EF News
Ahead of her fierce conversations workshop at our upcoming spring conference, Sarah Vogel, Fierce Master Facilitator, shares all.
What was your first job?
My best friend’s mum got me and my best friend an office cleaning job at 13 (13? almost certainly illegal) and it gave me a lifelong beef with people who throw full cups of coffee in the bin! My first grown up job was as a sales assistant in Selfridges, the department store in London. Very much ‘University of Life’, very eye opening, and quite a few famous customers.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Nothing: I am an extrovert and a dreadful oversharer, I have very few filters. Err, but how about my great grandad was a professional footballer and played for England once in 1903?
Who, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with?
This probably changes daily but as of today and off the top of my head: Miriam Margolyes (hilarious and rude, I love her), Jeremy Corbyn, Lauren Laverne, The Obamas, RuPaul, Bill Bailey and John Cooper Clarke. I’ve gone for alive for this particular dinner party.
What are you most proud of?
I have an amazing and eclectic group of friends many of whom date back to primary school and I am proud to have maintained those wonderful relationships for over 50 years in some cases.
How do you unwind/deal with stress?
I loll…in bed, on the sofa. I am an expert loller. I like to watch crime drama, and Corrie, which are more or less the same thing these days. I enjoy shouting at the telly. I also like to get together and cook with two friends: we call ourselves the Prashad Cooking Coven, because the first time we did it we picked out several recipes from the Prashad Indian Vegetarian cookbook and spent a pleasant day chopping, stirring and eating. Now we do it once a month if we can.
If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?
London in the 20s: I often wish I had chatted more to my Gran and Grandad about their lives. My Grandad was a miner from Stoke who took exams by correspondence course and moved to London to join the Met Police. My Gran (whose dad was the footballer) moved to London from Wales when she was 14 to work in service. She worked for a famous author’s family (his name was Beverley Nicholls and he was a lesser known member of the Bloomsbury Set) Living in London in the roaring 20s? How I wish I had asked more questions of them.
What is your biggest fear?
Bad things happening to my loved ones. Shortly followed by the state of the USA right now.
