TIM DEARING, RETURNING PIANIST

Last year, in the midst of lockdown, Tim Dearing, a 36-year-old computer games designer, decided to return to his first love: the piano

‘Like everyone, I had a lot of time on my hands and craved a hobby I could focus on and pursue indoors. When I was a boy, my grandad taught me to play the piano using a book called The Complete Keyboard Player. It was full of wellknown songs pared back to their basics and which got progressively more complex as you went through the series. Last year, I decided to buy myself a copy and a piano to play them on.’

Tim found a perfectly playable Challen upright piano online, and bought it. Including delivery, it cost him just £120. He lives on the top floor of a flat but luckily, no one lives below.

‘I’ve had no complaints from neighbours – at least not yet,’ he says. ‘I’m working my way through the book, playing pieces I like. My goal is to have the family over next Christmas and play the piano and have everyone singing. Most importantly, it’s brought me and grandad even closer together. He calls almost every day now to hear how I’m getting on!’