BBC Radio Solent: Mystery Guest

Something a bit different this morning … we had a lovely message via our website from Tom at the BBC asking if we'd like to be the Mystery Guest on Alun Newman's breakfast show for BBC Radio Solent. Absolutely, YES we would!

So this morning it happened!

How it works: Alun asks a series of yes/no questions in order to use his amazing guessing skills to work out what the mystery guest does for a living. Here's how it went (listen or read below).

ALUN: You're listening to BBC Radio Solent. Alun Newman at breakfast time now for the mystery guest. I've got no idea who they are or what they do, two minutes of quick fire questions to try and work it out. Mystery Guest, good morning. How are you this morning?

DONNA: I'm very well. Thank you. It's a beautiful day, isn't it.

ALUN: You sound bright and breezy. I'm allowed to guess just from the sound of your voice. Don't give me any clues. I'm going to ask you a question. Okay, I just need your reply, and I will connect into my quite complex spiritual gift of guessing. You're in a café, you've got three choices of a drink, you've got water, you've got a smoothie, or a flat white? What would you choose?

DONNA: Flat White every time.

ALUN: Okay, that reveals a lot. I've got it. Okay. You run an outdoor water sports company that focuses a lot of its attention on kayaking and canoeing?

DONNA: No

ALUN: Would be great if you did right. Do you work with the general public?

DONNA: Yes.

ALUN: Do you sell anything?

DONNA: No.

ALUN: Do people come to you normally?

DONNA: No

ALUN: Do you normally go to your clients or not?

DONNA: Yes, we do normally go to our clients.

ALUN: Would you ever be at a wedding with whatever you do?

DONNA: No.

ALUN: So you don't sell anything? You go to your clients? Do you offer them some kind of service?

DONNA: Yes

ALUN: Would you ever go to someone's house?

DONNA: No

ALUN: Would you go to their business?

DONNA: No

ALUN: Would you go to their school?

DONNA: Yes

ALUN: You'd go to schools. Okay, so are you teaching children?

DONNA: Yes

ALUN: You're teaching children. Is it anything to do with fitness?

DONNA: Yes, it is to do with fitness.

ALUN: Do you take anything with you?

DONNA: Yes.

ALUN: Have you got a massive mobile climbing wall?

DONNA: No.

ALUN: Is it a sport? Is it in the Olympics?

DONNA: No. [a bit early, brain not fully awake! Yes, cycling IS an Olympic sport! 🤦‍♀️]

ALUN: Does it involve water?

DONNA: No.

ALUN: Ah, it involves wheels. It involves wheels because you teach children cycling proficiency.

DONNA: Oh, yes!

ALUN: Your name, please, and the name of your business.

DONNA: My name is Donna, and we're from Pedal Power Training.

ALUN: You know, I remember my cycling proficiency to this day. I really enjoyed it. I still remember it now in my 50s, it was a special moment. These are moments that are so important to children's lives, aren't they? How long have you been doing it for, Donna?

DONNA: 15 years now.

ALUN: At what age do you start teaching children?

DONNA: We can teach children from as young as four right up to adults. So it's not just for children. We build cycling confidence in adults too. So we're not really teaching cycling proficiency anymore. It's been updated since you and I were younger, and it's now called Bikeability. So it's all about sharing space and making sure that we're all able to cycle confidently and, more often, choosing that as a preferred mode of transport.

ALUN: What a lovely thing to do. I mean, get your confidence up, cycling. And it's sensational. You know, it's funny, isn't it? Because these things when you're young... I know you teach adults, but I bet the adults you teach never had this when they were young, and they never had this opportunity. But once you believe you can cycle and you know what you're doing, it kind of stays with you for the rest of your life. That sounds ridiculous. You'll know that, Donna, but you know what I mean?

DONNA: Absolutely! Do you know, we have so many magical moments from children who are cycling for the first time, or taking their hands off the handlebars for the first time, or just riding on the road for the first time. We're not just trying to teach cycle confidence, but inspire that lasting love for it.

ALUN: Now, Donna, I want to ask you a quick question. I'm thinking of getting some little wing mirrors for my bike. What do you think?

DONNA: There's no substitute for a really good shoulder check, because if you look over your shoulder, you're communicating with everybody else around you too.

ALUN: Got you. Okay, nice to get your advice, Donna, keep doing the great work you're doing. Thank you for being today's mystery guest. Thank you very much. Thank you Donna. There she goes. Donna is the owner of pedalpowertraining.co.uk