a tiny back garden so most of my creative impulses are restricted to pots perching perilously on every ledge. I recently went on a Masterclass with Alys Fowler and she opened my eyes to the world of houseplants. I’ve returned to the health sector, and living in north London I’m very aware I fit all the Guardian reader stereotypes. But that’s OK.
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