21 Questions with Labour's Marie Rimmer

Ms Rimmer was first elected to represent the people of St Helens South and Whiston in 2015, and is now looking to get elected for the third time.

Find out what she had to say.

Education:

I was educated at Gerards Bridge Infant School, where the Gerards Bridge estate is now but back then it was terraced housing and Pilkingtons properties which originated from old Irish families actually.

Then I went to Lowe House School and I was there all the way through. It wasn’t a grammar school I got a borderline scholarship.

Profession:

I was employed in Pilkingtons until I was 53, first in accounts then buying then I qualified in Health and Safety and that’s where I finished as Health and Safety Advisor at Cowley Hill.

I also did an afternoon in Oxley’s but they kept saying my name wrong, so I left.

First car you bought?

It was a Ford Fiesta and I still drive a Ford Fiesta

Where did you last go on holiday?

My last holiday was in February and Kate Hollern (MP from Blackburn) and myself went off to Portugal for a week last February.

What was the last thing you ate?

I ate Porridge with hazelnuts, blueberries and raspberries this morning

When was the last time you cried?

Last time I really cried was when my friend Carole Hudson died, I broke my heart that was the last time I really, really cried. And when her daughter had a baby.

Favourite St Helens restaurant?

I go to different ones, the last one was The Dean for my niece’s 50th birthday, it was wonderful. But I also like The Greek and Casa Vieja.

I don’t go out a great deal but if I do, I go out here in St Helens.

Favourite St Helens pub?

I love pubs, my dad used to go a lot but it was more social then to meet your friends in the community, but for me it’s not something I frequent often, only because I’m profoundly deaf and the noise in pubs gets too much.

But the last ones I have been in is The Cricketers and The Turks Head.

What is your favourite drink?

I like a tonic water, with ice and lemon but if I go out, I might have a gin and tonic or a glass of wine with my meal

Where do you do your food shopping?

I shop in Lidl and Morrisons. I like Lidl it is good food and affordable and I like Morrisons, can’t beat it for fresh berries and fruit. The staff in both are wonderful

Favourite Saints player?

I love all Saints but I like James Roby. And thinking back I also think of Paul Wellens who was a great player and Keiron Cunningham who always instilled confidence with me when he went on that pitch.

Favourite movie?

Love is a many splendid thing and Barbara Streisand in The Way We Were

Favourite TV series?

Coronation Street, it’s the one thing I have to keep up with

Favourite book?

I don’t get to read many books now as I’m busy but when I had time was Black Pearl and I enjoyed that and I’d read that again.

Favourite actor?

I like Robert Redford. I go to Lucem Cinema on Corporation Street a lot because I like the older films, I’m a romantic really

What’s music are you listening to right now?

Nothing in particular but I listen to Smooth Radio when I’m driving and commuting and if I’m at home I have relaxing bird song on.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

I don’t know, I’d like to think someone down to earth and working class really and Northern.

Any tattoos?

No.

Best gift you’ve ever received?

Any gift is just lovely, the act of being given something. One of my closest friends Iran always gets me lovely gifts, you can’t say you like something without her remembering and getting it for you.

But honestly, I like getting tea towels, partly because my granny always got them for me, and I hate buying them for myself so it’s lovely to receive them.

I told my friend that and she always gets me them now at Christmas and that makes me smile.

If you had one superpower, what would it be?

Children being neglected, I can’t stand to see them suffer so if I had one power it would be to stop that. Confidence and safety; I passionately believe all children should feel loved and safe. Material things don’t always matter but you want them to feel happy and safe and know they are loved.

If you give a child that that will get them through life.

What's the best piece advice you've received?

My mother used to say: "Marie, you will go through life with many disappointments because you’ve got high standards. But it’s better to go through life like you lovey, have many friends and keep making them and if one lets you down you have the others".

I think that learning to trust people, accept disappointments and keep meeting people.

I think that comes from my upbringing. I’m one of eight children and we lived in a two up and down and I remember my dad going to Dave at the market near the Hotties and got a bath and carried it from there, a big white one and it was in the yard. We had a brick boiler and everything and lavatory at the bottom of the yard and we didn’t have much you see, but we were happy, that’s what I mean about children being happy. You don’t need much but you need to feel loved.

If we invest in our children, society will benefit so much. You can tell if a child, is cared for properly, that’s the time to intervene if not and help them with the knowledge of how to look after them.