Flying Start, launched in July last year, is British Airways' (BA) global charity partnership with the UK-based charity, Comic Relief. It aims to transform the lives of some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children around the world.
Initially, I raised funds for this charity by holding a mini book sale but, keen to widen its scope, I decided to boost the fund drive by collecting recipes from colleagues in the region and creating a cookbook. It has taken off and I and my colleagues here are all happy that it is now a global BA project. A selection of recipes submitted by BA staff from around the globe were included in the book. We submitted 15 from this region.
The book was launched on December 7 by Keith Williams, the chief executive officer of BA, and initial reports indicate that sales are going well. December 7 incidentally is also BA's commitment and conservation day.
Funds for Comic Relief are raised via on-board collections and a donation page on the BA website. Customers can also donate at checkout when purchasing flights and holidays online. Comic Relief's mission is to drive positive change through the power of entertainment and for the past 25 years it has been raising millions of pounds to tackle the root causes of poverty and social injustice
I am currently studying for a postgraduate degree in human resources.
I try to focus on self-development and am always looking to improve my time management. Human resources seemed the obvious choice as I've been so heavily involved in people management over the years. I felt it will allow me to understand more of the theory side. The toughest part is that I've forgotten how to write for exams effectively!
We take classes in ‘blocks' - one weekend and then a week of evenings at a time followed by a longish break. This makes it easier to dedicate my time to studies. There are about 70 of us doing the course.
Most of my fellow students are much younger than me.I find them very refreshing as they possess two important traits - they are easy-going but at the same time they're sure about what they want out of life. Being with them has definitely helped me to understand my own children; I have two ‘teenage' boys, (actually, one of them is only 11, but he follows closely in his older brother's footsteps so I consider them both teenagers.)
I started working for British Airways in India in 1992. I was with the International tele sales support group but left the company in 1994 after I got married and moved to Dubai with my husband. However, a few months later I joined BA here and am currently in charge of trade sales for the region. I also manage The Speedbird Club, an online resource for travel agents to provide them with all the information about my company's products and services, 24 hours a day.
My family is mad about dogs. My husband and I both grew up with dogs and it was natural for us to bring our sons up with this same joy and responsibility. We have two pet dogs - Bruno and Bailey. Spending time with them is a definite stress-buster.
Cake decorating and chocolate moulding are my latest passions even though I'm not really a big dessert person. My family are chocoholics. I'd never consider myself a domestic person, but I wanted to do something special for my kids so made a Kung Fu Panda cake for my younger son's birthday.
I love books and read everything. However, lately I've been reading a lot about history, thanks to my father-in-law, who was in the Indian Air Force and introduced me to the likes of William Dalrymple, whose books include In Xanadu and The Last Mughal. Unfortunately, it is hard to read for pleasure when I have so much to read for work and my studies.
Quick Questions
How do you juggle a career, motherhood, studies and hobbies?
I have to give most of the credit to my husband. He fully supports both our boys and me when I am busy or travelling. Then there's my in-laws, and my mother who often comes to Dubai to help.
The best present you got?
A Kindle that my brother recently gave me. I'm still partial to paper books, but the ease of ebooks is amazing.
