Steve Kell, 59, countryside ranger, Warwickshire Country Parks
I always loved being in nature. But I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was 18, so I got a job at a high-street bank. My grandfather was made up – he was convinced I was going to be the governor of the Bank of England. But over the years I became disenchanted. Then, in my early 30s, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had to take months off work. I couldn’t help thinking about how finite life is. I decided I wanted to do something I really enjoyed.
