THE Success Stories Storytelling Club has been busy during the coronavirus outbreak

Sharon Richards, who founded the club 10 years ago, said: “One of our new members, Emma Dobson, has offered to host a story night for us on the Zoom video website.

"I’d never even heard of Zoom until she taught me how to use it.

“You need a smartphone or a computer with a camera and microphone.

"We held our first Zoom meeting on Easter Monday.

“We’ll do regular sessions and people can tell a story or just listen.”

The club has also been invited by Radio Alty presenter Rod Maxwell to tell a short story or read a poem every day.

Sharon said: “I have asked other members of Success Stories to send their work to me."

She has been a fan of storytelling since she was young, saying: “What is important is not the storyteller but the story.”

Sharon recalls making the occasional mistake in the early days.

She said: “I tell new story tellers it is important to be prepared.”

Nowadays Sharon rarely slips up but she remembers when she was booked to tell a 20-minute story at the Royal Exchange Theatre.

She said: “The clapping at the end was somewhat subdued.

"Eventually I discovered I had held the microphone too closely so nobody could hear a word I had said.”

Now a polished performer, she has been runner-up twice in the Susan Hayhurst Raconteur of the Year competition.

She said: “I didn’t mind coming second because a member of Success Stories, Paul Cunningham, came first.

"I ring our members every day while we are on lockdown because they have become friends.”

For more information, e-mail successstoriesinfo@gmail.com or call 07854 227 805.