HITEN Shah enjoys working in the voluntary and public sector, because he feels he is giving something back to the community.

Hiten, 36, of Priory Way, North Harrow, is an equality and diversity manager with Surrey County Council, developing the authority's policies and practices and running projects to promote members of ethnic minorities to managerial posts.

As if that didn't keep him busy enough, he has been elected to a number of positions across the public, voluntary and community sectors, among them serving on the board of Harrow Council for Racial Equality and as a board member and trustee of Harrow Association of Disabled People.

"I enjoy using my knowledge and skills, that I have from my job, to help charitable organisations," he said.

"It is a two-way process, as I have also learned a lot from my charity work."

Hiten started studying for his PhD in geography, but did not complete the course after deciding it was not the path for him.

He then worked as a volunteer, looking after disadvantaged children, the first of a number of jobs before seeing racist graffiti on a cash machine set him on a career.

He said he felt annoyed and needed to do something to help people from ethnic minorities such as himself (he was born in Kenya).

Hiten worked for three years in the Home Office, working on immigration policy and the Stephen Lawrence case.

He said: "Harrow is such a diverse place. We have many different races and religions in the borough. I enjoy what I do as I am helping people to help themselves."

He is also pleased that he has had the chance to work with local and central government.

In local government he hears the views of local people, and working with central government he can watch policies he has helped develop being put into place.