Her role also includes liaising with local wildlife watch groups for children.

Nicky lives in Handsworth with her husband, two daughters and their cat.

Are you a cook?
I adore cooking for friends and entertaining. I have been known to cook up 'culinary experiences' and I especially like baking cakes – carrot cake and chocolate fudge cake are my specialties.

Any cooking tips?
Yes – try anything. Even if a recipe contains something you don't like, try it, you never know.
After all, who would have thought carrots would be good in cake if they hadn't tried it?

What's your favourite dish?
Mushroom and roasted aubergine curry with naan, basmati rice, raita and a good onion bhaji – yummy!

And a drink to go with it?
White Grenache (actually a rosé, but I'm no wine connoisseur!)

Your favourite restaurant in the Sheffield area?
For lunch, it would have to be the Blue Moon Cafe – I love veggie food – or the Showroom.
If I went out at night, somewhere like Thai at the Travellers in Holmesfield – the food is amazing.

And pub?
I'm a bit of a hermit really and pubs are not for me, but probably the Showroom if I did prefer any.

What's the worst meal you've ever had?
Chinese soup. What is that all about? You can see to the bottom of the bowl and it tastes horrible – that's not soup in my book.

And the best?
Red curry at Thai at the Travellers.

Your favourite TV cook?
I don't watch much TV, but I like James Martin and Gordon Ramsay, if he could hold his tongue. He's a great chef and his book has the best lemon meringue pie ever.

What do you think of Sheffield as a place to eat out?
Sheffield has some great cosy places to eat to suit every pocket, so you should find something good.