Pillar of the community

The generosity of some people is truly remarkable. Furhan Mustafa is one individual I interviewed recently who goes the extra mile to help others without expecting anything in return. The 21-year-old student from Manchester devotes his time to improving the lives of others in many ways such as organising days out for disabled children and influencing the development of local services.

Furhan, who was nominated for the Good Neighbour award at the Manchester city council's Be Proud Awards, began volunteering at Trafford Carers Centre after he cared for his nephew who is in a wheelchair and need round-the-clock care. Margaret Clarke has shown her gratitude for the support Furhan has given her in caring for her sick husband Bill by writing a letter to the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In the letter, Ms Clarke pointed out the incredible difference the help had made to her and her husband's life.

Furhan is preparing to launch a not-for-profit independent, voluntary organisation called Sahara that will provide support for ethnic minority parents, carers and former carers of children with special needs. To read the full story, click here to visit the Asian Express newspaper site and head over to page 28.