SANDIE Thomson is secretary of BATS Next Gen, a musical theatre group for children in and around the Basingstoke area.

Its last show was a sell-out youth production of Cats, and the group is back in action preparing Fawkes The Quiet Guy for November.

Sandie moved from Aberdeen to Basingstoke with her husband, Mal, in 1985. They had previously lived in the Netherlands, Tunisia and Australia. Their two children were born in Basingstoke.

Sandie works full-time as a team leader in the Civil Service, and commutes daily to Southampton.

1. Who was your childhood hero and why? Sandie Shaw, and I was a member of her fan club (apparently) at the age of four! After Sandie, came Donny Osmond. And my dad, of course, was my first hero.

2. What is your most precious possession, and why is it important to you? I don’t ‘own’ people, but in that case, my husband and my kids. They are, quite simply, my all.

3. What was the first record/CD you bought? I’m Not in Love by 10cc in 1975.

4. What is the radio/television show you hate to miss? Radio – Johnny Walker’s Sounds of the 70s on Sunday afternoon on BBC Radio 2. TV – Home and Away.

5. What is your favourite film? Out of Africa, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. Just beautiful.

6. What is your pet hate? People clearing their nasal and throat passageways in public. Just gross, and so unnecessary.

7. What are you reading at the moment? Inferno by Dan Brown. Also the script to the next BATS Next Gen show, Fawkes The Quiet Guy.

8. If you were choosing a last meal, what would it be? A haggis supper from the chippy in the road near my dad in Ayr – it is heaven and I wouldn’t have to worry about it not being healthy, would I?

9. If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be? Donny Osmond – haven’t managed to actually meet him yet! I've met his brothers, but not him.

10. If you had a time machine, where would it take you? I’d love to see about 200 years in the future.

11. If you were stranded on a desert island, what luxury would you choose to have with you? A solar-powered mp3 player or something else that could play endless music. Failing that, an art set.

12. What sports team do you support? Scotland, no matter what the sport is!

13. What was your first job? Working in Presto’s Supermarket, in Kilmarnock, as a shelf-stacker with two of my friends when we were 15. The job only lasted three months – they cut out the evening staff so I soon found out what it was like to be redundant!

14. If you could take over someone’s job for the day, whose job would you choose? Difficult one – whoever was in charge of giving out grants to amateur theatre groups!

15. What worries you the most? My family. I want them to be well and to live long and happy lives.

16. What is your proudest moment? So many to choose from: getting married to Mal; the birth of our children; graduating from The Open University (twice – I loved it so much the first time!) and the kids’ graduations. Also every time I stand at the side of the stage at a BATS Next Gen show.

17. What would you like your epitaph to be? “She lived well”.

18. What’s your guilty pleasure? Whisky and coke – a sacrilege for a Scot, I know, but it’s never a malt!

19. What one thing could change society for the better? Tolerance of each other. If we can tolerate what makes us different and what makes us unique, we will realise that we are actually all the same.

20. What three words best describe you? Happy, creative, caring.