Michelle Walker

Senior Category Manager

NOECPC

What are you most proud of?

Managing to continue to study and develop my career in a profession I love whilst being a single parent and giving my daughter a good life and positive role model. Sometimes there weren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week, but we’ve muddled through and I’ve managed to get her to (almost) 21 years old!

What makes you angry?

Injustice, and Brexit.

What sports team do you support (if any)?

I was brought up in very much a football household, but haven’t watched a full game since I got divorced many years ago. That said, it makes my dad happy when Rotherham United win – so I’d probably have to go for them. Or, of course, Richmond AFC ?

Which famous person would you most like to meet and why?

Harry Styles, on account of how he is Harry Styles (love heart eyes)

What superpower would you most like to have and why?

I would like to be able to magic up more hours in the day for those times when it is needed, and also to be in more than one place at a time as it often seems like this is something I am trying to do anyway!

What historical figure do you most admire and why?

I’d have to say Mary Wollstonecraft. She was an early trailblazer for women’s right and her book “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” was one of the first to state that women are not naturally inferior to men but appear to be only because of a lack of education – I think this translates today into the lack of opportunity women often have when compared to men, or how much harder we have to work to prove ourselves capable. She is also Mary Shelley’s mum so left quite the legacy beyond her own work.

What’s your perfect weekend?

I’d ideally like a lie in, but Malcolm the house rabbit is a creature of habit and likes his breakfast for 8am, so I’m generally woken to a nibble of my fingertips by him to wake me up. I generally take the opportunity to catch up with friends who I haven’t seen in the week and if I see my gorgeous, funny goddaughter Bonnie then I’m especially happy. In the evening, I’ll hopefully be able to catch up with Caroline – because we simply don’t see enough of each other during the week! ? My daughter generally needs a taxi home in the small hours with her boyfriend but my broken sleep is never enough to stop me waking up in time to shout at the television during the Sunday morning politics shows. I’ll then pop to see my dad for a cuppa, get a couple of loads of washing done and watch some really quite unchallenging tv in the evening, with a glass of wine.

What’s your favourite meal?

Good fish and chips! No question – but it must be accompanied with dandelion and burdock!

Can you describe yourself in one word?

Independent

What do you hope to be doing 5 years from now?

Personally, still being as happy and content as I am now, and professionally continuing working in a I love, for an organisation I feel really committed to. I hope training is still part of my role, as I really enjoy it and am proud of the impact this makes on colleagues across the NHS. I might also have one eye on retirement, which all being well will be only a couple of years away by then – which is quite scary!

Date: 18 October