Born in Kenya and leaving school at 14, Dinesh was unable to read or write in his native language, Gujarati. As an adult, he came to England to work in the family business, which he did for 20 years. When the family business closed, Dinesh sought further employment but was unsuccessful because he could not read, write or speak English very well. In addition Dinesh suffers from severe arthritis and is registered blind. He has received national recognition, winning an award from NIACE because of his sheer determination to become a learner. Dinesh is now much more confident; intends to continue with his study and hopes eventually to get a job. “I needed to learn to read and write if I was to get a job so I started a basic skills course in 2005 which enabled me to go on and do other courses. I like learning and meeting people. Attending CALAT and learning makes me feel good about myself.”