Forum Member of the month – Helen Riding
Date: 21 October 2025
Where were you born?
North East England
Where is home now?
Sunny Whitley Bay
What was your first job?
I sold trainers in a sports shop – that is where my love of trainers and running started
What is your favourite food?
I love curry and sushi
What is your favourite film?
Difficult to decide – True Romance, cheesy 80s films like Gremlins / Goonies and I also love films by studio Ghibli
What was the first album/single you ever bought?
Single A-Ha! The Living Daylights, album was Duran Duran, Rio
What are you most proud of personally or professionally?
My fantastic children – professionally – competing my Degree in my 30s and my masters degree in my 40s – especially as I got told at school by a careers advisor not to apply to any of local universities, because I would never be accepted and I have now graduated from both of them.
You are stranded on a desert island – what one item you would take with you (book, album, luxury item).
It would have to be hammock – I love my sleep!
What do you enjoy most about being the Research and Development Forum Coordinator?
Supporting the voices of the R&D community, Working groups and Trustees. I have really enjoyed helping build the Hive Mind Community. When I joined the R&D Forum as Co-ordinator, we had around 140 members, we are now at over 360.