I was fortunate to be chosen for a Fellowship in 1978, when I was working for Nottinghamshire Libraries, arranging events – competitions, storytelling etc – for children all over the county. I thought I could benefit from seeing what other libraries were doing, so I chose those I knew were innovating.

Visiting Toronto, Boston, New York and Philadelphia libraries was fascinating and I brought back many ideas. I was later able to hire some US storytellers that I had met in New York for Nottinghamshire children to enjoy. I gave many talks on my return, and carried on storytelling, often in parks with a microphone and speakers attached to my car battery, but a couple of years later I was headhunted by a firm of library suppliers and worked for them for a while.

I decided I wanted to work for myself, and opened a second-hand bookshop in Wells, in Somerset. I enjoyed it, but needed to specialise, and after a false start or two decided to specialise in buying and selling cricket books and memorabilia, and that is what I still do. I am now based in a purpose-built office on the banks of the Severn. I also publish books which shed light on cricket history.