26 Apr 2025
We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This week: Matt Fisher, photographer at www.mattfisher.uk and Green Party district councillor for Clarence ward in St Albans.
Where do you go to listen to music?
Anywhere – but usually in the car late at night (obviously when driving!) or running/in the gym. I love to spend time just listening to music, especially at the beach where I grew up… I appreciate a good sound system and headphones.
What items do you always carry with you?
Keys with my little Swiss Army mini champ pocket-knife (which I use at least once a day!), wallet, watch, phone, resuscitation mask, oh and dog poo bags!
What object would you save first if your house was on fire?
PPP – Pets, People and Photos (probably in that order!)
Have you ever had a nickname?
These are the ones I know of:
Fisher 5 Torches (from SERE survival course in the Navy, Bruce (after Bruce Willis) in Essex Police and of course Fisher Price and Fisherman at school.
When have you been most scared?
I was quite literally in the middle of Africa; in the middle of the Tenere/Sahara Desert in Niger. It was around 3am and I had just run 200 miles non-stop (sleep-deprived) and I was on my own suffering from food poisoning and wait for it… I had hyenas licking my legs, whilst running!
What was your first job?
Part-time I was the Sunday trolley man at the local Co-op, then full-time I was a harbour master. An unusual job for a 19 year old and not quite sure if I got Royal approval: Prince
Phillip once asked me what do I do and I said I’m a harbour master his response: ‘Good God!’
What is your most-missed St Albans shop, pub, café or restaurant?
The Flask in the the Maltings; great coffee, vegan nibbles and the best recycling centre of any restaurant/café I’ve ever seen!
Odyssey or Netflix?
Odyssey – but the dogs love a night in on the sofa watching Netflix with the wife and I.
Who was your favourite cartoon character when you were a kid? Road Runner – It was the look he gave whilst suspended in the air before falling!
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Astronaut or a fighter pilot. I had a good crack at the fighter pilot lark and politics has got in the way of going to space, although perhaps I’ll jump on the space tourism rocket and be the first politician in space?! I better start saving…
