Just before Christmas, I had a call from Buckingham Palace. Was I about to get an MBE? Regrettably, no but it was good news anyway; they rang to tell me that, further to an invitation sent by the NAMB, a member of the Royal Family will be attending our 125th Anniversary Gala Banquet on 3 November 2012 at The Guildhall, London. At this stage I am not allowed to say which one (unless I want to be put in The Tower).

A couple of days later, Channel 4 TV telephoned; they were making a TV series called The Fabulous Baker Brothers and would I, along with senior members of the NAMB, please be in the final episode? Our chairman Mike Holling, national president Clive Williams, president-elect Christopher Freeman, future president-elect Anthony Kindred and I duly set off from various parts of the country to arrive in a freezing cold Bristol for filming. Our members Tom and Henry Herbert were the true stars of the show, as I am sure you will agree. Suffice it to say none of the rest of us will be giving up the day job.

Gill