Elspeth Jackman

What is your favourite place in West Herts and why?

I just love to walk round the Verulamium lake in St.Albans, with history rising up around me in the form of the Fighting Cocks pub, fragments of ancient walls and the majestic Cathedral church.The sun should be shining, the coots sitting bravely on their nests in the water,and the children should be out of the way in school, leaving me to enjoy the sound of herons and other wild life while I get out my 6B pencil and do some sketching.

What would be your ideal day in West Herts?

I would like a varied day of painting and gardening, and friends popping in for a chat,and time spent on writing my book, and maybe a walk round Stanborough with another friend,and a really good period drama dvd to finish the day!

What is was the best moment of your life so far?

Am I only allowed one ? I could chose the day I was in an audience of 500 watching the childrens musical I had written come to life .
I could choose the special spiritual experience of a new and heady awareness of God through the Holy Spirit.
And of course I must choose the moment when my late husband proposed to me. It was a Sunday afternoon in my own little house. I'd invited him to tea, but at a certain moment we were oblivious to the kettle boiling. it was the start of nearly 22 years of a great marriage partnership.

How did you end up on Radio Verulam?

I was writing a Public Pulpit for the local paper, and someone from Radio Verulam invited me to read what I had written on this radio station, now newly on FM. Well, that brought back all the excitement of my years in Radio Trent, Nottingham, and I moved from preparing the News from the Churches here on Radio Verulam, to doing a weekly "thought", to my own Christian programme, Faith Alive. Then I had the idea of a local 'Desert Island Discs' programme and so 'Tracks of your life' was born.

What’s your favourite piece of music?

Come on now! One favourite? You can't be serious! My 'Tracks' guests find it hard enough choosing 16 ! Well, I'll go for the Waltz from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty, as it brings back beautiful memories of childhood.

If you could be another Radio Verulam presenter, who would it be and why?

Oh, I'd have to be a Phil Richards, as his assurance in the frantic rush around him of phone calls, assistants, guests and messages has to be seen to be believed. He might walk out of the studio 30 seconds before he's about to interview you, and he's back in time and all is well!