“The target is to raise £1.5m in two years. We’ve got the world leader in spinal repair here, Professor Geoffrey Raisman, and he’s very optimistic that he’ll get paralysis beaten in the near future.”

David Nicholls, founder Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation

The Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (NSIF) was founded by chef David Nicholls after his son, Daniel, was left paralysed from the arms down after a swimming accident in 2003.

Determined to help his son and others living with spinal injury, David compiled a fundraising cookery book. Forty-eight of the world’s top chefs and food writers contributed recipes and interviews to Off Duty: The World’s Greatest Chefs Cook at Home.

The proceeds of the book helped David set up the NSIF – a charity dedicated to helping find a cure for spinal injury.