“Music lessons are very expensive normally,” Alan explained. “So we desperately try to keep it as low as possible.”
Alan has been teaching piano at Pianos, Pies and Pirouettes in Scholes, for more than 20 years. He provides four free lessons to new starters – after which, each lesson costs £7.50.
“Half my life is spent begging, stealing, borrowing money off anybody we can get our hands on to give us money,” Alan said. “I work 70 to 80 hour weeks – I have 60 pupils.
“That’s why I’ll still be teaching piano when I’m 103 – I’ve spent all my personal pension money on this.”
Alan began teaching after his wife, Winifred Anne Gregory, died from cancer at the age of 48.
He said he knew his “life would be over” unless he found something else.
“Piano is what saved me,” Alan said. “I want to do the same for other people.”