Fortunately, my granddad was a skilled labourer; a carpenter. Through sheer graft and determination he secured a well paid job in Nairobi. After a few months, my grandma joined him and this is where they had their first child in 1950. By 1969 their family had grown: now they had five boys and four girls to look after.

As the situation in Kenya continued to deteriorate, in 1971 the Mistry family decided to move once again; this time to Bradford. It was here that the five brothers and four sisters laid the foundations for their own success and the success of their children. I am one of 13 grandchildren of Govindbhai and Bhikiben, most of whom are now in their mid-twenties, and well on their way in a range of professions including Engineering, HR, Sales and Teaching.

So, in 2006, the whole family felt it was a fitting time to combine all its efforts to give something back to the community that has served it so well for the last 30 years. We established the Govindbhai Foundation, named after my late grandfather, and since then we have been working together to plan and prepare annual fundraising events.

The family organizes and prepares all of its fundraising events, from cooking and serving food, to marketing and arranging sponsorship and entertainment on the night.

All funds raised from the events are split between a UK children charity of our choice and a long term Educational Project for blind children in Gujarat, India.