Ann has been baking for 35 years. "In early marriage we ate our mistakes and learned fast," she says. "Then, when my children were little, someone gave one of them a bread mouse. And I thought 'Aha!"
"Since then, I've made thousands - for harvest festivals, friends and all sorts. And I've always tried to pass it on to other people."
Ann has branched out into all kinds of creative breadmaking. Her repertoire includes harvest sheaves, suns, bread hedgehogs and different kinds of loaves. She is passionate about the joys of breadmaking: "I always use fresh yeast - it's so is wonderful to work with, as it comes out different every time. And the smell of fresh bread is very special - people gravitate towards it."
Now semi-retired from a career in the NHS, Ann is happy to teach anyone who wants to learn, for expenses only. "I wouldn't pretend to be any kind of great expert, nor am I that artistic. But they're easy to do - and craft loaves make great gifts."
