"Stories are for everyone, regardless of any special need. As the first national ambassador for storytelling, I have the same brief as Signed Stories - to spread stories and the love of stories and storytelling. I wish you all luck in this venture."

Taffy Thomas is an experienced English storyteller with a repertoire of more than 300 stories and tales. He founded the folk theatre company Magic Lantern and travelled across Europe illustrating folk songs with shadow puppets. In 1984 aged 36, Taffy suffered a stroke and took up storytelling as speech therapy and continues to tour nationally and internationally working in both entertainment and education. He is patron of the Society for Storytelling and was awarded an MBE for services to storytelling and charity in the 2001 New Year Honours.