Harji Kaur has made it her mission to spread happiness and to help as many people as she can along the way.

The mum-of-two, who moved to Stoke-on-Trent from India, has set up two linked businesses inspired by years of volunteering within the community.

Indian Fusion combines her love of dancing, cooking and yoga to offer classes within schools and through organisations including The HUBB Foundation, Affordable Food Stoke and The Indi Club.

Harji’s Help at Home is a home support and cleaning service.

The businesses, both based in Fenton in Stoke-on-Trent, were launched in May 2023. Harji is currently a sole trader but aims to recruit a team as her businesses grow.

The 37-year-old, who previously worked as a chef, said: “I’ve always wanted to help people. I did volunteering with people with learning disabilities which inspired me to want to make their life better.”

Harji trained as a fitness instructor and did a yoga course and says she is proud to be ‘a plus sized girl’ with the confidence to deliver fitness classes.

“I wanted to prove that if you set out to do something and if you want it enough then you can make it happen,” she said. “My aim is to spread happiness regardless of size and regardless of skin colour.

“The first thing I do in my classes is to smile and I encourage everyone else to smile too. I see around 150 ladies in my classes each week and I get them all smiling.”

Harji has entered the Young Business Person of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Business in the Community categories of the Staffordshire University Business Awards.