Getting to Know: Richard Pitts

Richard Pitts is the chief executive at the Volunteer Centre Dacroum in Hemel Hempstead’s Old Town.

What is your favourite food?

I have been a vegetarian since 1989 and that obviously has an impact on my favourite choices. I like Mediterranean and Indian food in particular so at the moment I think it would be a choice between Falafel and Paneer Shashlik

What’s the most played song on your iPod?

I very much liked the Afrocentric hip hop scene of the late 1990s and early 21st Century like The Roots and Common so I listen to their work quite a lot. My current favourite is a song called “That Soul” by Mr. Brady x Tajai featuring Just Brea – very smooth, relaxing and melodic

Your favourite quote?

It has to be football manager Mick McCarthy. His Sunderland team had just won for the first time after a record number of defeats and the interviewer asked him if that had got a monkey off his back. He said’ Monkey!? It was The Planet of The Apes’

What is your Favourite thing to do to relax?

Lie on the sofa, take it easy and enjoy some quality time with my wife Klaudia

What is the thing you hate doing the most?

I work in Hemel but I live in London so I have a lot of commuting which can be tiring so I am not a fan but watching my football team Wrexham lose is the worst thing. Fortunately I have seen them live twice so far this season and they have won them both at Dartford and Barnet!

Invite five famous people for dinner, past or present – who and why?

Political and financial commentator Max Keiser, film maker Michael Moore, Tony Benn and Margaret Thatcher from the world of politics and broadcaster Andrew Neil who I would nominate as host of the evening. What a political roundtable that would be! I think I would definitely learn something

What was the last film you watched?

The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe, it wasn’t something I was looking out for but it was recommended to me so I gave it a chance and enjoyed it

If the world was ending in 2014, what would you do differently?

Take more chances. It is better to regret what you did do rather than what you did not do. Maybe that should have been my quote!

Your favourite thing to do or place to visit in Dacorum?

The Volunteer Centre where I work is very central and is a good environment to be in with our friendly team of staff and volunteers and aesthetically I really like how the Old Town has been renovated

If you could witness any event, past, present or future, what would it be and why?

I would have loved to have been at The Rumble in The Jungle in 1974. It was not just the momentous fight between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman but the whole cultural and entertainment experience with performers like BB King and James Brown appearing

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I loved dinosaurs so I wanted to be an archaeologist

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

Giving a Best Man speech at my friend’s wedding. I’m not normally nervous when speaking or presenting but my legs went a bit in front of all those family and friends

What is the best or worst gift you have ever given or received?

I know it sounds weird but it was a wok that I got from my wife! I love cooking and I have been using that wok for years. I don’t know how I would cook without it now.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who contributed positively to society