It is fair to say - and I am sure my own wife will loudly agree - I am not the world’s most sociable person.

And to plagiarise Sheldon in the ‘Big Bang Theory’ ,“of all the worlds in possible alternative dimensions in the time space continuum, The David there doesn’t go out in any of them, and he certainly doesn’t go out in this one either”.

And if I did go out, I would leave early, and certainly wouldn’t dance, or attempt to. However, I was recently invited to the Yorkshire Bakers’ Annual Dinner and Dance and I had really great night out. I stayed until the end and, OK I admit it, had a bit of a dance as well. Although I will strongly deny that it was me in that pink stetson.

I was very kindly invited to be a guest of Bakels for the evening, which was held at the York Train. The evening started with aperitifs on the main platform, nestled in-between the Royal coaches with all their bygone splendour. All the guests for the evening were catching up with friends and old acquaintances, and it was good to see so many bakers, and their friends out for a good night to enjoy themselves, fully suited and booted, but without all the pomp, ceremony and speeches that normally come with this territory.

I am led to believe that George Fuller and his wife, Heather, are responsible for the amazing turnaround of this bakery social. It has become an almost a ‘phoenix from the ashes’ tale. From the ever-depleting numbers of tedious bakery do’s to the vibrant ‘just have to go’ event, planning like this is tough job to pull off.

However, George and Heather, with their vibrant, no-nonsense, let’s have a good time Yorkshire hospitality have certainly put Yorkshire Bakers back on the map.

There is, of course, another great benefit to these social occasions – bakery families getting together – enjoying each other’s company. There were tables of bakery families there, and Mr Hughes from Bradford had two tables with three generations of his family enjoying the evening. We bakers might be the biggest of competitors on the high street, but if we can socialise together and help one another under one common banner, then we might just get through this.

It would be remiss of me not to applaud the allied trades, which, like Bakels, will have sponsored a fair proportion of the evening - from Bako NW to Ranks, Heygates, Ireks, California Raisins and Fullers Bakery, to name just a few, who ensured we all enjoyed ourselves.

And as a postscript, may I thank Donna Longden from Bakels for all her kindness and for also being such an amazing host.