Taffy Thomas, MBE taught English and Drama for many years. Magic Lantern, his ground-breaking shadow puppet company, became Fabulous Salami Brothers, a street theater company utilising folk tales and circus skills. He gives around 300 storytelling performances a year, and was made an MBE in the 2000 New Year's Honours List for services to storytelling and charity. More recently he has been given the honorary position of first laureate for storytelling. He lives in Grasmere.