SPOTLIGHT – ALISON MARTIN
Alison Martin takes the second 'Spotlight' feature.
Alison is Bursar, Clerk to the Governors and HR Manager at Warminster School and she has been with the School for eight years. Prior to Warminster she was Bursar at St. Mary’s School, Calne, before that Bursar at St. Laurence School, Bradford-on-Avon and even further back, Bursar at Writhlington School, Radstock. Home is a house and large garden in Frome opposite the local Cricket pitch. She is married to Joe, with two daughters Jenny and Katie, one son, Paul (who was a Gapper at Warminster in 2011) and four grandsons, Freddie, Alex, Henry and Eric. Her favorite pastime is skiing, but as that isn’t possible all year round, gardening takes most of her down time.
What’s the best thing about your role?
Um! Probably the diversity.
Describe a typical day?
Difficult – no real typical day and depends on whether it is school term time or holiday time. Term time days are often dominated by emails, meetings and other peoples requests whereas during holiday periods there is the time to initiate and develop ideas and action plans and look to the future.
What do you think makes Warminster a special place to live and learn?
The atmosphere, support and friendliness of all who work here.
What would surprise us about you?
I am a keen and long-time dress-maker. Some of the clothes I wear to school are my creations. I applied to go on BBC 2’s, The Great British Sewing Bee and got to the interview stage, but didn’t get a place (obviously!).
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
Married with children – as a child of the 50s and 60s and the product of an all-girls boarding school, I was conditioned that girls needed to find a ‘nice man to look after them’. If I had any ambition at all, it was to own and ride horses, preferably on beaches into the sunset….!
Your note/advice to teenage self?
Life is not all about me – there are good times to be had when supporting others.
Biggest bugbear?
Um – life’s too short to have one of these, or perhaps I’m too old to bother!
Favourite band/group?
Too many to name – depends on the mood. If I had to choose, early days would be the Beatles or the Bee Gees, then later probably Bryan Adams or Phil Collins or maybe Coldplay and, of course, more recently, Adele ….. (I could go on).
Guilty pleasure?
Chocolate – that’s an easy one!
If you were on Masterchef what would your signature dish be?
Death by chocolate: chocolate brownie chunks, chocolate mousse and vanilla ice cream served with warm chocolate sauce.
Last book you read?
I probably read a book every fortnight. Currently reading Past Caring by Robert Goddard, but by the time you read this I will probably have read several more!
Last movie watched?
The Lady in the Van.
Favourite tipple?
Red wine.
Favorite place/city in the world and why?
Berlin. As a family we lived there from 1987 to 1991. We watched the Berlin Wall come down and saw the city change dramatically. Went back in 2007 – it’s a lovely vibrant city with lots of history, varied entertainment and interesting shops/markets.
Twitter or Facebook?
Facebook – but very limited. I am friends with family only.