Whether you refer to it as spooky or pumpkin-spiced latte season, or simply the archaic autumn, Society Diary hopes you are staying safe, reader, as the cold nights draw in.
To brighten up our Friday, Diary this week sat down with experienced charity sector leader, Wanda Wyporska to discuss important topics such as wine, ketchup and Vigil van Dyke.
But read on with caution, as Dr Wanda also draws from her expertise in early modern Polish witchcraft to answers a couple of Halloween-related queries.
Wanda, are you a morning person?
“In that if I need to sleep through a morning I happily will, or if I feel lively, I’ll grab a craft book, make tea and bliss out. I’d like to say that I’m coming home at that time, but those were the days.”
As a witchcraft scholar, who’s your favourite witch?
“Always the one in a trial where the scribe had clear, wonderful handwriting and who gave full, interesting answers, describing the Devil and the Sabbat in full technicolour detail.”
Do you enjoy Halloween?
“I love giving sweets to polite children. I clearly need to sample them first. I hate anyone telling me that they would have been regarded as a witch because they are an outspoken woman. My side eyes and eye rolls are second to none.”
How has being a Liverpool fan influenced your leadership skills?
“Will I get a season ticket or at least a match ticket for this? I look for depth and versatility in a squad, and like people to try out different roles. Crucially, every team needs a Virgil van Dyke, but as a leader I need to remember that even Virgil makes mistakes. We all do.”
What can other charity leaders do to be the best at social media?
“Cultivate at least 20 crafts, worship cats, support the mighty LFC and be an historian of witchcraft. Oh, and work in multiple sectors and be extremely nosy. It seems to have worked for me.”
As a doctor, how would you diagnose the health of the charity sector?
“Fortunately, I’m not that type of a doctor, but my diagnosis is strong heart, but needs an intensive injection of resources, equity and self-reflection to enable it to come off life support.”
What makes Britain great?
“Proper chippies with good thick chips and curry sauce with no fruit in it. Bonus points if it does Chinese as well, for a half and half.”
Fine wines or low-price plonk?
“Mine’s a large Petrus please garcon.”
If you could live in a different time, when would you pick?
“Surprisingly, given all I know about it, the seventeenth century. Obviously as long as I was a rich widow with beautiful dresses, sitting in a manor, surrounded by cats, stitching embroidery whilst sipping mead. I’m really that shallow. That’s next weekend sorted.”
Do eggs and ketchup go in the fridge?
“They do in my house, am I missing something?”
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