My late father was a Unitarian minister in Gateacre, Liverpool. From a very early age I was fascinated by the organ in Gateacre Chapel (it's on NPOR) and this fascination grew as I got older. On moving to Wilmslow in Cheshire, I began piano lessons at age 7, and having access to organs in dad's churches I started to teach myself! I started proper lessons at 10 (when I played my first service) On moving to Bristol, lessons continued - although I squandered the opportunities offered. I took up music full time in 1987, having been made redundant from a managerial post in business, holding a succession of paid church posts and supplementing my income with private teaching. I now live in France in semi-retirement, doing some online teaching and also I am a registered celebrant for weddings and funerals, as well as playing in various local churches in the Charente region. (For which payment even of expenses is non-existant! Another topic brewing there!!)