Samina Peerzada, chief guest of Bradford’s Beyond the Mango Film Festival, has become the patron of the Bradford Muslim Women’s Forum, an informal fundraising group for good causes at home and abroad.

On behalf of the BMWF, the actress and film-maker accepted a cheque for 100,000 rupees, or about £750, to pass on to Behbud, an organisation in Rawlpindi in Pakistan that helps destitute widowed and single mothers to provide for themselves and their children.

The money was raised at a recent dinner organised by the BMWF. In addition to raising money for organisations such as Behbud, forum members also contribute annually to the Lord Mayor of Bradford’s appeal.

Sabiya Khan, chairman of the BMWF, said: “Behbud seeks to empower women from the poorer communities in Pakistan to become financially independent.”