Nan had a vast button collection; I mean hundreds, if not thousands of buttons in every colour, shape and material possible; plastic, Bakelite, wood, glass, fabric. She collected these over many years, from altered garments; spare buttons taken from tops, trousers and dresses; buttons bought from fares and fetes. There were an incredible volume and all in different pots, jars, bags and boxes.

My task when I was a small girl, was to sort and organise these buttons into coloured piles. It was my favourite task. A almost impossible, yet utterly rewarding task. I can still see the big plastic sheet she would spread out on her living room floor, before tipping piles of buttons onto the floor for me to sort.

Many years later, I still have a glass jar full of black buttons - saved from her collection - it's a small reminder of the little things I'd do at Nan's house, and how happy we were to be in each other's company.