17 Apr 2024
We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This week: Community fundraiser for local charity, Herts Young Homeless, Nicola MacKinnon, a St Albans resident for over 25 years.
Who was your first best friend?
I was born in Canada and my first best friend was a girl called Vicki. Thanks to Facebook, we are still in touch and I am hoping to see her in America later this year.
Are things getting better or worse?
I work for Herts Young Homeless and we see a lot of things that are getting worse – the cost of living crisis and the knock on effects of Covid are really impacting the young people we support. We are seeing a worrying rise in mental health issues, an overall increase in the demand for our services and more complex issues like domestic violence and County Lines. However, as a fundraiser, I am always encouraged by the way the public want to help, through volunteering, donating or spreading the work about what we do, so some things are getting better.
Have you ever had a nickname?
My dad calls me Nixie Knox (it’s from the Dr Seuss alphabet book)
What is your most-missed St Albans shop, pub, café or restaurant?
The restaurant, Upstairs Downstairs. I loved the atmosphere, the food, the staff. It was a perfect place for a night out.
Who is your favourite St Albans musician or band?
Princes to Kings, a band of two brothers who first formed to raise money and awareness for epilepsy charities (their brother has severe and complex epilepsy). I am biased as they are my godchildren (if you watch carefully you can see me in the audience when they were on the Michael McIntyre show).
They write and produce their own music as well as being great live performers. They have a fundraising gig coming up in April and it’s always a brilliant night.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A Blue Peter presenter. As a community fundraiser I have done some very random things (school assemblies in a Santa hat, attending a Pearly Queen fundraiser, wearing crazy shoes with the Saracens players, judging a carrot competition) so the roles are not that different apart from the TV bit!
Odyssey or Netflix?
Odyssey. It’s turned going to the cinema into a proper night out again.
Dogs or cats?
Cats… but don’t tell my dog!
How long would you survive a zombie apocalypse?
I reckon I’d be OK – when my children were younger they talked endlessly about how to survive a zombie apocalypse so the plan is pretty solid!
If you had a time machine, what year would you choose to visit and why?
I would have loved to have seen Elvis perform in his prime, so anything in the 1950s or the Comeback Special in 1968 would be great.
