Zuffar ran a successful business, which he sold in 2005. As as a member of the Leicester Mercury Patients' Panel and chairman of the Leicester Patients' Group, Zuffar has a record of campaigning successfully on health issues in Leicestershire. He has worked extensively for charity and has founded his own International Medical Aid Appeal.

He was vice-chair of Leicestershire Crimestoppers and is particularly concerned about the causes of crime and the impact on victims.

My family's links with Leicester and Leicestershire go back almost 100 years with my grandfather coming over to Leicester in 1919. In 1938 my father joined him and was an Air Raid Warden in Clarendon Park during the Second World War as well as working in a munitions factory.

It's fair to say that my family has always loved Leicester and Leicestershire and happily made it our home - never considering moving elsewhere. As a family we were part of the community. My father was a security guard and was passionate about education and whilst money was never overly in abundance he worked hard to make sure we had what we needed to give us the best start in life. I remember him saving up over one month's salary so that he could buy us four children a computer to share because he saw that as being part of the future.

At the age of 12 I got a newspaper round and remember the pride I felt when I picked up my £1.20 a week wages! I wanted to help my family and contribute and was more able to do so when in 1987 I started up my own business wholesaling and retailing electrical goods. In 1989 the business had grown to a six figure turnover and - as a family - we were able to buy a car for the first time. Around that time we also moved from our two bedroomed house to a five bedroomed semi-detached home.

I continued to work hard on the business growing its turnover year on year and in 1994 I got married and began to understand the challenges faced by most parents juggling home commitments with business commitments when our children started to arrive. Our firstborn arrived in 2000 - a daughter - who was born with cerebral palsy and spent six months of her first year in hospital. It was then that I made a decision to sell the business and between 2000 - 2005 did so investing the money in commercial property so I could ensure my family received a monthly income whilst being able to concentrate on looking after my daughter with my wife.

Spending as much time as we did in hospital I saw the opportunity to recycle, if you like, unwanted hospital equipment and set up an international aid charity in 2001 doing just that; sending equipment to third world countries where it was gladly received and much needed. In 2003 I became a health campaigner and have since held various roles including being Chairman of the Leicester Patients Group as well as being a member of the Leicester Mercury Patients' Panel. I was also part of the group which fought to keep children's heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital.