Here’s where we shine the spotlight on a leading light in Dorset and ask him, or her, for answers to our part fun/part serious questionnaire.

This time…She loves the smell of freshly washed clothes, chooses anywhere by the sea as her favourite holiday location, prefers melon over a steamed sponge and has a real passion for proper seaside chips with some salt, vinegar and ketchup.

Aimee Strongman, Founder of Gather & Glow and also Mother, Yoga teacher, Childbirth Educator, Author, Ex-Primary School Teacher and Doula, takes the 20 Questions’ hot seat.

Question: What is your favourite TV show?

A: To be honest I don’t watch that much TV and I don’t think episodes of Bluey count! My evenings are usually spent with a good book, working on my herbal teas or making my home blended teas for my clients. I do enjoy a good romantic or crime drama though and I like to watch The Graham Norton Show on catch up.

Q: Who would you like to share a car with?

A: JK Rowling because I think she would be so interesting; her mind is a wondrous cove of feminine intelligence. Alternatively, perhaps The Princess of Wales. I have a huge girl crush and I would love to talk about her campaign ‘Shaping Us’, which highlights the importance of a child’s early years.

Q: The best bit of my job is…?

A: Working to my own rhythms and schedules. It is very liberating being able to do things on your own terms and in your own time.

I also have the honour to walk with women through their sacred rites of passages. The sheer privilege to witness women claiming their sovereignty, rediscovering the capabilities of their bodies and then giving birth like goddesses, is amazing. I love meeting their gorgeous babies earth-side too; it is a huge heart swell. I also love that I get to share the magic of yoga with my men’s yoga class. We all need time to step away and connect back to ourselves in the sanctuary of a safe space to move and breathe with permission to rest, restore and be in connection with others.

Q: And the worst?

A: I don’t have a ‘worst bit’ about the job itself. I truly love what I do but I just sometimes wish I had more time to be able to get the boring bits out the way (admin/accounts etc) so I could do more of the creative aspects which excite me.

Q: Who was your childhood hero?

A: I didn’t have a hero but I did have an amazing grandmother whose spirit and guidance really led me into the realm of women’s work where I am now. She was a midwife in the NHS for over 50 years serving women and children in her community.

Q: What’s your favourite smell?

A: I LOVE the smell of freshly washed clothes, petrichor and jasmine flowers on the breeze.

Q: Where’s your favourite place in Dorset?

A: This is such a hard question! There are so many wondrous places to visit; the stunning coastline, beaches, historical towns, castles and woodlands not to mention the areas of outstanding natural beauty and exploring Hardy’s Wessex!

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out on a career?

A: Be open in heart and mind and don’t focus on the ‘career’. I say it’s best to bring your energy and awareness to what inspires and excites you. Be playful in life and seek out the joy. I think many entrepreneurs would agree that if we focus on our passion then the pathway reveals itself.

Q: What was your first record/CD?

A: This is so embarrassing, but I think my first CD was the Aerosmith single ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ from the movie Armageddon. I will say I was 13.

Q: What gets you angry?

A: I don’t usually get angry but when I do it is usually linked to some form of unkindness.

Q: Do you have a favourite piece of music?

A: I love the storytelling aspect of country music and folk tunes and the subtle melancholy they hold. I am someone who chooses music for the mood, space and activity so have quite an eclectic mix on my Spotify playlists. I very much enjoy a kitchen disco and dance as well as a bit of Classic FM every now and again.

Q: What are the qualities you look for in a new employee?

A: I’m all about the energy. Someone who is warm, understands the nuances and complexities of being human, and someone who wants to make a true difference to how someone else feels.

Q: What’s your favourite food or dish?

A: I enjoy many different foods and culinary cuisine, not least a great roast dinner; but my favourite has to be chips. Proper seaside chips with some salt, vinegar and ketchup, together with a sea view followed by a cuppa and some chocolate. That is simply perfect. It’s a family joke that I order something super healthy with a side of fries – I’m a yogini and I like balance!

Q: Steamed sponge pudding and custard or a plate of melon?

A: A plate of melon please.

Q: Name the best thing about living/working in Dorset?

A: I feel so lucky to live and work in such a beautiful county. I love that we have the sea, the forest and the hills in such close proximity to one another and can walk across ancient lands steeped in folklore and mystery. It also means we can hold our retreats in the most gorgeous settings without having to travel very far at all.

Q: If you were Prime Minister for the day what would be the first thing you do?

A: This is not a job I would ever wish to do but I think I would start by really acknowledging my own ‘humanness’ and begin by connecting with communities by seeing what their lives really are like on a day-to-day basis. I’d also make yoga and mindfulness a compulsory element to the curriculum as well as learning about the native flora and fauna of our lands.

Q: What’s your biggest frustration?

A: Me getting frustrated!

Q:  Where’s your favourite holiday location?

A: Anywhere by the sea. I love the sea air, the expansion it brings and the connection to the raw elements. I always dream of white sand and turquoise waters when I think of holidays and dream about reading a book uninterrupted. However, the reality right now, with two young boys, is crabbing in Cornwall and that is perfect.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

A: I love questions like these, but ten years seems like a long time away. I hope to be raising two gorgeous boys to be confident in themselves and conscious of the world and people around them. I also wish to have made a huge impact on women’s lives and be living in a place very close to the sea; somewhere with a view and a garden for my herbs with my own sanctuary to welcome people to.

Q: What would you like to be remembered for?

A: For being me.

For changing the narrative of childbirth one woman at a time.

For bringing women together so they can feel like goddesses during each season of their womanhood.

For raising our children with love and tenderness whilst sharing my appreciation and expression of yoga and Mother Nature and her gifts.

• glowyoga.co.uk